ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Anxiety increases cancer severity in mice, study shows
• Deadly frog fungus at work in the wild
• Obesity epidemic fueling rise in rheumatoid arthritis among women
• Wind pushes plastics deeper into oceans, driving trash estimates up
• Study finds twist to the story of the number line: Number line is learned, not innate human intuition
• Choosing the right hospital may save your baby's life
• Facial defects shown to self-repair
• Electron politics: Physicists probe organization at the quantum level
• Your brain knows which ads are winners, better than you do: Study on smokers' brains may mark dawn of new age in advertising
• Agent reduces autism-like behaviors in mice: Boosts sociability, quells repetitiveness
• New embryonic stem cell line will aid research on nerve condition
• Shedding light on southpaws: Sports data help confirm theory explaining left-handed minority in general population
• Liquid solar cells can be painted onto surfaces
• X-rays reveal molecular arrangements for better printable electronics
• Selenium impacts honey bee behavior and survival
• Beyond stain-resistant: New fabric coating actively shrugs off gunk
• A new 'Achilles' heel' in fungus that causes dandruff
• First custom designed protein crystal created
• A striking link is found between the Fragile-X gene and mutations that cause autism
• Growing up as a neural stem cell: The importance of clinging together and then letting go
• Warm ocean currents cause majority of ice loss from Antarctica
• Just a few cell clones can make heart muscle
• Bacteria beware: Researchers have a natural sidekick that may resolve the antibiotic-resistant bacteria dilemma
• Physicists benchmark quantum simulator with hundreds of qubits
• Tiny 'spherules' reveal details about Earth's asteroid impacts
• Splatters of molten rock signal period of intense asteroid impacts on Earth
• Flies process attractive and deterrent odors in different brain areas
• First camera trap photos of rare leopard in China
• Antibiotic resistance flourishes in freshwater systems
• Top ten toxic chemicals suspected to cause autism and learning disabilities
• Can organic food feed the world? New yields data for debate over organic vs conventional agriculture
• Saturn's giant moon: How long has Titan's chemical factory been in business?
• NASA's Dawn spacecraft reveals secrets of giant asteroid Vesta
• Mucus from pig stomachs is effective as anti-viral agent: May be useful in cosmetics and baby formula
• How PCBs promote dendrite growth, may increase autism risk
• Strong support for once-marginalized theory on Parkinson’s disease
• Anatomic existence of the elusive G-spot confirmed, study claims
• Spectacular star cluster a wing-span away from Eagle Nebula
• Evidence of a biological trigger for high blood pressure
• Evolution on an island: Fossils show secret for a longer life
• Vast structure of satellite galaxies discovered: Do the Milky Way’s companions spell trouble for dark matter?
• Environmental implications of artificially created organisms
• Laser blackout quirk important to future electronics?
• Plant perfumes woo beneficial bugs to their roots
• Did bone ease acid for early land crawlers?
• Beyond apples: A serving a day of dark chocolate might keep the doctor away
• Graphene boosts efficiency of next-gen solar cells
• Gene critical to development and spread of lung cancer identified
• Mental stress may be harder on women's hearts
• Botox injections associated with only modest benefit for chronic migraine and daily headaches
• Division of labor in neural stem cell maintenance

Anxiety increases cancer severity in mice, study shows Posted: 25 Apr 2012 04:30 PM PDT Worrywarts, fidgety folk and the naturally nervy may have a real cause for concern: accelerated cancer. In a new study, anxiety-prone mice developed more severe cancer then their calm counterparts.

Deadly frog fungus at work in the wild Posted: 25 Apr 2012 04:30 PM PDT The fungal infection that has killed a record number of amphibians worldwide leads to deadly dehydration in frogs in the wild, according to a new study. High levels of an aquatic fungus called Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) disrupt fluid and electrolyte balance in wild frogs, the scientists say, severely depleting the frogs' sodium and potassium levels and causing cardiac arrest and death.

Obesity epidemic fueling rise in rheumatoid arthritis among women Posted: 25 Apr 2012 04:28 PM PDT Obesity and the painful autoimmune disorder rheumatoid arthritis are each becoming more common, raising a logical question: Could one have something to do with the other? For women, it appears there is a link, researchers say.

Wind pushes plastics deeper into oceans, driving trash estimates up Posted: 25 Apr 2012 04:28 PM PDT Decades of research into how much plastic litters the ocean, conducted by skimming only the surface, may in some cases vastly underestimate the true amount of plastic debris, according to an oceanographer.

Study finds twist to the story of the number line: Number line is learned, not innate human intuition Posted: 25 Apr 2012 04:27 PM PDT Tape measures. Rulers. Graphs. The gas gauge in your car, and the icon on your favorite digital device showing battery power. The number line and its cousins -- notations that map numbers onto space and often represent magnitude -- are everywhere. Most adults in industrialized societies are so fluent at using the concept, we hardly think about it. We don't stop to wonder: Is it "natural"? Is it cultural? Now, challenging a mainstream scholarly position that the number-line concept is innate, a study suggests it is learned.

Choosing the right hospital may save your baby's life Posted: 25 Apr 2012 12:55 PM PDT Choosing the right hospital may make the difference between life and death for very low birth weight infants, according to new research.

Facial defects shown to self-repair Posted: 25 Apr 2012 12:54 PM PDT A "self-repair" mechanism has been found by which developing organisms recognize and correct facial defects. A tadpole model showed organisms aren't genetically hard-wired with cell movements that result in normal facial features. Cell groups instead measure shape and position and move and remodel to fix abnormalities.

Electron politics: Physicists probe organization at the quantum level Posted: 25 Apr 2012 11:36 AM PDT "Quantum critical points" (QCP) in exotic electronic materials can act much like polarizing "hot button issues" in an election. On either side of the QCP, electrons fall into line and behave as traditionally expected, but the new study finds traditional physical laws break down at the critical point itself.

Your brain knows which ads are winners, better than you do: Study on smokers' brains may mark dawn of new age in advertising Posted: 25 Apr 2012 11:36 AM PDT Advertisers and public health officials may be able to access hidden wisdom in the brain to more effectively sell their products and promote public health and safety, neuroscientists report in the first study to use brain data to predict how large populations will respond to advertisements.

Agent reduces autism-like behaviors in mice: Boosts sociability, quells repetitiveness Posted: 25 Apr 2012 11:36 AM PDT Researchers have reversed behaviors in mice resembling two of the three core symptoms of autism spectrum disorders. An experimental agent increased social interactions and lessened repetitive self-grooming behavior in a strain of mice that normally display such autism-like behaviors. Since the same class of agents is being tested in patients with a related syndrome, the findings suggest a strategy for developing a single treatment that could target multiple diagnostic symptoms of ASDs.

New embryonic stem cell line will aid research on nerve condition Posted: 25 Apr 2012 11:04 AM PDT A new human embryonic stem cell line has just been placed on the US National Institutes of Health's registry, making the cells available for federally funded research.

Shedding light on southpaws: Sports data help confirm theory explaining left-handed minority in general population Posted: 25 Apr 2012 11:04 AM PDT Lefties (only ten percent of the general population) have always been a bit of a puzzle. Researchers have now developed a mathematical model that shows the low percentage of lefties is a result of the balance between cooperation and competition in human evolution. They are the first to use real-world data (from competitive sports, including baseball, boxing and hockey) to test and confirm the hypothesis that social behavior is related to population-level handedness.

Liquid solar cells can be painted onto surfaces Posted: 25 Apr 2012 11:04 AM PDT Scientists have developed a potential pathway to cheap, stable solar cells made from nanocrystals so small they can exist as a liquid ink and be painted or printed onto clear surfaces.

X-rays reveal molecular arrangements for better printable electronics Posted: 25 Apr 2012 11:04 AM PDT By employing powerful X-rays that can see down to the molecular level of organic materials used in printable electronics, researchers are now able to determine why some materials perform better than others. Their findings could lead to cheaper, more efficient printable electronic devices.

Selenium impacts honey bee behavior and survival Posted: 25 Apr 2012 11:04 AM PDT Entomologists have a "proof of concept" that selenium, a nonmetal chemical element, can disrupt the foraging behavior and survival of honey bees. In controlled greenhouse experiments they found that the bees did not respond to the presence of selenium in plants. The bees fed on food sources, such as flowers that contained selenium at even very high concentrations. Selenium is toxic at high concentrations. In soils, it occurs most often as selenate.

Beyond stain-resistant: New fabric coating actively shrugs off gunk Posted: 25 Apr 2012 11:04 AM PDT Scientists are reporting development and successful testing of a fabric coating that would give new meaning to the phrase "stain-resistant" -- a coating that would take an active role in sloughing off grease, dirt, strong acids and other gunk. The report shows that the coating is even more water-repellent than car wax or Teflon.

A new 'Achilles' heel' in fungus that causes dandruff Posted: 25 Apr 2012 11:04 AM PDT Research on the fungus that ranks as one cause of dandruff -- the embarrassing nuisance that, by some accounts, afflicts half of humanity -- is pointing scientists toward a much-needed new treatment for the condition's flaking and itching.

First custom designed protein crystal created Posted: 25 Apr 2012 11:04 AM PDT Protein design is technique that is increasingly valuable to a variety of fields, from biochemistry to therapeutics to materials engineering. Chemists have taken this kind of design a step further; Using computational methods, they have created the first custom-designed protein crystal.

A striking link is found between the Fragile-X gene and mutations that cause autism Posted: 25 Apr 2012 11:03 AM PDT Scientists have discovered a striking association between genes found disrupted in children with autism and genes that are targets of FMRP, the protein generated by the gene FMR1, whose dysfunction causes Fragile-X syndrome.

Growing up as a neural stem cell: The importance of clinging together and then letting go Posted: 25 Apr 2012 11:03 AM PDT Stem cell researchers at UCLA have identified new components of the genetic pathway that controls the adhesive properties and proliferation of neural stem cells and the formation of neurons.

Warm ocean currents cause majority of ice loss from Antarctica Posted: 25 Apr 2012 11:03 AM PDT Warm ocean currents are the dominant cause of recent ice loss from Antarctica, new research shows. New techniques have been used to differentiate, for the first time, between the two known causes of melting ice shelves - warm ocean currents attacking the underside, and warm air melting from above. This finding brings scientists a step closer to providing reliable projections of future sea-level rise.

Just a few cell clones can make heart muscle Posted: 25 Apr 2012 11:03 AM PDT Just a handful of cells in the embryo are all that's needed to form the outer layer of pumping heart muscle in an adult zebrafish. Researchers used zebrafish embryos and careful employment of a new technique that allows for up to 90 color labels on different cells to track individual cells and cell lines as the heart formed.

Bacteria beware: Researchers have a natural sidekick that may resolve the antibiotic-resistant bacteria dilemma Posted: 25 Apr 2012 11:03 AM PDT Researchers could change the playing field of human versus bacteria. Scientists have identified pathways of naturally occurring molecules in our bodies that can enhance antibiotic performance.

Physicists benchmark quantum simulator with hundreds of qubits Posted: 25 Apr 2012 11:03 AM PDT Physicists have built a quantum simulator that can engineer interactions among hundreds of quantum bits (qubits) -- 10 times more than previous devices. The simulator has passed a series of important benchmarking tests and scientists are poised to study problems in material science that are impossible to model on conventional computers.

Tiny 'spherules' reveal details about Earth's asteroid impacts Posted: 25 Apr 2012 11:03 AM PDT Researchers are learning details about asteroid impacts going back to the Earth's early history by using a new method for extracting precise information from tiny "spherules" embedded in layers of rock.

Splatters of molten rock signal period of intense asteroid impacts on Earth Posted: 25 Apr 2012 11:03 AM PDT New research reveals that the Archean era -- a formative time for early life from 3.8 billion years ago to 2.5 billion years ago -- experienced far more major asteroid impacts than had been previously thought, with a few impacts perhaps even rivaling those that produced the largest craters on the Moon.

Flies process attractive and deterrent odors in different brain areas Posted: 25 Apr 2012 11:02 AM PDT A new apparatus automatically applies odors to an airstream, while filming and analyzing the behavior of insects simultaneously. A first series of tests have revealed that male and female fruit flies respond differently to attractant substances. Male flies are no longer attracted to females that already mated with another male because a deterrent odor that surrounds these females.

First camera trap photos of rare leopard in China Posted: 25 Apr 2012 11:01 AM PDT The first-known camera trap photos of an Amur leopard in China have recently been taken in Hunchun Amur Tiger National Nature Reserve in Jilin Province.

Antibiotic resistance flourishes in freshwater systems Posted: 25 Apr 2012 11:01 AM PDT Researchers have now discovered that floc – "goo-like" substances that occur suspended in water and that host large communities of bacteria – also contain high levels of antibiotic resistance.

Top ten toxic chemicals suspected to cause autism and learning disabilities Posted: 25 Apr 2012 11:01 AM PDT Scientists have prepared a list of ten chemicals considered likely to contribute to autism, learning disabilities and related conditions.

Can organic food feed the world? New yields data for debate over organic vs conventional agriculture Posted: 25 Apr 2012 11:01 AM PDT Can organic agriculture feed the world? Although organic techniques may not be able to do the job alone, they do have an important role to play in feeding a growing global population while minimizing environmental damage, according to researchers. Crop yields from organic farming are generally lower than from conventional agriculture, especially for cereal crops.

Saturn's giant moon: How long has Titan's chemical factory been in business? Posted: 25 Apr 2012 10:53 AM PDT Saturn's giant moon Titan hides within a thick, smoggy atmosphere that's well-known to scientists as one of the most complex chemical environments in the solar system. It's a productive "factory" cranking out hydrocarbons that rain down on Titan's icy surface, cloaking it in soot and, with a brutally cold surface temperature of around minus 270 degrees Fahrenheit, forming lakes of liquid methane and ethane. New research attempts to estimate how long this factory has been operating.

NASA's Dawn spacecraft reveals secrets of giant asteroid Vesta Posted: 25 Apr 2012 10:03 AM PDT Findings from NASA's Dawn spacecraft reveal new details about the giant asteroid Vesta, including its varied surface composition, sharp temperature changes and clues to its internal structure. The findings will help scientists better understand the early solar system and processes that dominated its formation. Images from Dawn's framing camera and visible and infrared mapping spectrometer, taken 420 miles (680 kilometers) and 130 miles (210 kilometers) above the surface of the asteroid, show a variety of surface mineral and rock patterns. Coded false-color images help scientists better understand Vesta's composition and enable them to identify material that was once molten below the asteroid's surface.

Mucus from pig stomachs is effective as anti-viral agent: May be useful in cosmetics and baby formula Posted: 25 Apr 2012 08:55 AM PDT Scientists are reporting that the mucus lining the stomachs of pigs could be a long-sought, abundant source of "mucins" being considered for use as broad-spectrum anti-viral agents to supplement baby formula and for use in personal hygiene and other consumer products to protect against a range of viral infections.

How PCBs promote dendrite growth, may increase autism risk Posted: 25 Apr 2012 08:54 AM PDT PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, launch a cellular chain of events that leads to an overabundance of dendrites -- the filament-like projections that conduct electrochemical signals between neurons -- and disrupts normal patterns of neuronal connections in the brain, new research shows.

Strong support for once-marginalized theory on Parkinson’s disease Posted: 25 Apr 2012 08:53 AM PDT Scientists have used powerful computational tools and laboratory tests to discover new support for a once-marginalized theory about the underlying cause of Parkinson's disease.

Anatomic existence of the elusive G-spot confirmed, study claims Posted: 25 Apr 2012 06:47 AM PDT For centuries, women have been reporting engorgement of the upper, anterior part of the vagina during the stage of sexual excitement, despite the fact the structure of this phenomenon had not been anatomically determined. A new study documents that this elusive structure does exist anatomically.

Spectacular star cluster a wing-span away from Eagle Nebula Posted: 25 Apr 2012 06:46 AM PDT The star cluster NGC 6604 is shown in a new image. It is often overlooked in favor of its more prominent neighbor, the Eagle Nebula (also known as Messier 16), that lies a mere wingspan away. But the framing of this picture, which places the star cluster in a landscape of surrounding gas and dust clouds, shows what a beautiful object NGC 6604 is in its own right.

Evidence of a biological trigger for high blood pressure Posted: 25 Apr 2012 06:44 AM PDT Scientists have identified what could be a biological tipping point in the development of high blood pressure, in a discovery that could one day lead to new treatment.

Evolution on an island: Fossils show secret for a longer life Posted: 25 Apr 2012 06:43 AM PDT Scientists have discovered one of the first fossil-based evidences supporting the evolutionary theory of aging, which predicts that species evolving in low mortality and resource-limited ecosystems tend to be more long-lived.

Vast structure of satellite galaxies discovered: Do the Milky Way’s companions spell trouble for dark matter? Posted: 25 Apr 2012 06:43 AM PDT Astronomers have discovered a vast structure of satellite galaxies and clusters of stars surrounding our Galaxy, stretching out across a million light years. The work challenges the existence of dark matter, part of the standard model for the evolution of the universe.

Environmental implications of artificially created organisms Posted: 25 Apr 2012 06:43 AM PDT New research seeks to inform a United Nations debate on whether to call a temporary halt to the release into the environment of artificially created organisms.

Laser blackout quirk important to future electronics? Posted: 25 Apr 2012 06:43 AM PDT Two lamps are brighter than one. This simple truism does not necessarily apply to lasers, as a team of scientists found out. When one laser is shining and next to it another laser is turned on gradually, complex interactions between the two lasers can lead to a total shutdown and no light is emitted anymore. For technologies connecting the fields of electronics and photonics, this result may be very important.

Plant perfumes woo beneficial bugs to their roots Posted: 24 Apr 2012 05:54 PM PDT Scientists have discovered that maize crops emit chemical signals which attract growth-promoting microbes to live amongst their roots. This is the first chemical signal that has been shown to attract beneficial bacteria to the maize root environment.

Did bone ease acid for early land crawlers? Posted: 24 Apr 2012 05:53 PM PDT Scientists have proposed that the bony structures in the skin of many early four-legged creatures might have been there to relieve acid buildup in bodily fluids. Analysis of their anatomy suggests that as they ventured out of water, the animals would have had trouble getting rid of enough CO2 to prevent acid buildup.

Beyond apples: A serving a day of dark chocolate might keep the doctor away Posted: 24 Apr 2012 05:51 PM PDT Dark chocolate may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by improving glucose levels and lipid profiles.

Graphene boosts efficiency of next-gen solar cells Posted: 24 Apr 2012 05:51 PM PDT Scientists found that incorporating graphene increased the cell's conductivity, bringing 52.4 percent more current into the circuit.

Gene critical to development and spread of lung cancer identified Posted: 24 Apr 2012 05:51 PM PDT A single gene that promotes initial development of the most common form of lung cancer and its lethal metastases has been identified.

Mental stress may be harder on women's hearts Posted: 24 Apr 2012 05:51 PM PDT New findings could help explain why women are more likely than men to have coronary symptoms after emotional upsets.

Botox injections associated with only modest benefit for chronic migraine and daily headaches Posted: 24 Apr 2012 01:23 PM PDT Although botulinum toxin A ("Botox") injections are US Food and Drug Administration approved for preventive treatment for chronic migraines, a review and analysis of previous studies finds a small to modest benefit for patients with chronic migraine headaches and chronic daily headaches, although botox injections were not associated with greater benefit than placebo for preventing episodic migraine or chronic tension-type headaches, according to a new article.

Division of labor in neural stem cell maintenance Posted: 24 Apr 2012 01:22 PM PDT Sibling growth factors cooperate to maintain a pool of neuron-generating stem cells in the brain, according to a new study.

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