ScienceDaily: Top News

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• People with depression may struggle with parenthood
• Astronomers find clues to decades-long coronal heating mystery
• Zoomable holograms pave the way for versatile, portable projectors
• World ocean systems undermined by climate change by 2100
• Expert panel diagnosis for diagnostic test poorly described, experts not blinded to test under study
• Microbiome meets big social science: What's the potential?
• Small bits of genetic material fight cancer's spread
• 2013 Ocean Health Index shows food provision remains an area of great concern
• To live and learn: Making memories has to be a speedy business
• Beyond antibiotics: 'PPMOs' offer new approach to bacterial infection, other diseases
• Genetic identification of neural circuit that suppresses appetite
• Unearthed: A treasure trove of jewel-like beetles
• An optical switch based on a single nano-diamond
• New 3-D method used to grow miniature pancreas
• Method of recording brain activity could lead to mind-reading devices, Stanford scientists say
• How tiny organisms make a big impact on clean water
• Scientists unravel mechanisms in chronic itching
• New analysis of US elementary school mathematics finds half-century of problematic 'strands' structure
• Device speeds concentration step in food-pathogen detection
• Researchers discover new approach to improve personalized cancer treatments
• Women leave their handprints on the cave wall
• Climate change creates complicated consequences for North America's forests
• Mammalian body cells lack ancient viral defense mechanism, study suggests
• World record: Wireless data transmission at 100 Gbit/s
• Illinois river otters exposed to chemicals banned decades ago
• Newly discovered mechanism propels micromotors
• New micro water sensor can aid growers
• Bending world's thinnest glass shows atoms' dance
• Rapid reversal of diabetes after gastric banding surgery
• Teachers more likely to have progressive speech, language disorders
• New evidence on lightning strikes: Mountains a lot less stable than we think
• Evidence of unsustainable fishing in the Great Barrier Reef
• How Earth’s rotation affects vortices in nature, such as hurricanes and ocean currents
• Overexpressed protein to be culprit in certain thyroid cancers
• Why does maximum heart rate drop with age?
• Compound derived from vegetables shields rodents from lethal radiation doses
• Patients with inflammatory bowel disease at higher risk for stroke, heart attack
• Age doesn't impact concussion symptoms
• New evidence that aging tumor cells may be an effective cancer treatment
• Adolescent's weight, socioeconomic status may affect cancer later in life
• Muscles and meth: Drug analog identified in 'craze' workout supplement
• Non-hallucinogenic cannabinoids are effective anti-cancer drugs
• Understanding Inflammation
• Biomarker in bile VEGF can correctly identify pancreatic cancer

People with depression may struggle with parenthood Posted: 15 Oct 2013 05:07 PM PDT An article by researchers has shed light on the link between depression and poor parenting. The article identifies the symptoms of depression that are likely to cause difficulties with parenting. The findings could lead to more effective interventions to prevent depression and other psychological disorders from being passed from parent to child.

Astronomers find clues to decades-long coronal heating mystery Posted: 15 Oct 2013 04:16 PM PDT Scientists found evidence that magnetic waves in a polar coronal hole contain enough energy to heat the corona and moreover that they also deposit most of their energy at sufficiently low heights for the heat to spread throughout the corona. The observations help to answer a 70-year-old solar physics conundrum about the unexplained extreme temperature of the Sun's corona -- known as the coronal heating problem.

Zoomable holograms pave the way for versatile, portable projectors Posted: 15 Oct 2013 04:14 PM PDT Imagine giving a presentation to a roomful of customers when suddenly the projector fails. You whip out your smartphone, beam your PowerPoint presentation onto the conference room screen, and are back in business within seconds. This career-saving application and others like it are the promise of a new generation of ultra-small projectors. Researchers have now taken an important step toward making such devices more versatile and easier to integrate into portable electronic devices.

World ocean systems undermined by climate change by 2100 Posted: 15 Oct 2013 04:14 PM PDT An ambitious new study describes the full chain of events by which ocean biogeochemical changes triggered by humanmade greenhouse gas emissions may cascade through marine habitats and organisms, penetrating to the deep ocean and eventually influencing humans. Factoring in predictable synergistic changes such as the depletion of dissolved oxygen in seawater and a decline in productivity of ocean ecosystems, no corner of the world ocean will be untouched by climate change by 2100.

Expert panel diagnosis for diagnostic test poorly described, experts not blinded to test under study Posted: 15 Oct 2013 04:12 PM PDT Evaluation of diagnostic studies is often a challenge in diseases that are not defined by a specific test. Assessment of the accuracy of diagnostic tests is essential because they may be used to define who is considered to have a disease and receive treatment for it. However, measuring the accuracy of a diagnostic test requires an accurate gold standard, which defines which patients truly have and do not have the disease.

Microbiome meets big social science: What's the potential? Posted: 15 Oct 2013 04:11 PM PDT Over the last decade or so, biologists have mustered an ever-growing appreciation for the essential role of microbial communities in a diversity of environments. "We're recognizing that the biosphere is run by microbes at every level," notes an expert. "They are the pivotal, central players in the health of the planet."

Small bits of genetic material fight cancer's spread Posted: 15 Oct 2013 11:29 AM PDT Researchers have found that microRNAs -- small bits of genetic material capable of repressing the expression of certain genes -- may serve as both therapeutic targets and predictors of metastasis, or a cancer's spread from its initial site to other parts of the body.

2013 Ocean Health Index shows food provision remains an area of great concern Posted: 15 Oct 2013 10:49 AM PDT In the 2013 Ocean Health Index –– an annual assessment of ocean health –– scientists point to food provision as the factor that continues to require serious attention.

To live and learn: Making memories has to be a speedy business Posted: 15 Oct 2013 10:49 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that nerve cells have a special "pre-assembly" technique to expedite the manufacture of proteins at nerve cell connections (synapses), enabling the brain to rapidly form memories and be plastic.

Beyond antibiotics: 'PPMOs' offer new approach to bacterial infection, other diseases Posted: 15 Oct 2013 10:49 AM PDT Researchers today announced the successful use of a new type of antibacterial agent called a PPMO, which appears to function as well or better than an antibiotic, but may be more precise and also solve problems with antibiotic resistance. The new PPMOs offer a fundamentally different way to attack bacterial infection.

Genetic identification of neural circuit that suppresses appetite Posted: 15 Oct 2013 09:38 AM PDT Scientists have used genetic engineering to identify a population of neurons that tell the brain to shut off appetite.

Unearthed: A treasure trove of jewel-like beetles Posted: 15 Oct 2013 09:37 AM PDT The histerid beetle genus Baconia is distinguishable by the peculiar flat shape and the metallic body coloration ranging between beautiful blue, green and violet tones. A recent article provides a pioneering detailed revision of the genus, solving taxonomic puzzles around this enigmatic group of beetles and adding an impressive 85 new species.

An optical switch based on a single nano-diamond Posted: 15 Oct 2013 09:36 AM PDT A recent study led by researchers in Spain demonstrates that a single nano-diamond can be operated as an ultrafast single-emitter optical switch operating at room temperature.

New 3-D method used to grow miniature pancreas Posted: 15 Oct 2013 09:35 AM PDT An international team of researchers has successfully developed an innovative 3-D method to grow miniature pancreas from progenitor cells. The future goal is to use this model to help in the fight against diabetes.

Method of recording brain activity could lead to mind-reading devices, Stanford scientists say Posted: 15 Oct 2013 09:35 AM PDT A brain region activated when people are asked to perform mathematical calculations in an experimental setting is similarly activated when they use numbers -- or even imprecise quantitative terms, such as "more than" -- in everyday conversation, according to a new study.

How tiny organisms make a big impact on clean water Posted: 15 Oct 2013 09:35 AM PDT Nearly every body of water contains microscopic organisms that live attached to rocks, plants, and animals. These sessile suspension feeders are critical to aquatic ecosystems and play an important role in cleaning up environmental contaminants by consuming bacteria. A study reveals that by changing the angle of their bodies relative to the surfaces, these feeders overcome the physical constraints presented by underwater surfaces, maximize their access to fresh, nutrient-rich water, and filter the surrounding water.

Scientists unravel mechanisms in chronic itching Posted: 15 Oct 2013 09:33 AM PDT New research shows that chronic itching, which can occur in many medical conditions, is different from the urge to scratch a mosquito bite. Chronic itching appears to incorporate more than just the nerve cells that normally transmit itch signals. In chronic itching, neurons that send itch signals also co-opt pain neurons to intensify the itch sensation.

New analysis of US elementary school mathematics finds half-century of problematic 'strands' structure Posted: 15 Oct 2013 08:40 AM PDT An expert argues that the "strands" of structure used in mathematics education have significantly weakened the effectiveness of US school mathematics.

Device speeds concentration step in food-pathogen detection Posted: 15 Oct 2013 08:39 AM PDT Researchers have developed a system that concentrates foodborne salmonella and other pathogens faster than conventional methods by using hollow thread-like fibers that filter out the cells, representing a potential new tool for speedier detection.

Researchers discover new approach to improve personalized cancer treatments Posted: 15 Oct 2013 08:39 AM PDT Researchers have successfully shown that a new method for targeting mutated cells could create a major breakthrough in a personalized medicine approach to treat cancer.

Women leave their handprints on the cave wall Posted: 15 Oct 2013 08:39 AM PDT Plaster handprints from kindergarten, handprint turkeys, handprints outside Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood -- are all part of modern life, but ancient people also left their handprints on rocks and cave walls. Now, an anthropologist can determine the sex of some of the people who left their prints, and the majority of them were women.

Climate change creates complicated consequences for North America's forests Posted: 15 Oct 2013 07:39 AM PDT Climate change affects forests across North America -- in some cases permitting insect outbreaks, plant diseases, wildfires and other problems -- but researchers say warmer temperatures are also making many forests grow faster and some less susceptible to pests, which could boost forest health and acreage, timber harvests, carbon storage, water recycling and other forest benefits in some areas.

Mammalian body cells lack ancient viral defense mechanism, study suggests Posted: 15 Oct 2013 07:39 AM PDT Scientists have the first positive evidence that RNA interference does not play a role as an antiviral in most body, or "somatic," cells in mammals.

World record: Wireless data transmission at 100 Gbit/s Posted: 15 Oct 2013 07:38 AM PDT Extension of cable-based telecommunication networks requires high investments in both conurbations and rural areas. Broadband data transmission via radio relay links might help to cross rivers, motorways or nature protection areas at strategic node points, and to make network extension economically feasible. Researchers have now presented a method for wireless data transmission at a world-record rate of 100 gigabits per second.

Illinois river otters exposed to chemicals banned decades ago Posted: 15 Oct 2013 07:38 AM PDT Researchers report that river otters in Central Illinois are being exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls and pesticides that were banned in the US in the 1970s and '80s.

Newly discovered mechanism propels micromotors Posted: 15 Oct 2013 07:36 AM PDT Scientists studying the behavior of platinum particles immersed in hydrogen peroxide may have discovered a new way to propel microscopic machines.

New micro water sensor can aid growers Posted: 15 Oct 2013 07:36 AM PDT Researchers have developed a microfluidic water sensor within a fingertip-sized silicon chip that is a hundred times more sensitive than current devices. The researchers are now completing soil tests and will soon test their design in plants, embedding their "lab on a chip" in the stems of grape vines, for example. They hope to mass produce the sensors for as little as $5 each. The new sensor will benefit crop growers, wine grape and other fruit growers, food processors and even concrete makers.

Bending world's thinnest glass shows atoms' dance Posted: 15 Oct 2013 06:56 AM PDT Watch what happens when you bend and break the world's thinnest glass. This glass was recently featured in the Guinness Book of World Records and is made of the same compounds as everyday windowpanes. Scientists used an electron microscope to bend, deform and melt the one-molecule-thick glass. These are all things that happen just before glass shatters, and for the first time, the researchers have directly imaged such deformations and the resulting "dance" of rearranging atoms in silica glass.

Rapid reversal of diabetes after gastric banding surgery Posted: 15 Oct 2013 06:46 AM PDT Clinical researchers have shown that a form of weight loss surgery, known as 'gastric banding', brings about reversal of diabetes in some patients, and dramatic improvement of glucose tolerance in others, within 12 weeks.

Teachers more likely to have progressive speech, language disorders Posted: 15 Oct 2013 06:45 AM PDT Researchers have found a surprising occupational hazard for teachers: progressive speech and language disorders. The research found that people with speech and language disorders are about 3.5 times more likely to be teachers than patients with Alzheimer's dementia.

New evidence on lightning strikes: Mountains a lot less stable than we think Posted: 15 Oct 2013 06:40 AM PDT Lightning strikes causing rocks to explode have for the first time been shown to play a huge role in shaping mountain landscapes in southern Africa, debunking previous assumptions that angular rock formations were necessarily caused by cold temperatures, and proving that mountains are a lot less stable than we think.

Evidence of unsustainable fishing in the Great Barrier Reef Posted: 15 Oct 2013 06:40 AM PDT Sea cucumber fishing in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park shows worrying signs of being unsustainable. Many species being targeted are endangered and vulnerable to extinction, as determined by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

How Earth’s rotation affects vortices in nature, such as hurricanes and ocean currents Posted: 15 Oct 2013 06:37 AM PDT What do smoke rings, tornadoes and the Great Red Spot of Jupiter have in common? They are all examples of vortices, regions within a fluid (liquid, gas or plasma) where the flow spins around an imaginary straight or curved axis. Understanding how geophysical (natural world) vortices behave can be critical for tasks such as weather forecasting and environmental pollution monitoring.

Overexpressed protein to be culprit in certain thyroid cancers Posted: 14 Oct 2013 07:14 PM PDT A specific protein once thought to exist only in the brain may play a crucial role in a deadly form of thyroid cancer, as well as other cancers, and provide a fresh target for researchers seeking ways to stop its progression

Why does maximum heart rate drop with age? Posted: 14 Oct 2013 12:57 PM PDT Researchers at the University of Colorado have new insight into the age-old question of why maximum heart rate (maxHR) decreases with age. This decrease in maxHR not only limits the performance of aging athletes but it is also a leading cause for nursing home admittance for otherwise-healthy elderly individuals who no longer have the physical capacity required for independent living.

Compound derived from vegetables shields rodents from lethal radiation doses Posted: 14 Oct 2013 12:57 PM PDT Researchers say a compound derived from cruciferous vegetable such as cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli protected rats and mice from lethal doses of radiation. Their study suggests the compound, already shown to be safe for humans, may protect normal tissues during radiation therapy for cancer treatment and prevent or mitigate sickness caused by radiation exposure.

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease at higher risk for stroke, heart attack Posted: 14 Oct 2013 09:17 AM PDT Patients with inflammatory bowel disease are at an increased risk of stroke and heart attack according to a new study.

Age doesn't impact concussion symptoms Posted: 14 Oct 2013 08:37 AM PDT Recent scientific findings have raised the fear that young athletes may fare worse after sustaining a sports-related concussion than older athletes. Researchers compared symptoms associated with concussion in middle- and high-school aged athletes with those in college-age athletes, and found no significant differences between the two age groups.

New evidence that aging tumor cells may be an effective cancer treatment Posted: 14 Oct 2013 06:43 AM PDT Scientists have shown that diffuse large B-cell lymphoma may be susceptible to treatment by re-activating the normal aging program in tumor cells so they can no longer divide.

Adolescent's weight, socioeconomic status may affect cancer later in life Posted: 14 Oct 2013 06:42 AM PDT Overweight adolescents were twice as likely as their normal weight peers to later develop esophageal cancer, as revealed by a recent study. The study also found that lower socioeconomic status as well as immigration from higher risk countries were important determinants of gastric cancer.

Muscles and meth: Drug analog identified in 'craze' workout supplement Posted: 14 Oct 2013 06:41 AM PDT An international team of scientists have identified potentially dangerous amounts of methamphetamine analog in the workout supplement Craze, a product widely sold across the U.S. and online. The study was prompted by a spate of failed athletic drug tests. The results reveal the presence of methamphetamine analog N,±- DEPEA, which has not been safely tested for human consumption, in three samples.

Non-hallucinogenic cannabinoids are effective anti-cancer drugs Posted: 14 Oct 2013 06:41 AM PDT New research has shown that the non-hallucinogenic components of cannabis could act as effective anti-cancer agents.

Understanding Inflammation Posted: 14 Oct 2013 06:39 AM PDT Scientists for the first time have solved the 3-dimensional structure of the protein LBP and it´s genetic variant. This finding may help certain patients to better survive severe infectious diseases.

Biomarker in bile VEGF can correctly identify pancreatic cancer Posted: 14 Oct 2013 06:35 AM PDT A marker in bile known as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays an important role in the growth of cancerous tumors according to new research. Researchers found that VEGF levels from bile aspirated from the pancreas can accurately distinguish pancreatic cancer from other causes of common problems in the bile duct. The results of this pilot study indicated that using this marker in bile can correctly identify pancreas cancer with high sensitivity, detecting pancreas cancer accurately in 93 percent of cases.

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