ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Getting to the heart of chronic fatigue syndrome
• Researchers discover how faulty genetic instructions drive a deadly blood cancer in adults
• Do sharks survive after the hook?
• Hubble confirms new dark spot on Neptune
• Pterosaur flies safely home after 95 million years
• Volcanoes get quiet before they erupt
• Fix for 3-billion-year-old genetic error could dramatically improve genetic sequencing
• Moral dilemma with driverless cars: Who gets protected, the driver or pedestrians?
• Good bacteria vital to coral reef survival
• Scientists reveal single-neuron gene landscape of the human brain
• Index could help identify women at risk for rapid bone loss
• Evolutionary biologists show that sexual selection increases the number of species and impacts global diversity
• An effective but painful treatment
• The silencer: Study reveals how a cancer gene promotes tumor growth
• Eating air, making fuel
• 'Smoke alarm' one of 36 genes newly found to play role in pain sensation
• Discovery of an epigenetic regulator of tumorigenesis suggests new strategies against lethal forms of breast cancer
• Novel study in Nairobi infants may accelerate path to HIV vaccine
• New study provides unprecedented insight into the fine details of neuronal communication
• Precise control of brain circuit alters mood
• Running releases protein associated with improved memory in mice
• Aging monkeys become more selective regarding their social circle
• Smell tells intruder mice how to behave
• Not only trauma but also the reversal of trauma is inherited
• Novel gene-hunting method implicates new culprit in pancreatic cancer
• A better way to predict diabetes
• How molecules can do statistics
• New research uncovers why an increase in probability feels riskier than a decrease
• State opioid laws appear to have no impact on prescribing for one vulnerable population
• Novel controller allows video gamer who lacks hands to compete with his feet
• Dengue virus exposure may amplify Zika infection
• Sea star death triggers ecological domino effect
• Scientists learn more about how star-shaped brain cells help us learn
• Could wearable biosensors become part of drug rehab programs?
• Warning from the past: Future global warming could be even warmer
• Doubled sensitivity could allow gravitational wave detectors to reach deeper into space
• New technique settles old debate on highest peaks in US Arctic
• To tool or not to tool? Clever cockatoos make economic decisions about tool use
• Scientists streamline synthesis of potential cancer drug
• Migratory bears down in the dumps
• Crisis in the treatment of osteoporosis
• 3D Brain-on-a-chip
• Genetic clue to how patients respond to treatment for Parkinson's Disease
• Researchers discover new chemical sensing technique
• Light combined with time-based data sees more deeply inside the body
• Possible solution to 'faint young Sun paradox'
• Preparing for a new relationship: Coral and algae interactions explored
• New discoveries on evolution can save endangered species
• Broccoli sprout extract may protect against oral cancer recurrence
• Ocean forecast offers seasonal outlook for Pacific Northwest waters
• New findings challenge current view on origins of Parkinson's disease
• Maternal social status, sibling rivalry shape milk transfer in spotted hyenas
• Mycobacterium in olive oil for cancer treatment
• World map of resistance to artemesinin anti-malarial medicines
• GraphExeter illuminates bright new future for flexible lighting devices
• Do you know what you're smoking? Research suggests that you don't
• Next-generation fluorescent, LED lighting thanks to new phosphor?
• Successful first observations of galactic center with GRAVITY
• Unexpected findings reveal insight into how cancer spreads in the body
• Adherence to cancer prevention guidelines may reduce risk

Getting to the heart of chronic fatigue syndrome Posted: 23 Jun 2016 03:42 PM PDT By better understanding daily activity levels and heart rate patterns of those who suffer from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), scientists hope to discover more about this complex illness condition.

Researchers discover how faulty genetic instructions drive a deadly blood cancer in adults Posted: 23 Jun 2016 01:59 PM PDT A study has uncovered the genetic mechanism for how acute myeloid leukemia cells with a specific DNA mutation stay as undifferentiated cells, rather than maturing into healthy blood cells.

Do sharks survive after the hook? Posted: 23 Jun 2016 12:08 PM PDT Fitbit-like sensors are the best tools for monitoring whether sharks survive catch-and-release fishing -- essential data for fisheries management -- according to a new study.

Hubble confirms new dark spot on Neptune Posted: 23 Jun 2016 12:08 PM PDT New images confirm the presence of a dark vortex on Neptune. Though similar features were seen during the Voyager 2 flyby of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope in 1989 and by Hubble in 1994, this vortex is the first one observed on Neptune in the 21st century.

Pterosaur flies safely home after 95 million years Posted: 23 Jun 2016 12:04 PM PDT With the help of University of Alberta scientists, a newly described pterosaur has finally flown home. This spectacular fossil material was discovered in a private Lebanese limestone quarry more than a decade ago and has led to what UAlberta paleontologist Michael Caldwell calls "priceless scientific findings."

Volcanoes get quiet before they erupt Posted: 23 Jun 2016 12:02 PM PDT Until now, there has not been a way to forecast eruptions of restless volcanoes because of the constant seismic activity and gas and steam emissions. Volcanologists have shown that periods of seismic quiet occur immediately before eruptions and can be used to forecast an eruption. The duration of the silence can indicate the level of energy that will be released. Longer quiet periods mean a bigger bang.

Fix for 3-billion-year-old genetic error could dramatically improve genetic sequencing Posted: 23 Jun 2016 12:01 PM PDT Researchers found a fix for a 3-billion-year-old glitch in one of the major carriers of information needed for life, RNA, which until now produced errors when making copies of genetic information. The discovery will increase precision in genetic research and could dramatically improve medicine based on a person's genetic makeup.

Moral dilemma with driverless cars: Who gets protected, the driver or pedestrians? Posted: 23 Jun 2016 12:01 PM PDT A new study shows that the public is conflicted over safety scenarios concerning driverless cars, taking a notably inconsistent approach to the safety of autonomous vehicles, should they become a reality on the roads.

Good bacteria vital to coral reef survival Posted: 23 Jun 2016 12:01 PM PDT Good bacteria could be the key to keeping coral healthy, able to withstand the impacts of global warming and to secure the long term survival of reefs worldwide, say researchers.

Scientists reveal single-neuron gene landscape of the human brain Posted: 23 Jun 2016 11:59 AM PDT A team of scientists has completed the first large-scale assessment of single neuronal 'transcriptomes.' Their research reveals a surprising diversity in the molecules that human brain cells use in transcribing genetic information from DNA to RNA and producing proteins.

Index could help identify women at risk for rapid bone loss Posted: 23 Jun 2016 11:58 AM PDT Researchers have developed an index to better predict which women may experience faster bone loss across the menopause transition, according to a new study.

Evolutionary biologists show that sexual selection increases the number of species and impacts global diversity Posted: 23 Jun 2016 09:30 AM PDT When you're a firefly, finding "the one" can change the world. Literally. A new study demonstrates that for fireflies, octopuses and other animals that choose mates via bioluminescent courtship, sexual selection increases the number of species -- thereby impacting global diversity.

An effective but painful treatment Posted: 23 Jun 2016 09:30 AM PDT Photodynamic therapy is an effective treatment for early-stage skin cancer. However, this therapy can cause patients severe pain. The reason for this was previous a mystery to researchers. Physiologists have now discovered that it is due to two specific ion channels.

The silencer: Study reveals how a cancer gene promotes tumor growth Posted: 23 Jun 2016 09:29 AM PDT A new study describes how a known cancer gene, EGFR, silences genes that typically suppress tumors. The finding may lead to the development of more effective, individualized treatment for patients with lung cancer and other cancer types.

Eating air, making fuel Posted: 23 Jun 2016 09:29 AM PDT Is it possible to "reprogram" an organism that is found higher in the food chain, which consumes sugar and releases carbon dioxide, so that it will consume carbon dioxide from the environment and produce the sugars it needs to build its body mass? Scientists now report that they have engineered bacteria to create sugar from the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide.

'Smoke alarm' one of 36 genes newly found to play role in pain sensation Posted: 23 Jun 2016 09:29 AM PDT Researchers have found that a suite of genes in both fruit flies and humans plays a role in nerve sensitivity. The research could lead to new drug targets in pain management.

Discovery of an epigenetic regulator of tumorigenesis suggests new strategies against lethal forms of breast cancer Posted: 23 Jun 2016 09:29 AM PDT Scientists have identified a previously unknown mechanism by which a protein called CBX8 promotes tumor growth in the most lethal forms of breast cancer. The study underscores the need for cancer researchers to pay more attention to 'epigenetic' factors, meaning chemical and biological processes that control gene expression without changing the underlying DNA sequence of the cells that are running amok.

Novel study in Nairobi infants may accelerate path to HIV vaccine Posted: 23 Jun 2016 09:29 AM PDT The first and only study to look at isolate HIV-neutralizing antibodies from infants has found that novel antibodies that could protect against many variants of HIV can be produced relatively quickly after infection compared to adults. This suggests that various aspects of HIV-vaccine development, from design to administration, could be improved by mimicking infection and immune response in infants.

New study provides unprecedented insight into the fine details of neuronal communication Posted: 23 Jun 2016 09:29 AM PDT For communication between neurons to occur, an electrical impulse, called an action potential, must travel down an axon to its synaptic terminal. A major technical challenge impeding the direct examination of this process, axonal excitability, is the small diameter of a typical axon -- less than 500 nanometers. Researchers have now optimized optical and electrophysiological recordings from single neurons to study axonal excitability with unprecedented detail.

Precise control of brain circuit alters mood Posted: 23 Jun 2016 09:29 AM PDT By combining super-fine electrodes and tiny amounts of a very specific drug, researchers have singled out a circuit in mouse brains and taken control of it to dial an animal's mood up and down. Stress-susceptible animals that behaved as if they were depressed or anxious were restored to relatively normal behavior by tweaking the system, according to a study.

Running releases protein associated with improved memory in mice Posted: 23 Jun 2016 09:29 AM PDT The reason why treadmill training can boost memory recall remains an active area of investigation. A couple of proteins have been shown to fuel exercise-induced neuron growth, but a new study presents a new candidate, cathepsin B -- one that can be directly traced from the muscles to the brain in mice. Also, after a run, protein levels increased in blood in mice, monkeys, and humans.

Aging monkeys become more selective regarding their social circle Posted: 23 Jun 2016 09:29 AM PDT As people get older, they become choosier about how they spend their time and with whom they spend it. Now, researchers reporting in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on June 23 find, based on a series of experimental and behavioral studies, that similar changes take place in Barbary macaques. The findings offer an evolutionary perspective on why aging humans behave as they do, according to the researchers.

Smell tells intruder mice how to behave Posted: 23 Jun 2016 09:29 AM PDT Male mice appear to be precisely wired to know when they are intruders in another male's territory, according to a new study. The smell gives it away. But this study found that a genetically specific cluster of hypothalamic cells is wired to the olfactory system and responds only when a male mouse enters another male's cage.

Not only trauma but also the reversal of trauma is inherited Posted: 23 Jun 2016 09:03 AM PDT Behaviors caused by traumatic experiences in early life are reversible. Researchers could demonstrate that environmental enrichment allows trauma-related symptoms in mice to be reversed. This is the first evidence that positive environmental factors can correct behavioral alterations which would otherwise be transmitted to the offspring. The symptoms and their reversal are associated with epigenetic regulation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene.

Novel gene-hunting method implicates new culprit in pancreatic cancer Posted: 23 Jun 2016 08:57 AM PDT Using an innovative approach to identify a cancer's genetic vulnerabilities by more swiftly analyzing human tumors transplanted into mice, researchers have identified a new potential target for pancreatic cancer treatment.

A better way to predict diabetes Posted: 23 Jun 2016 08:57 AM PDT An international team of researchers has discovered a simple, accurate new way to predict which women with gestational diabetes will develop type 2 diabetes after delivery. The discovery would allow health care providers to identify women at greatest risk and help motivate women to make early lifestyle changes and follow other strategies that could prevent them from developing the disease later in life.

How molecules can do statistics Posted: 23 Jun 2016 08:57 AM PDT Researchers have shown how noise filters can be realized using biochemical reactions. This could help improve the reliability of synthetic biological circuits and play an important role in the development of new medical therapies, they say.

New research uncovers why an increase in probability feels riskier than a decrease Posted: 23 Jun 2016 08:57 AM PDT New research uncovers why an increase in probability feels riskier than a decrease. The research falls under the realm of subjective probability, also known as likelihood or risk. While past research has looked at how people interpret single estimates of the probability for a future event, the focus of this research was on how estimates change over time.

State opioid laws appear to have no impact on prescribing for one vulnerable population Posted: 23 Jun 2016 08:57 AM PDT States are aggressively enacting laws aimed at curbing prescription opioid abuse and overdose. The laws appear to have no impact on hazardous prescribing for disabled workers, a large population with high opioid use. People in this group, presumably a population the laws aim to protect, are 10 times more likely than average to die of prescription opioid overdose.

Novel controller allows video gamer who lacks hands to compete with his feet Posted: 23 Jun 2016 08:23 AM PDT Engineering graduate students, one of whom lost his hands to meningitis, design and build a foot-activated video game controller.

Dengue virus exposure may amplify Zika infection Posted: 23 Jun 2016 08:23 AM PDT Previous exposure to the dengue virus may increase the potency of Zika infection, according to research. The early-stage laboratory findings suggest the recent explosive outbreak of Zika may have been driven in part by previous exposure to the dengue virus.

Sea star death triggers ecological domino effect Posted: 23 Jun 2016 08:22 AM PDT A new study by marine ecologists has discovered that a mass mortality of sea stars resulted in a domino effect on the B.C. West Coast's Howe Sound marine ecology. In the summer of 2013, millions of sea stars along the West Coast contracted a wasting disease and died in one of the largest wildlife mass mortality events ever recorded.

Scientists learn more about how star-shaped brain cells help us learn Posted: 23 Jun 2016 08:22 AM PDT A molecule that enables strong communication between our brain and muscles appears to also aid essential communication between our neurons, scientists report.

Could wearable biosensors become part of drug rehab programs? Posted: 23 Jun 2016 08:22 AM PDT There is merit in looking at the use of wearable biosensors to detect whether opioid users stay focused on their rehabilitation programs. This follows a preliminary study. Scientists tested the use of wristband sensors worn by a group of patients in an emergency room who were receiving opioids for severe pain relief.

Warning from the past: Future global warming could be even warmer Posted: 23 Jun 2016 08:22 AM PDT Future global warming will not only depend on the amount of emissions from human-made greenhouse gasses, but will also depend on the sensitivity of the climate system and response to feedback mechanisms. By reconstructing past global warming and the carbon cycle on Earth 56 million years ago researchers have used computer modelling to estimate the potential perspective for future global warming, which could be even warmer than previously thought.

Doubled sensitivity could allow gravitational wave detectors to reach deeper into space Posted: 23 Jun 2016 08:22 AM PDT Researchers report on improvements to what is called a squeezed vacuum source. Although not part of the original Advanced LIGO design, injecting the new squeezed vacuum source into the LIGO detector could help double its sensitivity. This would allow detection of gravitational waves that are far weaker or that originate from farther away than is possible now.

New technique settles old debate on highest peaks in US Arctic Posted: 23 Jun 2016 08:21 AM PDT Finding out which is the highest mountain in the US Arctic may be the last thing on your mind, unless you are an explorer who skis from the tallest peaks around the globe. A ski mountaineer and a glaciologist aimed to settle a debate of more than 50 years, while testing a new, affordable mapping technique in a steep mountainous region.

To tool or not to tool? Clever cockatoos make economic decisions about tool use Posted: 23 Jun 2016 07:09 AM PDT Cognitive biologists studied tool-related decisionmaking in an Indonesian cockatoo. They found that the animals seemed to carefully ponder about their choices: while doing so the animals scrutinized details such as differences in quality between the two food rewards, but also the functionality of the available tool as means to obtain the out-of reach food in the situation at hand.

Scientists streamline synthesis of potential cancer drug Posted: 23 Jun 2016 07:09 AM PDT A team of scientists has simplified the design and manufacture of a potent anti-tumor antibiotic known as uncialamycin. Uncialamycin is an enediyne, compounds defined by the presence of nine- and 10-member atomic rings in their structures. Two other enediynes, neocarzinostatin and calicheamicin, are or have been used as chemotherapy agents to treat leukemia and cancers of the liver and the brain.

Migratory bears down in the dumps Posted: 23 Jun 2016 07:09 AM PDT Biologists working in Turkey discovered two surprising facts about a group of 16 brown bears: First, six of the bears seasonally migrated between feeding and breeding sites, the first known brown bears to do so. Second, and more sobering, the other 10 bears stayed in one spot all year long: the city dump.

Crisis in the treatment of osteoporosis Posted: 23 Jun 2016 07:09 AM PDT The remarkable progress made over the past 30 years to reduce fractures and dramatically improve the quality of life for millions of osteoporosis patients is rapidly being reversed, say two bone health experts.

3D Brain-on-a-chip Posted: 23 Jun 2016 07:05 AM PDT To study brain cell's operation and test the effect of medication on individual cells, the conventional Petri dish with flat electrodes is not sufficient. For truly realistic studies, cells have to flourish within three-dimensional surroundings. Researchers have developed a sieve with 900 openings, each of which has the shape of an inverted pyramid. On top of this array of pyramids, a micro-reactor takes care of cell growth.

Genetic clue to how patients respond to treatment for Parkinson's Disease Posted: 23 Jun 2016 07:04 AM PDT Researchers have identified a gene variant which explains why some patients with Parkinson's Disease respond well to drug treatment and other do not.

Researchers discover new chemical sensing technique Posted: 23 Jun 2016 06:56 AM PDT Researchers have reported a new technique to determine the chemical composition of materials using near-infrared light. The work could have a number of potential applications, including improving downhole drilling analysis in the oil and gas industry and broadening the spectrum of solar light that can be harvested and converted to electricity.

Light combined with time-based data sees more deeply inside the body Posted: 23 Jun 2016 06:56 AM PDT Scientists provide an overview of recent developments in light-based technologies that enable a deeper noninvasive look into the human body. The technologies hold promise to enable compact, wearable devices for point-of-care diagnostics and powerful new systems that provide even more information from under the skin.

Possible solution to 'faint young Sun paradox' Posted: 23 Jun 2016 06:56 AM PDT In the first billion years of Earth's history, the planet was bombarded by primordial asteroids, while a faint Sun provided much less heat. Scientists now posit that this tumultuous beginning may have ultimately fostered life on Earth, particularly in terms of sustaining liquid water.

Preparing for a new relationship: Coral and algae interactions explored Posted: 23 Jun 2016 06:56 AM PDT Changes in gene expression were found when coral and algae begin to interact.

New discoveries on evolution can save endangered species Posted: 23 Jun 2016 06:52 AM PDT Traditionally, the evolutionary development of an insect species has been explained by the notion that the female insect chooses her male partner based on size and other factors, so-called assortative mating. These mating patterns have also been believed to partially explain how the isolation between different species is maintained. However, new research shows just the opposite: assortative mating breaks down the sexual barrier between species rather than preserves it, which could lead to species becoming extinct.

Broccoli sprout extract may protect against oral cancer recurrence Posted: 23 Jun 2016 06:52 AM PDT Potent doses of broccoli sprout extract activate a 'detoxification' gene and may help prevent cancer recurrence in survivors of head and neck cancer, according to a 'green chemoprevention' trial. It is the first study demonstrating that the extract protects against oral cancer, with the results of human, animal and laboratory tests reported today.

Ocean forecast offers seasonal outlook for Pacific Northwest waters Posted: 23 Jun 2016 06:52 AM PDT A new study evaluates the skill of a seasonal forecast for predicting future conditions in the Pacific Northwest marine environment.

New findings challenge current view on origins of Parkinson's disease Posted: 23 Jun 2016 06:52 AM PDT 'Mutant flies' have provided insight into the origins of Parkinson's disease, report scientists. The work found that the death of neurons associated with the disease was prevented when chemicals that block the effects of endoplasmic reticulum stress were used.

Maternal social status, sibling rivalry shape milk transfer in spotted hyenas Posted: 23 Jun 2016 03:52 AM PDT Females of low social status often have limited access to food resources. As a result, their offspring are nursed infrequently and may experience long fasting periods that can seriously compromise their growth and survival. In particular when they have to share their milk intake with a littermate, milk shortage can be very detrimental. Yet researchers found that low-ranking spotted hyenas were able to compensate to some extent for their low nursing frequency. They do this by transferring more milk of superior nutritional quality to their offspring than high-ranking mothers during nursing bouts. The results also reveal that the socially dominant offspring in twin litters efficiently uses aggression against its subordinate littermate to skew milk transfer in its favor.

Mycobacterium in olive oil for cancer treatment Posted: 23 Jun 2016 03:52 AM PDT Researchers announced one year ago that the cells of the Mycobacterium brumae offer an improved alternative to current bladder cancer treatments such as BCG (an immunotherapy based on the Mycobacterium bovis), which can cause infections.

World map of resistance to artemesinin anti-malarial medicines Posted: 23 Jun 2016 03:52 AM PDT Practically all currently available treatments for malaria are based in some form or other on a derivative of artemisinin, a plant substance that is found in the leaves and flowers of annual mugwort (Artemisia annua). However, more and more malaria parasites are becoming resistant to artemesinin – especially in South-East Asia. In order to provide an accurate view of the spread of resistance throughout the world, an international research group from more than 50 countries has drawn up a map of artemesinin resistance.

GraphExeter illuminates bright new future for flexible lighting devices Posted: 23 Jun 2016 03:51 AM PDT Researchers have pioneered an innovative new technique to make flexible screens more effective and efficient. GraphExeter -- a material adapted from the 'wonder material' graphene -- can substantially improve the effectiveness of large, flat, flexible lighting, say investigators.

Do you know what you're smoking? Research suggests that you don't Posted: 23 Jun 2016 03:50 AM PDT There is little awareness of the chemical components of cigarette smoke amongst US adults, even though many of them report having looked for relevant information. In a new study, researchers suggest that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expand its messaging activities so that information about these constituents reaches all segments of the US population, especially those most vulnerable to tobacco product use and its associated health risks.

Next-generation fluorescent, LED lighting thanks to new phosphor? Posted: 23 Jun 2016 03:50 AM PDT Researchers have discovered a new phosphor that could make next-generation fluorescent and LED lighting even cheaper and more efficient. The team used highly luminescent clusters of silver atoms and the porous framework of minerals known as zeolites.

Successful first observations of galactic center with GRAVITY Posted: 23 Jun 2016 03:50 AM PDT A European team of astronomers have used the new GRAVITY instrument at ESO's Very Large Telescope to obtain exciting observations of the center of the Milky Way by combining light from all four of the 8.2-meter Unit Telescopes for the first time. These results provide a taste of the groundbreaking science that GRAVITY will produce as it probes the extremely strong gravitational fields close to the central supermassive black hole and tests Einstein's general relativity.

Unexpected findings reveal insight into how cancer spreads in the body Posted: 23 Jun 2016 03:50 AM PDT Cancer cells appear to depend on an unusual survival mechanism to spread around the body, according to an early study. The discovery could help with future development of novel treatments to prevent metastasis and secondary tumors.

Adherence to cancer prevention guidelines may reduce risk Posted: 23 Jun 2016 03:50 AM PDT Following cancer prevention guidelines on diet and physical activity consistently reduced overall cancer incidence and mortality, as well as reducing risk of breast, endometrial, and colorectal cancers.

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