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'Molecular motors' involved in chromosome transport observed

Researchers have for the first time directly observed the "molecular motor", called Xkid, that plays a critical role in facilitating the proper alignment of chromosomes during cell division. The study provides invaluable knowledge on the mechanisms of materials transport in biological systems.

Leukemia cells exploit 'enhancer' DNA elements to cause lethal disease

A team of researchers has identified a leukemia-specific stretch of DNA called an enhancer element that enables cancerous blood cells to proliferate in acute myeloid leukemia, a devastating cancer that is incurable in 70 percent of patients. Just as important, the findings offer a mechanistic insight into how a new class of promising drugs -- one version of which is already in human clinical trials -- appears to halt the growth of cancer cells so effectively.

A whirling dervish puts physicists in a spin

A force that intricately links the rotation of the Earth with the direction of weather patterns in the atmosphere has been shown to play a crucial role in the creation of the hypnotic patterns created by the skirts of the Whirling Dervishes.

New therapeutic target identified for Huntington's disease

A new study published identifies a new target in the search for therapeutic interventions for Huntington's disease -- a devastating late-onset neurodegenerative disorder.

Iron preserves, hides ancient tissues in fossilized remains

Iron may play a role in preserving ancient tissues within dinosaur fossils, but also may hide them from detection. This finding could open the door to the recovery of more ancient tissues from within fossils.

Inexpensive 'nano-camera' can operate at the speed of light

A newly developed device could be used in medical imaging, collision-avoidance detectors for cars, and interactive gaming.

Finding hidden circles may improve social network privacy settings

Creating a computer program to find relationships in networks, such as Google Plus and Facebook, may help users more easily set up and maintain privacy settings, according to researchers.

Alcohol use disorders linked to death and disability

Disorders related to the abuse of alcohol contribute significantly to the burden of disease in the U.S., finds a new study.

Gratitude or guilt? People spend more when they 'pay it forward'

As shoppers across the nation prepare to pounce on Black Friday sales, researchers are looking at what happens to commerce when there's no set price tag. In an exhaustive study of consumer behavior, they found that shoppers spend more money when engaged in a chain of goodwill known as "pay-it-forward" than when they can name their own price.

Better combustion through plasma

Scientists know that by introducing plasma to combustion, new chemical species are produced that catalyze the reaction. But no one knows precisely what species are involved, what the reactions are, and what their rates are. To better understand plasma-assisted combustion and to develop future technology, researchers are conducting experiments and creating computer models to determine which chemical processes are involved.

Flexible, stretchable fire-ant rafts

Fire-ant rafts aren't just unusual in that they're "viscoelastic," like Jell-O and toothpaste, according to a new study. Researchers found the rafts actively reorganize their structure, a feat that allows them to more effectively cushion themselves against applied forces, such as the battering of raindrops or the surges of waves.

Delaying resistance to Bt corn in western corn rootworm

While Bt corn has been highly effective against the European corn borer, it has been less so against the western corn rootworm. A new article explains why and recommends an integrated pest management approach to address it.

Polymer gel, heal thyself: Engineering team proposes new composites that can regenerate when damaged

Researchers have developed models to design a new polymer gel that would enable complex materials to regenerate themselves.

Google Earth reveals untold fish catches

Large fish traps in the Persian Gulf could be catching up to six times more fish than what's being officially reported, according to the first investigation of fish catches from space.

Gene mutation for excessive alcohol drinking found

Researchers have discovered a gene that regulates alcohol consumption and when faulty can cause excessive drinking. They have also identified the mechanism underlying this phenomenon.

High-fat diet during puberty speeds up breast cancer development

New findings show that eating a high-fat diet beginning at puberty speeds up the development of breast cancer and may actually increase the risk of cancer similar to a type often found in younger adult women.

The lingering clouds: Why pollution results in larger storm clouds, colder days, warmer nights

A new study reveals how pollution causes thunderstorms to leave behind larger, deeper, longer lasting clouds. The results solve a long-standing debate and reveal how pollution plays into climate warming. The work can also provide a gauge for the accuracy of weather and climate models.

Bonobo: 'Forgotten' ape threatened by human activity and forest loss

The most detailed range-wide assessment of the bonobo (formerly known as the pygmy chimpanzee) ever conducted has revealed that this poorly known and endangered great ape is quickly losing space in a world with growing human populations. The loss of usable habitat is attributed to both forest fragmentation and poaching, according to a new study.

Brain reward gene influences food choices in the first years of life

Research has suggested that a particular gene in the brain's reward system contributes to overeating and obesity in adults. This same variant has now been linked to childhood obesity and tasty food choices, particularly for girls, according to a new study.

Unhappy meals? Majority of very young children in California eat fast food at least once per week

A surprisingly large percentage of very young children in California, including 70 percent of Latino children, eat fast food regularly, according to a new policy brief.

Electronic cigarettes: New route to smoking addiction for adolescents

E-cigarettes have been widely promoted as a way for people to quit smoking conventional cigarettes. Now, in the first study of its kind, researchers are reporting that, at the point in time they studied, youth using e-cigarettes were more likely to be trying to quit, but also were less likely to have stopped smoking and were smoking more, not less.

Lowering stand density reduces mortality of ponderosa pine stands

As trees grow larger in even-aged stands, competition develops among them. Competition weakens trees, as they contend for soil moisture, nutrients, and sunlight. Competition also increases trees' risk to bark beetles and diseases, and subsequently leads to a buildup of dead fuels. A recent study considered if the onset of this risk could be determined.

ADHD linked to social, economic disadvantage

A team of researchers has analyzed data from the Millennium Cohort Study, a database of more than 19,500 UK children born between 2000 and 2002, and has resolved that ADHD is linked to social and economic disadvantage.

Large study shows pollution impact on coral reefs, and offers solution

One of the largest and longest experiments ever done to test the impact of nutrient loading on coral reefs today confirmed what scientists have long suspected -- that this type of pollution from sewage, agricultural practices or other sources can lead to coral disease and bleaching. But there was unexpectedly good news - when you cleaned up the water, the corals recovered.

Incidental by-catch of marine turtles in the Mediterranean Sea

When a marine turtle is incidentally by-caught by a longliner, fishermen try to cut the line — without hauling it on board — and release the turtle into the sea. However, research published determines that about 40% of post-released turtles die some months later due to the impact of longline fishing.

A robot turtle will help underwater archaeologists to inspect shipwrecks

A new highly maneuverable robot turtle has been designed to penetrate shipwrecks.

New agent against cancer cells

Scientists have discovered a new active substance that inhibits cell division in leukemia cells and could play an important role in the fight against cancer.

Reconceptualizing JFK's chronic low back pain

JFK exuded strength and vitality, but less apparent was the daily battle he waged with chronic back pain. He often used crutches while walking to minimize pain and back pain may have been a contributing factor in his November 1963 assassination.

C-section rate for private patients double that of publicly funded patients

The rate of scheduled caesarean sections among private patients is around double that of publicly funded patients, indicates a study of more than 30,000 women in Ireland.

Regular physical activity in later life boosts likelihood of 'healthy aging' up to sevenfold

It's never too late to get physically active, with even those starting relatively late in life reaping significant health benefits, finds research.

Contented males fare better with the 'ladies'

A first-ever study reveals that relaxed, content male mink raised in enriched environments -- cages complete with pools, toys and swings -- are more successful in the mating season. The findings may help improve mating among captive animals, especially those with breeding problems such as giant pandas and Canada's rare black-footed ferrets.

Childhood exercise may stave off bad effects of maternal obesity, animal study suggests

Rats whose mothers were fed a high-fat diet during pregnancy and nursing were able to stave off some of the detrimental health effects of obesity by exercising during their adolescence.

Cancer patients at increased risk for severe flu complications

Weakened immune systems due to diseases like cancer cause increased risk of severe complications from the flu virus — experts advise vaccine shot, not mist.

Biomedical scientist discovers method to increase survival in sepsis

Sepsis, the body's response to severe infections, kills more people than breast cancer, prostate cancer and HIV/AIDS combined. On average, 30 percent of those diagnosed with sepsis die.

Inner workings of bacterial black box caught on time-lapse video

Using a pioneering visualization method, researchers made movies of a complex and vital cellular machine called the carboxysome being assembled inside living cells. They observed that bacteria build these internal compartments in a way never seen in plant, animal and other eukaryotic cells. The findings will illuminate bacterial physiology and may also influence nanotechnology development.

Study examines potential evolutionary role of 'sexual regret' in human survival, reproduction

A study finds men regret missing opportunities to have sex, while women feel remorse for having casual, meaningless sex.

ADHD study: Expensive training programs don't help grades, behavior

A two-year study found that computer-based training programs that claim to help children with ADHD succeed in the classroom and in peer relationships while reducing hyperactivity and inattentiveness do not produce significant or meaningful long-term improvements. Parents are better off saving their money, the lead researcher says.

How scavenging fungi became a plant's best friend

More than two thirds of the world's plants depend on Glomeromycota soil-dwelling symbiotic fungus to survive, including critical agricultural crops such as wheat, cassava, and rice. The analysis of the Rhizophagus irregularis genome has revealed that it doesn't shuffle genes the way researchers expected. Moreover it has expanded its range of cell-to-cell communication genes and phosphorus-capturing genes.

Ear infections down, thanks to vaccine

Researchers have discovered that, during recent years, several interventions have been introduced aiming to decrease the otitis media burden -- and they've been successful. The researchers found there was a downward trend in visits from 2004 to 2011, with a significant drop in children younger than 2 years that coincided with the advent of the 13-valent vaccine, or PCV-13, in 2010.

Postmenopausal estrogen decline unrelated to changes in cognition, mood

A new study shows that decreased estrogen levels after menopause are largely unrelated to changes in cognitive ability and mood. It did find, however, a possible link between levels of another hormone -- progesterone -- and cognition among younger postmenopausal women.

Nurse navigators help cancer patients cope early in care

When patients received support from a nurse navigator, or advocate, soon after a cancer diagnosis, they had better experiences and fewer problems with their care -- particularly in health information, care coordination, and psychological and social care -- according to a randomized controlled trial.

Brain imaging differences in infants at genetic risk for Alzheimer's

Researchers have found that infants who carry a gene associated with an increased risk for Alzheimer's disease tend to have differences in brain development compared to infants who do not carry the gene. The findings do not mean that these infants will get Alzheimer's, but they may be a step toward understanding how this gene confers risk much later in life.

Methane emissions vastly surpass previous estimates

Government calculations of total US methane emissions may underestimate the true values by 50 percent, a new study finds. The results cast doubt on a recent Environmental Protection Agency decision to downscale its emissions estimate.

Oxytocin leads to monogamy

How is the bond between people in love maintained? Scientists have discovered a biological mechanism that could explain the attraction between loving couples: If oxytocin is administered to men and if they are shown pictures of their partner, the bonding hormone stimulates the reward center in the brain, increasing the attractiveness of the partner, and strengthening monogamy.

New tales told by old infections

Retroviruses are important pathogens capable of crossing species barriers to infect new hosts, but knowledge of their evolutionary history is limited. By mapping endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), retroviruses whose genes have become part of the host organism's genome, researchers can now provide unique insights into the evolutionary relationships of retroviruses and their host species.

Reef fish find it's too hot to swim

A team of researchers has shown that ocean warming may reduce the swimming ability of many fish species, and have major impacts on their ability to grow and reproduce.

When the living, deceased don't agree on organ donation

All 50 states have adopted laws giving individuals the right to consent to organ donation after death via a signed donor card or driver's license, or by enrollment in a donor registry. While such laws give hospitals legal authority to proceed with organ procurement without consent of the registered donor's family, a new study shows that organ procurement organizations' implementation has been inconsistent and incomplete.

MR spectroscopy shows differences in brains of preterm infants

Premature birth appears to trigger developmental processes in the white matter of the brain that could put children at higher risk of problems later in life, according to a study.

Circadian timing may give edge to West Coast NFL teams in night games

A new analysis of National Football League results suggests that the body's natural circadian timing gives a performance advantage to West Coast teams when they play East Coast teams at night.

Subarctic lakes are drying up at a rate not seen in 200 years

The decrease in snowfall observed in recent years in Canada's subarctic regions has led to worrisome desiccation of the regions' lakes.

Teaching matter waves new tricks: Making magnets with ultra cold atoms

Scientists have developed a novel approach to understand magnets.

Figure eights and peanut shells: How stars move at the center of the galaxy

Two months ago astronomers created a new 3-D map of stars at the center of our Galaxy (the Milky Way), showing more clearly than ever the bulge at its core. Previous explanations suggested that the stars that form the bulge are in banana-like orbits, but a new article suggests that the stars probably move in peanut-shell or figure of eight-shaped orbits instead.

Brain bypass surgery gives young man his life back

A neuroradiologist inserts a micro-catheter into an aneurysm and injects a flourescent dye, a complex, rare and new procedure which provides a neurosurgeon a clear view of the blood vessel that feeds the aneurysm. The surgeon then knows where to sew in a tranplanted blood vessel to bypass the aneursym.

Medical research needs kids, two-thirds of parents unaware of opportunities

To improve healthcare for children, medical research that involves kids is a must. Yet, only five percent of parents say their children have ever participated in any type of medical research.

Researchers have a nose for how probiotics could affect hay fever

A study has shown that a daily probiotic drink changed how cells lining the nasal passages of hay fever sufferers reacted to a single out-of-season challenge. However, it did not lead to significant changes in hay fever symptoms, although this challenge test may not have accurately represented natural allergen exposure.

Cryptic new species of wild cat identified in Brazil

Biologists have identified a cryptic new species of wild cat living in Brazil. The discovery is a reminder of just how little scientists still know about the natural world, even when it comes to such charismatic creatures. The findings also have important conservation implications for the cats, the researchers say.

New effect couples electricity and magnetism in materials

Major industries such as modern microelectronics are based on the interaction between matter and electromagnetism. Electromagnetic signals can be processed and stored in specially tailored materials. In materials science, electric and magnetic effects have usually been studied separately. There are, however, extraordinary materials called "multiferroics," in which electric and magnetic excitations are closely linked. Scientists have now shown in an experiment that magnetic properties and excitations can be influenced by an electric voltage. This opens up completely new possibilities for electronics at high frequencies.

Archaeological dig near Stonehenge uncovers sink hole of evidence from Neolithic period

An archaeology team has delved back into a Neolithic site at Damerham, Hampshire, and uncovered a sink hole of material that may hold vital information about the plant species that thrived there 6,000 years ago. Scientists say the find was completely unexpected and had initially confused the team digging on the farmland.

New energy conversion principle may double efficiency of today's engines

Scientists have discovered a new compressive combustion principle that can yield engines with the ultimate level of efficiency. With a thermal efficiency of 60% or more in applications including automobiles, power generation, and aircraft, will their low fuel consumption be superior to that of HV vehicles?

Big brains are all in the genes

Scientists have moved a step closer to understanding genetic changes that permitted humans and other mammals to develop such big brains.

HIV vaccine preventing healthy cells' infection

AIDS research has attempted many strategies to tackle the HIV virus infection. Now, a new type of vaccine is based on one of the envelope proteins of the HIV virus, called the gp41 protein. What makes it interesting is that it is directly responsible for the fusion of the HIV virus into human cells. By integrating the gp41 protein into the vaccine, researchers try to trigger the production of antibodies that would block the entrance of HIV into human cells.

Making a gem of a tiny crystal: Slowly cooled DNA transforms disordered nanoparticles into orderly crystal

Nature builds flawless diamonds, sapphires and other gems. Now researchers have built near-perfect single crystals out of nanoparticles and DNA, using the same structure favored by nature. The researchers developed a "recipe" for using nanomaterials as atoms, DNA as bonds and a little heat to form tiny crystals.

Lakes discovered beneath Greenland ice sheet

Scientists have discovered two subglacial lakes 800 meters below the Greenland Ice Sheet. Subglacial lakes are likely to influence the flow of the ice sheet, impacting global sea level change. The discovery of the lakes in Greenland will also help researchers to understand how the ice will respond to changing environmental conditions.

Fiery drama of star birth, death

The Large Magellanic Cloud is one of the closest galaxies to our own. Astronomers have now used the power of ESO's Very Large Telescope to explore one of its lesser known regions. This new image shows clouds of gas and dust where hot new stars are being born and are sculpting their surroundings into odd shapes. But the image also shows the effects of stellar death — filaments created by a supernova explosion.

Health insurance increases preventive care, not risky behaviors

People with health insurance are more likely to use preventive services such as flu shots and health screenings to reduce their risk of serious illness, but they are no more likely than people without health insurance to engage in risky health behaviors such as smoking or gaining weight, researchers have found.

Treatment target identified for public health risk parasite

In the developing world, Cryptosporidium parvum has long been the scourge of freshwater. Its rapid ability to spread, combined with an incredible resilience to water decontamination techniques, such as chlorination, led the National Institutes of Health in the United Sates to add C. parvum to its list of public bioterrorism agents. Currently, there are no reliable treatments for cryptosporidiosis, but that may be about to change with the identification of a target molecule.

Implantable slimming aid

Biotechnologists have constructed a genetic regulatory circuit from human components that monitors blood-fat levels. In response to excessive levels, it produces a messenger substance that signalizes satiety to the body. Tests on obese mice reveal that this helps them to lose weight.

Seahorse heads have 'no wake zone' made for catching prey

Seahorses are slow, docile creatures, but their heads are perfectly shaped to sneak up and quickly snatch prey, according to marine scientists.

Memo to big box retailers: Goodwill has a shelf life

Big box retailers may have had the secret to combating online retailers all along: instant gratification. A new study warns that the positive feelings consumers experience when receiving a discounted price fades dramatically if the consumer is then forced to wait for the product.

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Wednesday, November 27, 2013

FeedaMail: ScienceDaily: Most Popular News

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