ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Critical gaps discovered in breast cancer research
• First cloud map of a planet beyond our solar system
• Ingredient of household plastic found in space
• New metabolic pathway to more efficiently convert sugars into biofuels
• Water vapor in stratosphere plays role in climate
• Study finds tungsten in aquifer groundwater controlled by pH, oxygen
• Cold, salty and promiscuous: Gene-shuffling microbes dominate Antarctica's Deep Lake
• Finding the place where the brain creates illusory shapes and surfaces
• Improving lithium-ion batteries with nanoscale research
• When cells 'eat' their own power plants: Scientists solve mystery of basic cellular process
• Biological link between diabetes and heart disease discovered
• Biochar quiets microbes, including some plant pathogens
• Optical sensors improve railway safety
• Traces of immense prehistoric ice sheets discovered
• Climate change: Fast out of the gate, slow to the finish the gate
• Engineers invent programming language to build synthetic DNA
• National screening strategy for hepatitis C urged for Canada
• Fique fibers from Andes Mountains part of miracle solution for dye pollution, find scientists
• Small brain biopsies can be used to grow patient's own brain cells
• Cocaine use may increase HIV vulnerability
• Researchers ferret out function of autism gene
• New technique helps biologists save the world's threatened seagrass meadows
• Quantum computers: Trust is good, proof is better
• The world's sharpest X-ray beam
• Researchers gain insight into 'lazy ear'
• The immune system benefits from life in the countryside
• Niacin, the fountain of youth
• A cosmic weather balloon at the center of the Milky Way
• Climate models show potential 21st century temperature, precipitation changes
• Astronauts practice launching in NASA's new Orion spacecraft
• Leukemia cells are addicted to healthy genes
• Forty-eight new genetic variants associated with MS
• Psychotropic medication use in young children leveling off
• First-of-its-kind portable radar device: NASA, Homeland Security test disaster recovery tool
• ER visits for kids with concussions skyrocketing
• Atherosclerosis: The Janus-like nature of JAM-A
• Computer program lets users learn keyboard shortcuts with minimal effort
• And in the beginning was histone 1
• Do black holes have 'hair'? New hypothesis challenges 'clean' model
• New compounds display strong therapeutic potential for cystic fibrosis
• Aspirin may act on blood platelets to improve survival in colon cancer patients
• Erratic proteins: New insights into a transport mechanism
• How engineers revamped Spitzer to probe exoplanets
• NASA rover inspects pebbly rocks at Martian waypoint
• Dawn spacecraft reality-checks telescope studies of asteroids
• Eilat's corals stand better chance of resilience than other sites
• Organized screening for prostate cancer does more harm than good
• Study finds new moves in protein's evolution
• New paradigm for nanoscale resolution MRI experimentally achieved

Critical gaps discovered in breast cancer research Posted: 30 Sep 2013 06:16 PM PDT Critical gaps have been identified in breast cancer research. Scientists report on a gap analysis that critically assessed issues and new challenges emerging from recent breast cancer research, and propose strategies for translating solutions into practice.

First cloud map of a planet beyond our solar system Posted: 30 Sep 2013 06:08 PM PDT Astronomers using data from NASA's Kepler and Spitzer space telescopes have created the first cloud map of a planet beyond our solar system, a sizzling, Jupiter-like world known as Kepler-7b. The planet is marked by high clouds in the west and clear skies in the east. Previous studies from Spitzer have resulted in temperature maps of planets orbiting other stars, but this is the first look at cloud structures on a distant world.

Ingredient of household plastic found in space Posted: 30 Sep 2013 05:08 PM PDT NASA's Cassini spacecraft has detected propylene, a chemical used to make food-storage containers, car bumpers and other consumer products, on Saturn's moon Titan. This is the first definitive detection of the plastic ingredient on any moon or planet, other than Earth.

New metabolic pathway to more efficiently convert sugars into biofuels Posted: 30 Sep 2013 01:24 PM PDT Chemical engineering researchers have created a new synthetic metabolic pathway for breaking down glucose that could lead to a 50 percent increase in the production of biofuels.

Water vapor in stratosphere plays role in climate Posted: 30 Sep 2013 01:15 PM PDT Water vapor changes in the stratosphere contribute to warmer temperatures and likely play an important role in the evolution of Earth's climate, according to new research.

Study finds tungsten in aquifer groundwater controlled by pH, oxygen Posted: 30 Sep 2013 12:27 PM PDT Geologists found that the likelihood that tungsten will seep into an aquifer's groundwater depends on the groundwater's pH level, the amount of oxygen in the aquifer and the number of oxidized particles in the water and sediment.

Cold, salty and promiscuous: Gene-shuffling microbes dominate Antarctica's Deep Lake Posted: 30 Sep 2013 12:27 PM PDT Antarctica's Deep Lake is a saltwater ecosystem that remains liquid in extreme cold. For the first time, researchers describe a complete ecological picture of the microbial community thriving in Deep Lake.

Finding the place where the brain creates illusory shapes and surfaces Posted: 30 Sep 2013 12:27 PM PDT Neuroscientists have identified the location in the brain's visual cortex responsible for generating a common perceptual illusion: Seeing shapes and surfaces that don't really exist when viewing a fragmented background.

Improving lithium-ion batteries with nanoscale research Posted: 30 Sep 2013 11:05 AM PDT New research led by an electrical engineer is aimed at improving lithium-ion batteries through possible new electrode architectures with precise nano-scale designs. The researchers created nanowires that block diffusion of lithium across their silicon surface and promote layer-by-layer axial lithiation of the nanowire's germanium core.

When cells 'eat' their own power plants: Scientists solve mystery of basic cellular process Posted: 30 Sep 2013 11:05 AM PDT A team of scientists reports that they have solved the mystery of a basic biological function essential to cellular health. By discovering a mechanism by which mitochondria signal that they need to be eliminated, the team has opened the door to potential research into cures for disorders such as Parkinson's disease that are believed to be caused by dysfunctional mitochondria in neurons.

Biological link between diabetes and heart disease discovered Posted: 30 Sep 2013 09:18 AM PDT Researchers have identified for the first time a biological pathway that is activated when blood sugar levels are abnormally high and causes irregular heartbeats, a condition known as cardiac arrhythmia that is linked with heart failure and sudden cardiac death.

Biochar quiets microbes, including some plant pathogens Posted: 30 Sep 2013 09:18 AM PDT In the first study of its kind, scientists have used synthetic biology to study how a popular soil amendment called biochar can interfere with the chemical signals that some plant pathogens use to coordinate their attacks. The new study is the first to examine how biochar affects the chemical signaling that's routinely used by soil microorganisms that interact with plants.

Optical sensors improve railway safety Posted: 30 Sep 2013 09:18 AM PDT A string of fiber-optic sensors running along a 36-km stretch of high-speed commuter railroad lines connecting Hong Kong to mainland China has taken more than 10 million measurements over the past few years in a demonstration that the system can help safeguard commuter trains and freight cars against accidents. Attuned to the contact between trains and tracks, the sensors can detect potential problems like excessive vibrations, mechanical defects or speed and temperature anomalies.

Traces of immense prehistoric ice sheets discovered Posted: 30 Sep 2013 09:18 AM PDT Geologists and geophysicists have discovered traces of large ice sheets from the Pleistocene on a seamount off the north-eastern coast of Russia.

Climate change: Fast out of the gate, slow to the finish the gate Posted: 30 Sep 2013 09:18 AM PDT Research has focused on the amount of global warming resulting from increased greenhouse gas concentrations. But there has been relatively little study of the pace of the change following these increases. A new study concludes that about half of the warming occurs within the first 10 years after an instantaneous step increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration, but about one-quarter of the warming occurs more than a century after the step increase.

Engineers invent programming language to build synthetic DNA Posted: 30 Sep 2013 09:16 AM PDT Scientists have developed a programming language for chemistry that they hope will streamline efforts to design a network that can guide the behavior of chemical-reaction mixtures in the same way that embedded electronic controllers guide cars, robots and other devices.

National screening strategy for hepatitis C urged for Canada Posted: 30 Sep 2013 09:16 AM PDT Canada should begin screening 'Baby Boomers' for the hepatitis C virus infection, since this age group is likely the largest group to have the illness, and most don't know they have it, say a group of liver specialists. Unlike many other chronic viral infections, early treatment makes hepatitis C curable.

Fique fibers from Andes Mountains part of miracle solution for dye pollution, find scientists Posted: 30 Sep 2013 08:41 AM PDT A cheap and simple process using natural fibers embedded with nanoparticles can almost completely rid water of harmful textile dyes in minutes, report researchers who worked with native Colombian plant fibers.

Small brain biopsies can be used to grow patient's own brain cells Posted: 30 Sep 2013 08:41 AM PDT Scientists have grown brain cells in the laboratory that may be re-integrated into patients' brains to treat neurological conditions. Research shows biopsied brain cells can be used to grow new healthy cells with powerful attributes to protect the brain from future injury. These cells may hopefully yield specific cell types needed for particular treatments, or cross the "blood-brain barrier" as specific therapeutic agents released directly into the brain.

Cocaine use may increase HIV vulnerability Posted: 30 Sep 2013 08:41 AM PDT Cocaine use may increase one's vulnerability to HIV infection, according to a new research. In the report, scientists show that cocaine alters immune cells, called "quiescent CD4 T cells," to render them more susceptible to the virus, and at the same time, to allow for increased proliferation of the virus.

Researchers ferret out function of autism gene Posted: 30 Sep 2013 08:41 AM PDT Researchers say it's clear that some cases of autism are hereditary, but have struggled to draw direct links between the condition and particular genes. Researchers have found that mutations in one autism-linked gene, dubbed NHE9, which is involved in transporting substances in and out of structures within the cell, causes communication problems among brain cells that likely contribute to autism.

New technique helps biologists save the world's threatened seagrass meadows Posted: 30 Sep 2013 08:39 AM PDT Danish and Australian biologists have developed a technique to determine if seagrass contains sulfur. If the seagrass contains sulfur, it is an indication that the seabed is stressed and that the water environment is threatened. The technique will help biologists all over the world in their effort to save the world's seagrass meadows.

Quantum computers: Trust is good, proof is better Posted: 30 Sep 2013 08:39 AM PDT A quantum computer can solve tasks where a classical computer fails. The question how one can, nevertheless, verify the reliability of a quantum computer was recently answered in a new experiment.

The world's sharpest X-ray beam Posted: 30 Sep 2013 08:39 AM PDT At the X-ray light source PETRA III, scientists have generated a beam with a diameter of barely 5 nanometers -- this is ten thousand times thinner than a human hair. This fine beam of X-ray light allows focusing on smallest details.

Researchers gain insight into 'lazy ear' Posted: 30 Sep 2013 08:38 AM PDT Short-term hearing loss during childhood may lead to persistent hearing deficits, long after basic auditory sensitivity has returned to normal. Researchers have gained new insight into how this works.

The immune system benefits from life in the countryside Posted: 30 Sep 2013 07:18 AM PDT Research has demonstrated that exposure to a farming environment may prevent or dampen hypersensitivities and allergies -- even in adults.

Niacin, the fountain of youth Posted: 30 Sep 2013 07:18 AM PDT The vitamin niacin has a life-prolonging effect, as demonstrated in roundworms. This study also concludes that so-called reactive oxygen species are healthy, which disagrees with other research findings.

A cosmic weather balloon at the center of the Milky Way Posted: 30 Sep 2013 07:17 AM PDT The radiation field at the center of the Milky Way must be 1,000 times stronger than in the area surrounding our sun. Astrophysicists used computer simulations to reach this conclusion. The calculations are based on the data from a type of "cosmic weather balloon" -- the temperature data of an especially dense gas cloud near the center of the galaxy. Their research provides a new insight into the process of star formation, which is believed to take a different form at the centre of the Milky Way than it does at the galaxy's edges.

Climate models show potential 21st century temperature, precipitation changes Posted: 30 Sep 2013 06:54 AM PDT New data visualizations from the NASA Center for Climate Simulation and NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio at Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., show how climate models used in the new report from the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimate possible temperature and precipitation pattern changes throughout the 21st century.

Astronauts practice launching in NASA's new Orion spacecraft Posted: 30 Sep 2013 06:51 AM PDT NASA astronauts recently experienced what it will be like to launch into space aboard the new Orion spacecraft during the first ascent simulations since the space shuttles and their simulators were retired. Ascent simulations are precise rehearsals of the steps a spacecraft's crew will be responsible for -- including things that could go wrong -- during their climb into space. They can be generic and apply to any future deep space mission, or very specific to a launch that's been planned down to the second. For now, Orion's simulations fall into the first category, but practicing now helps ensure the team will have the systems perfected for the astronauts in any future mission scenario.

Leukemia cells are addicted to healthy genes Posted: 30 Sep 2013 06:39 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that a "standoff" between a mutated gene and its normal counterpart keeps certain cancer cells alive.

Forty-eight new genetic variants associated with MS Posted: 30 Sep 2013 06:38 AM PDT Scientists have identified an additional 48 genetic variants influencing the risk of developing multiple sclerosis. This work nearly doubles the number of known genetic risk factors and thereby provides additional key insights into the biology of this debilitating neurological condition. The study is the largest investigation of multiple sclerosis genetics to date.

Psychotropic medication use in young children leveling off Posted: 30 Sep 2013 06:38 AM PDT The use of psychotropic prescription medications to treat ADHD, mood disorders, anxiety and other mental health disorders in very young children appears to have leveled off.

First-of-its-kind portable radar device: NASA, Homeland Security test disaster recovery tool Posted: 30 Sep 2013 06:38 AM PDT NASA and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security are collaborating on a first-of-its-kind portable radar device to detect the heartbeats and breathing patterns of victims trapped in large piles of rubble resulting from a disaster. The prototype technology, called Finding Individuals for Disaster and Emergency Response (FINDER) can locate individuals buried as deep as 30 feet (about 9 meters) in crushed materials, hidden behind 20 feet (about 6 meters) of solid concrete, and from a distance of 100 feet (about 30 meters) in open spaces.

ER visits for kids with concussions skyrocketing Posted: 30 Sep 2013 06:38 AM PDT Researchers report a skyrocketing increase in the number of visits to the emergency department for kids with sports-related traumatic brain injuries, such as concussions. The study shows that emergency visits for sports-related TBI increased 92 percent between 2002 and 2011.

Atherosclerosis: The Janus-like nature of JAM-A Posted: 30 Sep 2013 06:37 AM PDT A new study sheds light on the role of the adhesion molecule JAM-A in the recruitment of immune cells to the inner layer of arteries – which promotes the development of atherosclerosis.

Computer program lets users learn keyboard shortcuts with minimal effort Posted: 30 Sep 2013 06:37 AM PDT A computer scientist has developed software which assists users in identifying and learning shortcuts so that they can become as fast as expert users. This new interface mechanism is easy to integrate in programs using a toolbar, a menu or ribbons as a graphical user interface.

And in the beginning was histone 1 Posted: 30 Sep 2013 06:37 AM PDT A research team has identified an essential protein for embryonic viability during the first cell divisions in the fly Drosophila. This protein, called dBigH1, which is a variant of histone 1, could also be associated with fertility issues.

Do black holes have 'hair'? New hypothesis challenges 'clean' model Posted: 30 Sep 2013 06:37 AM PDT A black hole. A simple and clear concept, at least according to the hypothesis by Roy Kerr, who in 1963 proposed a "clean" black hole model, which is the current theoretical paradigm. From theory to reality things may be quite different. According to a new research black holes may be much "dirtier" than what Kerr believed.

New compounds display strong therapeutic potential for cystic fibrosis Posted: 30 Sep 2013 06:37 AM PDT Cystic fibrosis is a lethal genetic disorder that in France affects one child per 4,500 births. An international team has recently discovered two new compounds that could be used to treat patients carrying the most common mutation. By means of virtual screening and experiments on mice and human cells in culture, the scientists were able to screen 200,000 compounds and selected two that allowed the causal mutated protein to express itself and fulfill its function.

Aspirin may act on blood platelets to improve survival in colon cancer patients Posted: 30 Sep 2013 06:35 AM PDT Researchers believe they have discovered how aspirin improves survival in patients diagnosed with colon cancer.

Erratic proteins: New insights into a transport mechanism Posted: 30 Sep 2013 06:35 AM PDT The outer membrane of bacteria contains many proteins that form tiny pores. They are important for absorbing nutrients and transmitting signals into the cell. Research has now shown for the first time at atomic resolution, that these pore proteins are transported in an unstructured, constantly changing state to the outer bacterial membrane.

How engineers revamped Spitzer to probe exoplanets Posted: 30 Sep 2013 06:31 AM PDT Now approaching its 10th anniversary, NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has evolved into a premier observatory for an endeavor not envisioned in its original design: the study of worlds around other stars, called exoplanets. While the engineers and scientists who built Spitzer did not have this goal in mind, their visionary work made this unexpected capability possible. Thanks to the extraordinary stability of its design and a series of subsequent engineering reworks, the space telescope now has observational powers far beyond its original limits and expectations.

NASA rover inspects pebbly rocks at Martian waypoint Posted: 30 Sep 2013 06:28 AM PDT NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has resumed a trek of many months toward its mountain-slope destination, Mount Sharp. The rover used instruments on its arm last week to inspect rocks at its first waypoint along the route inside Gale Crater. The location, originally chosen on the basis of images taken from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, paid off with investigation of targets that bear evidence of ancient wet environments.

Dawn spacecraft reality-checks telescope studies of asteroids Posted: 30 Sep 2013 06:21 AM PDT Tantalized by images from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and ground-based data, scientists thought the giant asteroid Vesta deserved a closer look. They got a chance to do that in 2011 and 2012, when NASA's Dawn spacecraft orbited the giant asteroid, and they were able to check earlier conclusions. A new study involving Dawn's observations during that time period demonstrates how this relationship works with Hubble and ground-based telescopes to clarify our understanding of a solar system object.

Eilat's corals stand better chance of resilience than other sites Posted: 29 Sep 2013 11:27 AM PDT Israel's southern Red Sea resort of Eilat, one of whose prime attractions is its colorful and multi-shaped underwater coral reefs, may have a clear advantage in the future over rival coral-viewing sites around the world, scientists have found.

Organized screening for prostate cancer does more harm than good Posted: 29 Sep 2013 11:26 AM PDT Prostate cancer screening using the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test is widely used in France despite a lack of evidence showing that it reduces cancer deaths. Now, researchers have shown that men experience more harm than good from routine PSA screening.

Study finds new moves in protein's evolution Posted: 29 Sep 2013 11:23 AM PDT Highlighting an important but unexplored area of evolution, scientists have found evidence that, over hundreds of millions of years, an essential protein has evolved chiefly by changing how it moves, rather than by changing its basic molecular structure. The work has implications not only for the understanding of protein evolution, but also for the design of antibiotics and other drugs that target the protein in question.

New paradigm for nanoscale resolution MRI experimentally achieved Posted: 27 Sep 2013 09:35 AM PDT A team of researchers has devised a novel nuclear magnetic resonance imaging technique that delivers a roughly 10-nanometer spatial resolution. This represents a significant advance in MRI sensitivity -- modern MRI techniques commonly used in medical imaging yield spatial resolutions on the millimeter length scale, with the highest-resolution experimental instruments giving spatial resolution of a few micrometers.

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