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Climate change occurring ten times faster than at any time in past 65 million years

Not only is the planet undergoing one of the largest climate changes in the past 65 million years, scientists report that it's occurring at a rate 10 times faster than any change in that period. Without intervention, this extreme pace could lead to a 5-6 degree Celsius spike in annual temperatures by the end of the century.

The when and where of the Y: Research on Y chromosomes uncovers new clues about human ancestry

Using advanced analysis of DNA from Y chromosomes from men all over the world, scientists have shed new light on the mystery of when and how a few early human ancestors started to give rise to the incredible diversity of today's population.

Cool heads likely won't prevail in a hotter, wetter world

Researchers report that even slight spikes in temperature and precipitation greatly increase the risk of personal and civil violence, and suggest that more human conflict is a likely outcome of climate change.

Advance in regenerative medicine could make reprogrammed cells safer while improving their function

The enormous promise of regenerative medicine is matched by equally enormous challenges. But a new finding has the potential to improve both the safety and performance of reprogrammed cells.

As climate, disease links become clearer, study highlights need to forecast future shifts

Climate change is affecting the spread of infectious diseases worldwide, according to an international team of leading disease ecologists, with serious impacts to human health and biodiversity conservation.

New water splitting technique efficiently produces hydrogen fuel

Radically new technique uses the power of sunlight to efficiently split water into its components of hydrogen and oxygen, paving the way for the broad use of hydrogen as a clean, green fuel.

Temperature alters population dynamics of common plant pests

Temperature-driven changes alter outbreak patterns of tea tortrix -- an insect pest -- and may shed light on how temperature influences whether insects emerge as cohesive cohorts or continuously, according to an international team of researchers. These findings have implications for both pest control and how climate change may alter infestations.

Blocking key enzyme in cancer cells could lead to new therapy

Researchers have identified a characteristic unique to cancer cells in an animal model of cancer -- and they believe it could be exploited as a target to develop new treatment strategies.

New type of protein modification may play a role in cancer and diabetes

Scientists have discovered a new type of chemical modification that affects numerous proteins within mammalian cells. The modification appears to work as a regulator of important cellular processes including the metabolism of glucose. Further study of this modification could provide insights into the causes of diabetes, cancer and other disorders.

Re-learning how to see: Researchers find crucial on-off switch in visual development

A new discovery offers hope for treating "lazy eye" and other serious visual problems that are usually permanent unless they are corrected in early childhood.

Why shopaholics overspend? Poor credit management, buying to boost mood, study says

Why do shopping addicts keep spending even in the face of harmful financial, emotional and social consequences? A new study suggests poor credit management and a belief that new purchases will create a happier life fuel compulsive buying.

Arctic sea-ice loss has widespread effects on wildlife

How the Arctic wildlife and humans will be affected by the continued melting of Arctic sea ice is explored in a review article in the journal Science, by an international team of scientists. The article examines relationships among algae, plankton, whales, and terrestrial animals such as caribou, arctic foxes, and walrus; as well as the effects of human exploration of previously inaccessible parts of the region.

Speedier scans reveal new distinctions in resting and active brain

A boost in the speed of brain scans is unveiling new insights into how brain regions work with each other in cooperative groups called networks.

Novel drug shuts down master protein key to lymphoma

Researchers have discovered how an experimental drug is capable of completely eradicating human lymphoma in mice after just five doses. The study sets the stage for testing the drug in clinical trials of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, the most common subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, itself the seventh most frequently diagnosed cancer in the US.

Stimulating brain cells can make false memories

By activating a subset of brain cells in mice, researchers changed the way the animals remembered a particular setting. To determine if they could alter the way a mouse remembered a setting by activating neurons associated with it, researchers attempted to change whether or not a mouse was afraid of a particular cage. Their experiements implicated neurons in the brain's dentate gyrus as being responsible for inducing the animal's false memory of their cage.

Feeling left out can lead to risky financial decisions

People who feel isolated are more inclined to make risker financial decisions for bigger payoffs, according to new research.

Being bullied throughout childhood and teens may lead to more arrests, convictions, prison time

People who were repeatedly bullied throughout childhood and adolescence were significantly more likely to go to prison than individuals who did not suffer repeated bullying, according to a new analysis.

New designer compound treats heart failure by targeting cell nucleus

Researchers have discovered a new molecular pathway responsible for causing heart failure and showed that a first-in-class prototype drug, JQ1, blocks this pathway to protect the heart from damage.

New insight into how brain 'learns' cocaine addiction

A team of researchers says it has solved the longstanding puzzle of why a key protein linked to learning is also needed to become addicted to cocaine. Results of the study describe how the learning-related protein works with other proteins to forge new pathways in the brain in response to a drug-induced rush of the "pleasure" molecule dopamine. By adding important detail to the process of addiction, the researchers say the work may point the way to new treatments.

Removing a protein enhances defense against bacteria in CGD mice

Deletion of a protein in white blood cells improves their ability to fight the bacteria staphylococcus aureus and possibly other infections in mice with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD), according to a new study. CGD, a genetic disorder also found in people, is marked by recurrent, life-threatening infections.

More accurate model of climate change's effect on soil

Scientists have developed a new computer model to measure global warming's effect on soil worldwide that accounts for how bacteria and fungi in soil control carbon.

'Soft' approach leads to revolutionary energy storage: Graphene-based supercapacitors

Researchers have brought next generation energy storage closer with an engineering first -- a graphene-based device that is compact, yet lasts as long as a conventional battery.

Two dimensions of value: Dopamine neurons represent reward but not aversiveness

The experiments reported here show that dopamine neurons are sensitive to the value of reward but not punishment (like the aversiveness of a bitter taste). This demonstrates that reward and aversiveness are represented as two discrete dimensions (or categories) in the brain.

Does your personality and how you look affect how you're treated at work?

Is it a coincidence that the least attractive people in your office are the butt of all the jokes? A new study would suggest that it's not.

New treatment strategy for breast cancer spread to brain

Researchers have successfully combined cellular therapy and gene therapy in a mouse model system to develop a viable treatment strategy for breast cancer that has metastasized to the patient's brain.

New target for the fight against cancer as a result of excessive blood vessel formation

New blood vessel formation (angiogenesis) stimulates the growth of cancer and other diseases. Anti-angiogenic inhibitors slow down cancer growth by disrupting the blood supply to the tumor. To date, the success of these treatments is limited by resistance, poor efficiency and harmful side effects. Scientists reported that sugar metabolism (a process that we call glycolysis) also plays an essential role in the formation of new blood vessels.

Promising compound could offer new treatment for heart failure

Heart failure occurs when the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. Current therapies are not adequately effective at improving health. A study reveals the key role of a family of molecules known as BET proteins in activating genes that contribute to heart failure. The study also demonstrates that a BET-inhibiting drug can protect against heart failure in mice, opening up promising new avenues for the treatment of this devastating condition.

Bacteria hold the clues to trade-offs in financial investments and evolution

Scientists have found that bacteria have the potential to teach valuable investment lessons. The research takes advantage of the fact that bacteria, like humans, have limited resources and are constantly faced with investment decisions.

A roadblock to personalized cancer care?

Leading experts in cancer treatment and research, including university researchers, industry and insurance providers, have published a paper urging more focus and attention on the field of research that involves identifying genetic and molecular markers that help guide cancer treatment. The current attitude toward biomarker research has led to a vicious cycle that undervalues the crucial role these kinds of tests play in developing personalized cancer treatments.

When prescribing antibiotics, doctors most often choose strongest types of drugs

When U.S. physicians prescribe antibiotics, more than 60 percent of the time they choose some of the strongest types of antibiotics, referred to as "broad spectrum," which are capable of killing multiple kinds of bacteria, researchers show in a new study.

Targeted therapy identified for protein that protects and nourishes cancer

Scientists who identified a protein's dual role in cancer promotion have discovered a way to shut it down, opening a potential new avenue for cancer treatment.

New metabolic pathway involved in cell growth and implicated in cancer as well as metabolic disorders identified

Researchers now have a more complete picture of one particular pathway that can lead to cancer and diabetes. Scientists uncovered how a protein called p62 has a cascade affect in regulating cell growth in response to the presence of nutrients such as amino acids and glucose.

Researchers find home of best stem cells for bone marrow transplants

Researchers have revealed the location of human blood stem cells that may improve bone marrow transplants. The best stem cells are at the ends of the bone.

Monster galaxies lose their appetite with age

Our universe is filled with gobs of galaxies, bound together by gravity into larger families called clusters. Lying at the heart of most clusters is a monster galaxy thought to grow in size by merging with neighboring galaxies, a process astronomers call galactic cannibalism. New research from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope and Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) is showing that, contrary to previous theories, these gargantuan galaxies appear to slow their growth over time, feeding less and less off neighboring galaxies.

Protein linked to cognitive deficits in Angelman syndrome discovered

A team of neuroscientists has identified a protein in laboratory mice linked to impairments similar to those afflicted with Angelman syndrome -- a condition associated with symptoms that include autism, intellectual disability, and motor abnormalities.

Fetal stress disrupts the way genes are transmitted

Stress might have harmed your health even before you were born. In a new report, researchers find that epigenetic disruptions associated with chronic disease later in life are already common at birth. These aberrations result from stressors in the intrauterine environment (maternal smoking, diet, or high levels of endocrine-disrupting chemicals). Consequently, the seeds of disease may be sown before birth, increasing the importance of optimal prenatal care.

Researchers target 'cell sleep' to lower chances of cancer recurrence

By preventing cancer cells from entering a state of cellular sleep, cancer drugs are more effective, and there is a lower chance of cancer recurrence, according to new research from an international research team. The discovery is the first to show that it is possible to therapeutically target cancer cells to keep them from entering a cellular state called quiescence, or "cell sleep."

Graveyard for comets discovered

Astronomers have discovered a graveyard of comets. The researchers describe how some of these objects, inactive for millions of years, have returned to life leading them to name the group the 'Lazarus comets'.

'Soft robotic' devices using water-based gels

Researchers have developed a new technique for creating devices out of a water-based hydrogel material that can be patterned, folded and used to manipulate objects. The technique holds promise for use in "soft robotics" and biomedical applications.

New drugs to find the right target to fight Alzheimer's disease

The future is looking good for drugs designed to combat Alzheimer's disease. Scientists have unveiled how two classes of drug compounds currently in clinical trials work to fight the disease. Their research suggests that these compounds target the disease-causing peptides with high precision and with minimal side-effects.

Tired, moody and pregnant? Exercise may be the answer

Exercise may improve the mood of pregnant women and help to reduce levels of fatigue reports new research. The study examined whether a four week exercise intervention program would result in improvements in the psychological well-being of previously inactive pregnant women. The results were clear, with participants reporting significant improvements in their mood during the program. They also saw reduced levels of fatigue, suggesting that pregnant women should be encouraged to engage in regular exercise to improve both psychological and physical well-being.

Study of gene expression has revealed first steps of evolution in gene regulation in mice

A study of gene expression has revealed the first steps of evolution in gene regulation in mice. The research has implications for the study of differences in gene regulation between people.

Largest neuronal network simulation to date achieved using Japanese supercomputer

Scientists have carried out the largest general neuronal network simulation to date.

Pregnancy in horses: Helping horses come to term

It is not only humans that sometimes experience difficulty having children. Horses too have a low birth rate, with many pregnancies failing within the first few weeks after conception. The reason is currently unknown but recent research suggests that a particular class of blood cells may be involved.

Cobalt replacements make solar cells more sustainable

Researchers have successfully replaced the rare element iodine in copper-based dye-sensitized solar cells by the more abundant element cobalt, taking a step forward in the development of environmentally friendly energy production. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) transform light to electricity. They consist of a semiconductor on which a dye is anchored. This colored complex absorbs light and through an electron transfer process produces electrical current. Electrolytes act as electron transport agents inside the DSCs.

Burnt sugar derivative reduces muscle wasting in fly and mouse muscular dystrophy

A trace substance in caramelized sugar, when purified and given in appropriate doses, improves muscle regeneration in an insect and mammal model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The substance, THI, protects the body's levels of a cell signal important in cell differentiation, proliferation, and migration. Fruit flies and mice with the muscular dystrophy gene both showed improvements in movement, and other reductions of symptoms.

Genetics: More than merely a mutated gene

If two women have the same genetic mutation that puts them at higher-than-average risk for a disease such as breast cancer, why does only one develop the disease? Genetic scientists have begun to understand how the rest of the genome interacts with such mutations to cause the differences we see among individuals.

The four-point test to predict death risk from C. difficile

Researchers have developed a unique four-point test using easily measurable clinical variables which can be used to accurately predict the death risk to patients from C. diff. Accurate prediction means that those patients at risk can be managed accordingly by the clinical team.

Sea star's bizarre feeding mechanism

Scientists have identified a molecule that enables sea stars (also known as starfish) to carry out one of the most remarkable forms of feeding in the natural world.

Climate science boost with tropical aerosols profile

The seasonal influence of aerosols on Australia's tropical climate can now be included in climate models following completion of the first long-term study of fine smoke particles generated by burning of the savanna open woodland and grassland.

Baby owls spotted sleeping like baby humans

Baby birds have sleep patterns similar to baby mammals, and their sleep changes in the same way when growing up. This is what a biologists found out working with barn owls in the wild. The team also discovered that this change in sleep was strongly correlated with the expression of a gene involved in producing dark, melanic feather spots, a trait known to covary with behavioral and physiological traits in adult owls. These findings raise the intriguing possibility that sleep-related developmental processes in the brain contribute to the link between melanism and other traits observed in adult barn owls and other animals.

How 'junk DNA' can control cell development

Researchers have confirmed that, far from being "junk," the 97 percent of human DNA that does not encode instructions for making proteins can play a significant role in controlling cell development. And in doing so, the researchers have unraveled a previously unknown mechanism for regulating the activity of genes, increasing our understanding of the way cells develop and opening the way to new possibilities for therapy.

Discovery of novel gene mutations in leukemia patients opens up personalized therapy options

Specific mutations (N676K) in the FLT3 receptor can contribute to the development of acute myeloid leukemia. The FLT3 receptor regulates cell growth, while activating gene mutations promote the uncontrolled proliferation of white blood cells.

Sounding rocket to study active regions on the sun

At NASA's White Sands Test Facility in Las Cruces, N.M., a sounding rocket is being readied for flight. Due to launch on Aug. 8, 2013, the VERIS rocket, short for Very high Resolution Imaging Spectrometer, will launch for a 15-minute trip carrying an instrument that can measure properties of the structures in the sun's upper atmosphere down to 145 miles across, some eight times clearer than any similar telescope currently in space.

Novel 3-D simulation technology helps surgical residents train more effectively

A novel interactive 3-dimensional simulation platform offers surgical residents a unique opportunity to hone their diagnostic and patient management skills, and then have those skills accurately evaluated according to a new study.

Why can't the snakes cross the road, secret lives of baby snakes and other questions

Researchers are conducting some of the first ever scientific studies of neonate pine snakes, performing snake surgery for radio tracking and helping snakes survive road crossings through the busy New Jersey shore traffic.

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Friday, August 2, 2013

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