ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Not everyone wants cheering up, new study suggests
• Gender differences could mean more risk for cardiovascular death
• Evidence that an Influenza A virus can jump from horses to camels
• Prior drug use is greatest predictor of ecstasy use among U.S. high school seniors
• BMI measurement may be missing 25 percent of children who could be considered obese
• Role of cohesin in cancer revised by researcher
• Morphable surfaces cut air resistance: Golf ball-like dimples on cars may improve fuel efficiency
• Virus kills triple negative breast cancer cells, tumor cells in mice
• Cell division discovery could optimize timing of chemotherapy, explain some cancers
• UK's National Health Service: Committed to failure?
• Restricting competitors could help threatened species cope with climate change
• New possibilities for leukemia therapy with novel mode of leukemia cell recognition
• Young women with polycystic ovary syndrome are 5 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes
• Bizarre parasite from the Jurassic had mouthparts for sucking blood of salamanders
• Sweet, sweet straw: Scientists learn to produce sweetener from straw and fungi
• Should universities censor students on social media?
• Gene in brain linked to kidney cancer, researchers say
• The truth behind the '5-second rule': When in doubt, throw it out, expert says
• Aging accelerates genomic changes, signaling challenges for personalized medicine
• Potential new treatment approach for lung cancer
• Fat of the bone: Exercise, diabetes affect amount of fat inside bones
• Challenges of visual accessibility for people with low vision
• Kids' risks from toxic metals in dirt downplayed when measured with standard tools
• Cure for HIV is a 'major scientific priority'
• More bicyclists on road means fewer collisions, study shows
• Exploring the brain: New findings explain how eyes link to prefrontal cortex
• Computer-aided diagnosis of rare genetic disorders from family snaps
• Schizophrenia and cannabis use may share common genes
• Facelock: New password alternative which plays to the strengths of human memory
• Cell phones reflect our personal microbiome
• Should the Higgs boson have caused our universe to collapse? Findings puzzle cosmologists
• When it rains, it pours ... on the sun
• Carbon footprint of the Swedish information and communication technology sector mapped out
• Sleeping sickness: the tsetse fly genome decoded
• Amazon water comprehensively mapped from space
• Chagas' disease: A return announced
• Howzat eyesight? New study analyses how cricketers' visual skills change with age
• Local governments lack funds for age-friendly infrastructure
• Cancer 'as old as multi-cellular life on Earth': Researchers discover a primordial cancer in a primitive animal
• Puzzle games can improve mental flexibility, study shows
• High fluctuation rate at cantonal parliaments
• Effect of anxiety, adrenaline, fatigue for a soccer player: Mexican study of UK players
• Sound waves harnessed to enable precision micro- and nano-manufacturing
• Pushing cells towards a higher pluripotency state
• Many ER patients test positive for HIV while in most infectious stage
• How repeatable is evolutionary history? 'Weakness' in clover genome biases species to evolve same trait
• Rate of hospitalization for severe heart attacks in China quadruples in 10 years
• Calcium, vitamin D supplementation improves metabolic profile of pregnant women with gestational diabetes
• It is time to abandon obesity myths, experts say
• Cocoa extract may counter specific mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease
• Fatal cellular malfunction identified in Huntington's disease
• Titan's building blocks might pre-date Saturn
• Ferroelectric switching seen in biological tissues
• Understanding the ocean's role in Greenland glacier melt
• The JBEI GT Collection: A new resource for advanced biofuels research
• Picture books for visually impaired kids go 3-D
• Emergence of bacterial vortex explained
• Treading into gray area along spectrum of wood decay fungi
• Protecting and connecting the Flathead National Forest in Montana
• Diabetes susceptibility gene regulates health of cell's powerhouse, study finds

Not everyone wants cheering up, new study suggests Posted: 24 Jun 2014 11:23 AM PDT You may want to rethink cheering up your friends who have low self-esteem because chances are they don't want to hear it. People with low self-esteem have overly negative views of themselves, and often interpret critical feedback, romantic rejections, or unsuccessful job applications as evidence of their general unworthiness. A new study found that they likely don't want you to try to boost their spirits.

Gender differences could mean more risk for cardiovascular death Posted: 24 Jun 2014 11:22 AM PDT One expert is advocating the use of gender-based treatment for mitigating the cardiovascular risk factors related to diabetes. Research has shown women with Type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol are less likely than their male peers to reach treatment goals to lower their bad cholesterol, or low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.

Evidence that an Influenza A virus can jump from horses to camels Posted: 24 Jun 2014 10:58 AM PDT Evidence that an influenza A virus can jump from horses to camels has been found by scientists – and humans could be next. "Over the last 10 years, we've been amazed at all the cross-species jumps of influenza. Now we're finding yet another," said one researcher. Although there is no immediate risk, the inter-mammalian transmission of the virus is a major concern for public health researchers interested in controlling the threat of pandemic influenza.

Prior drug use is greatest predictor of ecstasy use among U.S. high school seniors Posted: 24 Jun 2014 10:58 AM PDT A national sample of high school seniors was examined to determine who is currently at high risk for ecstasy use. Although ecstasy use in the U.S. is not as prevalent as in the late 1990s and early 2000s, its use remains popular among adolescents and young adults. The authors feel the popularity of ecstasy use may be related to increasing popularity of electronic dance festivals.

BMI measurement may be missing 25 percent of children who could be considered obese Posted: 24 Jun 2014 10:57 AM PDT Physicians using body mass index (BMI) to diagnose children as obese may be missing 25 percent of kids who have excess body fat despite a normal BMI, which can be a serious concern for long-term health, according to a study. The researchers found that BMI has high specificity in identifying pediatric obesity, meaning BMI accurately identifies children who are obese, but has a moderate sensitivity, meaning the BMI tool misses children who actually should be considered obese, according to the percent of fat in their bodies.

Role of cohesin in cancer revised by researcher Posted: 24 Jun 2014 08:07 AM PDT The role of cohesin, its regulation, as well as its recently identified function as a potential driver or facilitator for tumors has been explained and revised by an international expert in cohesin. The challenge now is to understand the link between cohesin and the development and evolution of cancer, an area where there is currently little data.

Morphable surfaces cut air resistance: Golf ball-like dimples on cars may improve fuel efficiency Posted: 24 Jun 2014 08:07 AM PDT Testing over the years has proved that a golf ball's irregular surface dramatically increases the distance it travels, because it can cut the drag caused by air resistance in half. Now researchers are aiming to harness that same effect to reduce drag on a variety of surfaces -- including domes that sometimes crumple in high winds, or perhaps even vehicles.

Virus kills triple negative breast cancer cells, tumor cells in mice Posted: 24 Jun 2014 08:07 AM PDT A virus not known to cause disease kills triple-negative breast cancer cells and killed tumors grown from these cells in mice, according to researchers. Understanding how the virus kills cancer may lead to new treatments for breast cancer. "These results are significant, since tumor necrosis -- or death -- in response to therapy is also used as the measure of an effective chemotherapeutic," one researcher said.

Cell division discovery could optimize timing of chemotherapy, explain some cancers Posted: 24 Jun 2014 08:07 AM PDT A new study has been able to demonstrate how the cycle of cell division in mammalian cells synchronizes with the body's own daily rhythm, its circadian clock. The study not only helps to explain why people with sustained disrupted circadian rhythms can be more susceptible to cancer, it may also help establish the optimal time of day to administer chemotherapy.

UK's National Health Service: Committed to failure? Posted: 24 Jun 2014 08:06 AM PDT A project has failed. So why continue to invest in it? This is a pertinent question for large organizations, like the UK National Health Service, which has a history of investing vast amounts of taxpayer's money into unrealistic and ultimately unsuccessful projects. According to business experts, organizations develop blind spots due to a perfect storm of unworkable policies and defensive behavior.

Restricting competitors could help threatened species cope with climate change Posted: 24 Jun 2014 08:06 AM PDT Threatened animal species could cope better with the effects of climate change if competition from other animals for the same habitats is restricted, according to new research. Observing the goats in the Italian Alps during the summer, the researchers found that Chamois tended to move to higher altitudes where it is cooler on hotter days and in the middle of the day, but moved much higher when sheep were present. To their surprise, they discovered that competition with sheep had a far greater effect on Chamois than the predicted effects of future climate change.

New possibilities for leukemia therapy with novel mode of leukemia cell recognition Posted: 24 Jun 2014 08:05 AM PDT A new class of lipids in the leukemia cells that are detected by a unique group of immune cells has been discovered by researchers. By recognizing the lipids, the immune cells stimulate an immune response to destroy the leukemia cells and suppress their growth. The newly identified mode of cancer cell recognition by the immune system opens up new possibilities for leukemia immunotherapy.

Young women with polycystic ovary syndrome are 5 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes Posted: 24 Jun 2014 08:05 AM PDT Young women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) have a startlingly higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, even if young and not overweight, a leading expert on reproductive health says. "With the dramatic rise in diabetes, this research highlights the need for greater awareness and screening, especially in high risk groups including young women with PCOS."

Bizarre parasite from the Jurassic had mouthparts for sucking blood of salamanders Posted: 24 Jun 2014 07:58 AM PDT Around 165 million years ago, a spectacular parasite was at home in the freshwater lakes of present-day Inner Mongolia (China): A fly larva with a thorax formed entirely like a sucking plate. With it, the animal could adhere to salamanders and suck their blood with its mouthparts formed like a sting. To date no insect is known that is equipped with a similar specialized design.

Sweet, sweet straw: Scientists learn to produce sweetener from straw and fungi Posted: 24 Jun 2014 07:58 AM PDT The calorie free sweetener erythritol is widely used in Asia; it is also gaining popularity in Europe and America. Now, a new cheap method has been developed to produce erythritol from straw with the help of mould fungi. Erythritol has many great advantages: it does not make you fat, it does not cause tooth decay, it has no effect on the blood sugar and, unlike other sweeteners, it does not have a laxative effect.

Should universities censor students on social media? Posted: 24 Jun 2014 07:58 AM PDT Huge increases in the use of social media by students have posed difficult ethical questions for Universities. Comments posted on sites such as Facebook are often 'stream of consciousness' thoughts, expressed with little regard to their potential impact. Sometimes, they constitute serious transgressions, including racism, homophobia, violent threats and admissions of plagiarism.  Do Universities have a duty of care to intervene for staff and student well-being?  Should freedom of speech be upheld?

Gene in brain linked to kidney cancer, researchers say Posted: 24 Jun 2014 07:58 AM PDT A gene known to control brain growth and development is heavily involved in promoting clear cell renal cell carcinoma, the most common form of kidney cancer, researchers are reporting. The research reveals that the gene NPTX2, plays an essential role in this cancer type, which is resistant to common chemotherapy and has a five-year overall survival rate of less than 10 percent in patients with metastatic disease.

The truth behind the '5-second rule': When in doubt, throw it out, expert says Posted: 24 Jun 2014 07:57 AM PDT The burger patty that slides off the plate, the ice cream treat that plops on the picnic table, the hot dog that rolls off the grill -- conventional wisdom has it that you have five seconds to pick it up before it is contaminated. Fact or folklore? "A dropped item is immediately contaminated and can't really be sanitized," explains one researcher. "When it comes to folklore, the 'five-second rule' should be replaced with 'When in doubt, throw it out.' "

Aging accelerates genomic changes, signaling challenges for personalized medicine Posted: 24 Jun 2014 07:52 AM PDT Aging can occur at different rates within an individual's genome, with some portions aging 100 times faster than others, research shows. This makes personalized medicine even more challenging, which makes use of genomic information to predict future diseases and treatments. With genomes continually shifting over time, the monitoring of genomic health will require more frequent measurement of patients' genomes.

Potential new treatment approach for lung cancer Posted: 24 Jun 2014 07:52 AM PDT More than a third of all human cancers are driven by mutations in a family of genes known as Ras. Ras has long been considered to be a target that does not respond to cancer treating drugs, but recent research suggests new possibilities. Investigators have demonstrated that targeting a metabolic dependency downstream of Ras could provide therapeutic benefit to patients with Ras-driven lung cancers.

Fat of the bone: Exercise, diabetes affect amount of fat inside bones Posted: 24 Jun 2014 07:50 AM PDT A new kind of imaging technique shows how exercise and diabetes drugs affect the amount of fat inside our bones, which could play roles in the health of our bones. Our bones are not stagnant, rock-like things. They change. Marrow -- the tissue inside bones -- is full of various kinds of cells. And marrow is also full of fat. The amounts of these cells and fats can decrease or increase over time. And the production of these marrow cells and fat depend on a specific type of progenitor cell called a mesenchymal stem cell.

Challenges of visual accessibility for people with low vision Posted: 24 Jun 2014 07:50 AM PDT New approaches and tools are needed to improve visual accessibility for people with low vision in the "real world," according to experts. Low vision is defined as chronically impaired vision that is not correctable by glasses or contact lenses and adversely affects everyday functioning. It is estimated that there are between 3.5 million and 5 million Americans with low vision, and this number is expected to increase as the population ages.

Kids' risks from toxic metals in dirt downplayed when measured with standard tools Posted: 24 Jun 2014 07:50 AM PDT A new laboratory method may improve risk estimates of children's soil exposures. As the study explains, soil ingestion is one of the most important pathways through which children are exposed to toxic substances. Children have higher exposure rates from soil than adults because of their hand-to-mouth behavior. As they play outside in dirt mounds and playgrounds, there is a risk that children will ingest soil particles and heavy metals which may have been underestimated by researchers to date.

Cure for HIV is a 'major scientific priority' Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:33 AM PDT Huge advancements have taken place in HIV treatment and prevention over the past 10 years, but there is still no cure or vaccine. A new review shows that because of advancements in treatment, people with the virus are living longer. Overall, new infections have decreased from 3.3 million in 2002 to 2.3 million in 2012. Global AIDS-related deaths peaked at 2.3 million in 2005, decreasing to 1.6 million by 2012.

More bicyclists on road means fewer collisions, study shows Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:33 AM PDT Bicyclist safety significantly increases when there are more bikes on the road, according to a study examining collisions between bicycles and motorists. This finding could be attributed to a 'safety in numbers effect.' As bicycling increases in cities across the U.S. each year, the results could have national implications. "In fact, we are beginning to find that cities with a high level of bicycling are not just safer for cyclists but for all road users," one author said. "Improving the streets to better accommodate bicycles may enhance safety for everyone."

Exploring the brain: New findings explain how eyes link to prefrontal cortex Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:33 AM PDT A research team has linked how our eyes actually see the world to neurons in the prefrontal cortex of the brain. The team studied saccadic eye movements -- those movements where the eye jumps from one point of focus to another -- in an effort to determine exactly how this happens without us being overcome by our brains processing too much visual information.

Computer-aided diagnosis of rare genetic disorders from family snaps Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:33 AM PDT Computer analysis of photographs could help doctors diagnose which condition a child with a rare genetic disorder has, say researchers. The researchers have come up with a computer program that recognizes facial features in photographs; looks for similarities with facial structures for various conditions, such as Down's syndrome, Angelman syndrome, or Progeria; and returns possible matches ranked by likelihood.

Schizophrenia and cannabis use may share common genes Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:33 AM PDT Genes that increase the risk of developing schizophrenia may also increase the likelihood of using cannabis, according to a new study. Previous studies have identified a link between cannabis use and schizophrenia, but it has remained unclear whether this association is due to cannabis directly increasing the risk of the disorder. The new results suggest that part of this association is due to common genes.

Facelock: New password alternative which plays to the strengths of human memory Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:33 AM PDT Forgotten passwords are a serious problem for both IT managers and users. The root of the problem is a trade-off between memorability and security: simple passwords are easy to remember but easy to crack; complex passwords are hard to crack but hard to remember. A newly proposed alternative based on the psychology of face recognition was announced today. Dubbed 'Facelock', it could put an end to forgotten passwords, and protect users from prying eyes.

Cell phones reflect our personal microbiome Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:33 AM PDT Smartphones are everywhere, and they may be smarter than you think. Our cell phones actually reflect the personal microbial world of their owners, with potential implications for their use as bacterial and environmental sensors, according to new research. New research focused on the personal microbiome -- the collection of microorganisms on items regularly worn or carried by a person -- demonstrates the significant microbiological connection we share with our phones.

Should the Higgs boson have caused our universe to collapse? Findings puzzle cosmologists Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:32 AM PDT British cosmologists are puzzled: they predict that the universe should not have lasted for more than a second. This startling conclusion is the result of combining the latest observations of the sky with the recent discovery of the Higgs boson.

When it rains, it pours ... on the sun Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:32 AM PDT Just like on Earth, the sun has spells of bad weather, with high winds and showers of rain. But unlike storms on Earth, rain on the sun is made of electrically charged gas (plasma) and falls at around 200,000 kilometers an hour from the outer solar atmosphere, the corona, to the sun's surface. Now a team of solar physicists has pieced together an explanation for this intriguing phenomenon with imagery that shows a 'waterfall' in the atmosphere of the sun.

Carbon footprint of the Swedish information and communication technology sector mapped out Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:32 AM PDT A unique study that maps out the climate impact of the Swedish Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector has been completed and published. Despite a rapid growth in the use of computers and mobile phones in Sweden, emissions per user are low. The Swedish ICT sector has grown significantly in the last ten years and now represents 1.2 percent of Sweden's total carbon footprint, according to the researchers' calculations.

Sleeping sickness: the tsetse fly genome decoded Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:32 AM PDT The genome of the tsetse fly has been decoded at last. Ten years of work made it possible for a consortium of 145 scientists to publish the DNA sequence for the vector for sleeping sickness. This result is highly significant as the biology of the tsetse is unique. The information contained in its genome is fundamental for better understanding and controlling the fly. Vector control is still essential for controlling the disease without a vaccine and due to difficult treatments.

Amazon water comprehensively mapped from space Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:32 AM PDT Groundwater represents more than 96% of the fresh water on Earth. But these reservoirs under our feet remain very difficult to study. For humid regions such as the Amazon, researchers have refined a new method for measuring phreatic levels by satellite. Thus, they have created the first maps of ground water in the Amazon, which lies under the largest rivers in the world. The maps show the height of the aquifer during low water periods. They show the response of the ground water in particular to droughts, and help better characterize its role in the climate and the Amazon.

Chagas' disease: A return announced Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:32 AM PDT Despite deinsectization campaigns conducted in many Latin American countries, bugs called Triatoma infestans, the main vector species for Chagas' disease, are now reappearing in villages in several regions. Wild populations of Triatoma infestans are recolonizing dwellings. The latter seem very close genetically to their domestic congeners and therefore, like their domestic counterparts, are able to adapt to humans. These wild bugs thus represent a significant risk for the re-emergence of Chagas' disease, as one out of two has been shown to carry the parasite responsible for the infection.

Howzat eyesight? New study analyses how cricketers' visual skills change with age Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:25 AM PDT Scientists will investigate how cricket players' ability to play shots changes over the course of a lifetime in a new study into eye movements and skill learning. Using sophisticated camera technology to monitor where participants look, researchers will use a computer task to assess how long it takes for cricketers of different ages to learn to look in the right place at the right time.

Local governments lack funds for age-friendly infrastructure Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:25 AM PDT Over the coming years world populations will age rapidly. Ensuring enabling and supportive environments is a key global priority in planning for population aging. A pressing requirement is the provision of age-friendly infrastructure. A new Australian study has found the task is large and local governments lack sufficient funds. Many shortfalls and inequities exist.

Cancer 'as old as multi-cellular life on Earth': Researchers discover a primordial cancer in a primitive animal Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:25 AM PDT Can cancer ever be completely defeated? Researchers have now reached a sobering conclusion: "cancer is as old as multi-cellular life on Earth and will probably never be completely eradicated," says one expert, following his latest research results. The researchers have now achieved an impressive understanding of the roots of cancer, providing proof that tumors indeed exist in primitive and evolutionary old animals.

Puzzle games can improve mental flexibility, study shows Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:25 AM PDT Want to improve your mental finesse? Playing a puzzle game like Cut the Rope could just be the thing you need. A recent study showed that adults who played the physics-based puzzle video game Cut the Rope regularly, for as little as an hour a day, had improved executive functions. The executive functions in your brain are important for making decisions in everyday life when you have to deal with sudden changes in your environment -- better known as thinking on your feet.

High fluctuation rate at cantonal parliaments Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:25 AM PDT There is significant fluctuation at Swiss cantonal parliaments, according to a study. The composition of parliaments in Western Switzerland has seen the fastest rate of change, while the term of office of politicians in Eastern Switzerland is the longest.

Effect of anxiety, adrenaline, fatigue for a soccer player: Mexican study of UK players Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:25 AM PDT Some of the most common injuries in soccer players are violent joint sprains and muscle strains in the legs, which are sometimes caused by anxiety and fatigue accumulated after several games in a few weeks. To verify that these are the most common injuries, a was launched study in Britain, where 91 professional soccer teams were evaluated during a tournament and recorded 6,030 lesions, of which 23 percent were in the thighs and 17 were performed in knees or ankles.

Sound waves harnessed to enable precision micro- and nano-manufacturing Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:25 AM PDT In a breakthrough discovery, researchers have harnessed the power of sound waves to enable precision micro- and nano-manufacturing. The researchers have demonstrated how high-frequency sound waves can be used to precisely control the spread of thin film fluid along a specially designed chip.

Pushing cells towards a higher pluripotency state Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:25 AM PDT Stem cells have the unique ability to become any type of cell. The possibility that they can be cultured and engineered in the lab makes them an attractive option for regenerative medicine. However, some conditions that are commonly used for culturing human stem cells may render the cells unusable for clinical use. These conditions cannot be avoided, however, as they help maintain the pluripotency of the stem cells. A group of researchers has gained new insight into the role of CCL2, a chemokine known to be involved in the immune response, in the enhancement of stem cell pluripotency.

Many ER patients test positive for HIV while in most infectious stage Posted: 23 Jun 2014 07:50 PM PDT Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening for emergency patients at an institution with a large number of ethnic minority, underinsured and uninsured people reveals few are HIV positive, but of those who are, nearly one-quarter are in the acute phase and more than one-quarter have infections that have already advanced to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).

How repeatable is evolutionary history? 'Weakness' in clover genome biases species to evolve same trait Posted: 23 Jun 2014 07:50 PM PDT Some clover species have two forms, one of which releases cyanide to discourage nibbling by snails and insects and the other of which does not. A scientist found that this 'polymorphism' has evolved independently in six different species of clover, each time by the wholesale deletion of a gene. The clover species are in a sense predisposed to develop this trait, suggesting that evolution is not entirely free form but instead bumps up against constraints.

Rate of hospitalization for severe heart attacks in China quadruples in 10 years Posted: 23 Jun 2014 07:50 PM PDT The rate of hospitalization for the most serious type of heart attack, ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, more than quadrupled in China between 2001 and 2011, according to new research. The analysis shows that despite improving quality of care in the past decade, substantial gaps still persist. Although the use of some highly effective treatments for heart attack increased over the decade, other therapies known to reduce mortality in STEMI patients remain very underused.

Calcium, vitamin D supplementation improves metabolic profile of pregnant women with gestational diabetes Posted: 23 Jun 2014 07:50 PM PDT Calcium and vitamin D supplementation improves the metabolic profile of pregnant women with gestational diabetes, new research shows. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), a pregnancy complication, is characterized by carbohydrate intolerance and metabolic disorders. Approximately 7% of all pregnancies in the United States are affected by GDM, but the prevalence ranges from 1 to 14% of all pregnancies in the world depending on the population studied and the diagnostic criteria used.

It is time to abandon obesity myths, experts say Posted: 23 Jun 2014 07:49 PM PDT Researchers say it is time to abandon some popular but erroneous obesity myths. In a new article, the team presents nine obesity myths and 10 commonly held but unproven presumptions that the authors suggest lead to poor policy decisions, inaccurate public health recommendations and wasted resources.

Cocoa extract may counter specific mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease Posted: 23 Jun 2014 07:49 PM PDT Insights into mechanisms behind cocoa's benefit may lead to new treatments or dietary regimens for those suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Lavado cocoa is primarily composed of polyphenols, antioxidants also found in fruits and vegetables, with past studies suggesting that they prevent degenerative diseases of the brain.

Fatal cellular malfunction identified in Huntington's disease Posted: 23 Jun 2014 07:49 PM PDT Researchers believe they have learned how mutations in the gene that causes Huntington's disease kill brain cells, a finding that could open new opportunities for treating the fatal disorder. Huntington's disease is caused by a defect in the huntingtin gene, which makes the huntingtin protein. Life expectancy after initial onset is about 20 years.

Titan's building blocks might pre-date Saturn Posted: 23 Jun 2014 02:07 PM PDT A combined NASA and European Space Agency (ESA)-funded study has found firm evidence that nitrogen in the atmosphere of Saturn's moon Titan originated in conditions similar to the cold birthplace of the most ancient comets from the Oort cloud. The finding rules out the possibility that Titan's building blocks formed within the warm disk of material thought to have surrounded the infant planet Saturn during its formation.

Ferroelectric switching seen in biological tissues Posted: 23 Jun 2014 12:51 PM PDT Researchers have shown that a favorable electrical property is present in a type of protein found in organs that repeatedly stretch and retract. These findings are the first that clearly track this phenomenon, called ferroelectricity, occurring at the molecular level in biological tissues.

Understanding the ocean's role in Greenland glacier melt Posted: 23 Jun 2014 12:51 PM PDT The Greenland Ice Sheet is a 1.7 million-square-kilometer, 2-mile thick layer of ice that covers Greenland. Its fate is inextricably linked to our global climate system.

The JBEI GT Collection: A new resource for advanced biofuels research Posted: 23 Jun 2014 12:51 PM PDT The JBEI GT Collection, the first glycosyltransferase clone collection specifically targeted for the study of plant cell wall biosynthesis, is expected to drive basic scientific understanding of GTs and better enable the manipulation of cell walls for the production of biofuels and other chemical products.

Picture books for visually impaired kids go 3-D Posted: 23 Jun 2014 12:51 PM PDT A children's classic that already is a candidate for the all-time best feel-good book, 'Goodnight Moon,' has gotten a boost: Researchers printed the first 3D version of it, allowing visually impaired children and their families to touch objects in the story -- like the cow jumping over the moon -- as it is read aloud.

Emergence of bacterial vortex explained Posted: 23 Jun 2014 12:47 PM PDT When a bunch of B. subtilis bacteria are confined within a droplet of water, a very strange thing happens. The chaotic motion of individual swimmers spontaneously organizes into a swirling vortex, with bacteria on the outer edge of the droplet moving in one direction while those on the inside move the opposite direction. Researchers have now explained for the first time how that dual-motion vortex is generated.

Treading into gray area along spectrum of wood decay fungi Posted: 23 Jun 2014 12:47 PM PDT A fungus that can break down all the components of plant cell walls is considered a white rot fungus. If it can only break down cellulose and hemicellulose, it's a brown rot fungus. A research team suggests that categorizing wood-decaying fungi may be more complicated, broadening the range of fungal decay strategies to be explored for commercializing biofuels production.

Protecting and connecting the Flathead National Forest in Montana Posted: 23 Jun 2014 12:44 PM PDT A new report from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) calls for completing the legacy of Wilderness lands on the Flathead National Forest in Montana. The report identifies important, secure habitats and landscape connections for five species—bull trout, westslope cutthroat trout, grizzly bears, wolverines, and mountain goats. These iconic species are vulnerable to loss of secure habitat from industrial land uses and/or climate change.

Diabetes susceptibility gene regulates health of cell's powerhouse, study finds Posted: 23 Jun 2014 11:43 AM PDT A research team has found that a susceptibility gene for type 1 diabetes regulates self-destruction of the cell's energy factory. The pathway central to this gene could be targeted for prevention and control of type-1 diabetes and may extend to the treatment of other metabolic-associated diseases.

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