ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Nicotinoid, fungal disease team up to break down termites' tough defenses
• Metabolic abnormalities may increase cardiovascular risk more in black women than white women
• Support group, home exercise improves mobility for peripheral artery disease patients
• Seeing without eyes: Octopus's skin possesses the same cellular mechanism for detecting light as its eyes do
• Galaxy’s snacking habits revealed
• International study reveals that cold weather kills far more people than hot weather
• Surviving harsh environments becomes a death-trap for specialist corals
• Online safety: If you want something done right, do it yourself
• Arctic ducks combine nutrients from wintering, breeding grounds to grow healthy eggs
• Inexpensive way to manufacture nanofibers
• Drinking chamomile decreases risk of death in older Mexican American women
• Analysis compares stent expansion achieved with guidance from OCT versus IVUS
• New studies contradict earlier findings on Rett syndrome
• Physicians can play key role in preventing foodborne illness
• With one false tweet, computer-based hack crash led to real panic
• Re-engineered antibiotic show potential for treatment of drug-resistant bacteria
• Copd is independent risk factor for cardiovascular death, but not risk of stroke
• Australian public not being informed about dangers of medical overdiagnosis
• Acetaminophen in pregnancy may lower testosterone in unborn boys
• Deepwater Horizon oil spill contributed to high number of Gulf dolphin deaths
• First dinosaur fossil discovered in Washington state
• Male Java sparrows may 'drum' to their songs
• We have difficulty understanding the world map's edge
• Peat moss, a necessary bane
• Development of gold nanoparticles that control osteogenic differentiation of stem cells
• Mesoporous particles for the development of drug delivery system safe to human bodies
• Nanospace-controlled gold material created using molecular technology
• Colorado's biggest storms can happen any time, study shows
• Defects can 'Hulk-up' materials
• Regrets? Opting out of clinical trials may prompt more than a few
• DNA bank holds saliva samples of people who stutter
• Energy harvesting? Measuring thermoelectric behavior by 'tinkertoy' materials
• Scientists tackle mystery of thunderstorms that strike at night
• Biomarker may boost ovarian cancer chemotherapy response
• Robotic sonar system inspired by bats
• Injected immune cells safe in multiple myeloma patients, pilot study finds
• Scientists reveal potential new drug target for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis
• Study reveals how eastern US forests came to be
• How video gamers will be able to play in the cloud without guzzling gigabytes
• Resolving a lymphatic riddle: Researchers to grow, for the first time, lymphatic cells in the lab
• Supernova ignition surprises scientists
• Supernova collides with its companion star
• World's oldest stone tools challenge ideas about first toolmakers
• Fundamental magnetism discovery: New class of swelling magnets
• People with metabolic syndrome face higher cardiovascular death risk
• Mothers of sons more likely to develop diabetes during pregnancy
• Researchers focus on potential tool for predicting survival, staging in prostate cancer
• Severe weather may be linked to Arctic warming
• American energy use up slightly, carbon emissions almost unchanged
• Study pinpoints the likeliest rodent sources of future human infectious diseases
• Metal pollutants in earthworms may threaten forest predators, study finds
• Inhaled corticosteroids for COPD decrease mortality risk from pneumonia and other causes
• Natural gas versus diesel: Examining the climate impacts of natural gas trucks
• Include men in osteoporosis screening guidelines, experts urge
• Do you see 'the self' in your brain or your heart? Decision-making differs
• Experimental Ebola treatment boosts survival in mice
• Do CEOs deserve all the attention they get? New research provides answers
• One simple molecule regulates sexual behavior in Drosophila
• Amazing microdroplet structures may lead to new technologies
• Bats treated for white nose syndrome released in wild: New optimism

Nicotinoid, fungal disease team up to break down termites' tough defenses Posted: 20 May 2015 04:41 PM PDT A small amount of nicotinoid pesticide substantially weakens termites' ability to fight off fungal diseases, researchers report. This is a finding that could lead to more effective methods of pest control, they say.

Metabolic abnormalities may increase cardiovascular risk more in black women than white women Posted: 20 May 2015 04:39 PM PDT Large waistline, cholesterol disorders and other metabolic abnormalities may increase the relative risk of cardiovascular disease more among black women than among white women. Black women who were overweight or obese had elevated cardiovascular risk compared with normal weight black women even when they did not have metabolic abnormalities. White women who were overweight or obese, but did not have the metabolic syndrome had a cardiovascular risk similar to that of normal weight white women without the metabolic syndrome.

Support group, home exercise improves mobility for peripheral artery disease patients Posted: 20 May 2015 04:39 PM PDT Group therapy that encourages walking at home improves and prevents mobility loss among patients with clogged arteries in the legs, a study concludes. Clogged arteries in the legs can cause pain and fatigue while walking. Maintaining mobility is integral to preserving functional independence, social interactions and daily activities.

Seeing without eyes: Octopus's skin possesses the same cellular mechanism for detecting light as its eyes do Posted: 20 May 2015 04:39 PM PDT The skin of the California two-spot octopus can sense light even without input from the central nervous system. The animal does so by using the same family of light-sensitive proteins called opsins found in its eyes -- a process not previously described for cephalopods.

Galaxy’s snacking habits revealed Posted: 20 May 2015 04:38 PM PDT Astronomers have caught a greedy galaxy gobbling on its neighbors and leaving crumbs of evidence about its dietary past.

International study reveals that cold weather kills far more people than hot weather Posted: 20 May 2015 04:38 PM PDT Cold weather kills 20 times as many people as hot weather, according to an international study analyzing over 74 million deaths in 384 locations across 13 countries. The findings also reveal that deaths due to moderately hot or cold weather substantially exceed those resulting from extreme heat waves or cold spells.

Surviving harsh environments becomes a death-trap for specialist corals Posted: 20 May 2015 04:35 PM PDT The success of corals that adapt to survive in the world's hottest sea could contribute to their demise through global warming, according to new research.

Online safety: If you want something done right, do it yourself Posted: 20 May 2015 01:03 PM PDT The end-user is often the 'weakest link' in the Internet safety chain according to experts. The team's conclusion: Internet users have to take personal responsibility for their safety and security. This includes taking the necessary steps to learn how it can be done.

Arctic ducks combine nutrients from wintering, breeding grounds to grow healthy eggs Posted: 20 May 2015 01:03 PM PDT It takes a lot of nutrients to build an egg. One of the big questions among researchers who study the eggs of migratory birds is where those nutrients come from -- does the mother make the egg directly out of what she eats during the breeding season, or does she save up nutrients consumed on her wintering grounds? The answer appears to be both for Common Eiders, large, sea-going ducks that breed in the Arctic.

Inexpensive way to manufacture nanofibers Posted: 20 May 2015 01:03 PM PDT Researchers have developed an inexpensive way to manufacture nanofibers. The new method, dubbed 'magnetospinning,' provides a very simple, scalable and safe means for producing very large quantities of nanofibers that can be embedded with a multitude of materials, including live cells and drugs.

Drinking chamomile decreases risk of death in older Mexican American women Posted: 20 May 2015 01:03 PM PDT Drinking chamomile tea was associated with a decreased risk of death from all causes in Mexican-American American women over 65, a new study has shown. Chamomile is one of the oldest, most-widely used and well-documented medicinal plants in the world and has been recommended for a variety of healing applications. It is currently widely used as an herbal remedy in Mexico and among Mexican-Americans.

Analysis compares stent expansion achieved with guidance from OCT versus IVUS Posted: 20 May 2015 01:03 PM PDT Data from the ILUMIEN II trial found that guidance from optimal coherence tomography was associated with comparable stent expansion as guidance from intravascular ultrasound in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. Results from the study were presented today at EuroPCR 2015, the official annual meeting of the European Association for Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions.

New studies contradict earlier findings on Rett syndrome Posted: 20 May 2015 01:03 PM PDT Bone marrow transplant does not rescue mouse models of Rett syndrome, a severe neurological disease that affects very young girls, a new study shows. The findings contradict seemingly promising results published in 2012, which initiated a clinical trial for human patients. Rett syndrome is caused by mutations in the X-linked MECP2 gene and affects about 1 in every 10,000 girls (it is most often fatal in boys at or near birth). Rett syndrome causes many disabilities, both intellectual and physical.

Physicians can play key role in preventing foodborne illness Posted: 20 May 2015 01:03 PM PDT Food safety awareness is key to understanding the food safety issues on the horizon, and clinicians at hospitals and doctors' offices play a key role in ensuring consumers are aware of the threats of foodborne illness, says an expert.

With one false tweet, computer-based hack crash led to real panic Posted: 20 May 2015 01:01 PM PDT A false tweet from a hacked account owned by the Associated Press demonstrates the need to better understand how social media data is linked to decision making in the private and public sector, according to new research.

Re-engineered antibiotic show potential for treatment of drug-resistant bacteria Posted: 20 May 2015 01:01 PM PDT Scientists have developed a second-generation antibiotic that shows early effectiveness against common bacterial infections that pose a serious health threat to children and adults.

Copd is independent risk factor for cardiovascular death, but not risk of stroke Posted: 20 May 2015 01:01 PM PDT Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is associated with increased risk of dying from a cardiovascular disease such as heart failure or a heart attack, as well as diseases not associated with the heart. However, COPD is not by itself associated with increased likelihood of having a stroke or a systemic embolism, according to a new research study.

Australian public not being informed about dangers of medical overdiagnosis Posted: 20 May 2015 12:16 PM PDT A national survey reveals that only one in ten Australians report being told about the risk of overdiagnosis by their doctors, according to research. The increasingly recognized problem of overdiagnosis happens when someone is diagnosed with a disease that will never cause them any harm, often as a result of healthy people being screened for diseases such as breast or prostate cancer. Overdiagnosis can be harmful due to unnecessary labeling and treatment.

Acetaminophen in pregnancy may lower testosterone in unborn boys Posted: 20 May 2015 12:16 PM PDT Prolonged acetaminophen (paracetamol) use by pregnant women may reduce testosterone production in unborn baby boys, research has found. Researchers say their findings could help to explain reported links between acetaminophen use in pregnancy and reproductive health problems in young boys.

Deepwater Horizon oil spill contributed to high number of Gulf dolphin deaths Posted: 20 May 2015 12:16 PM PDT As part of an unusual mortality event investigation, a team of scientists has discovered that dead bottlenose dolphins stranded in the northern Gulf of Mexico since the start of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill have lung and adrenal lesions consistent with petroleum product exposure.

First dinosaur fossil discovered in Washington state Posted: 20 May 2015 12:16 PM PDT Paleontologists have published a description of the first dinosaur fossil from Washington state. The fossil was collected along the shores of Sucia Island State Park in the San Juan Islands.

Male Java sparrows may 'drum' to their songs Posted: 20 May 2015 12:16 PM PDT Male Java sparrows may coordinate their bill-clicking sounds with the notes of their song. Birds may communicate using both vocalizations and movement, as for instance occurs during courtship displays, but scientists' understanding of how they coordinate their movements with the sounds they produce is limited. To further investigate birds' communicative and musical abilities, the authors of this study looked into the vocalizations and bill sounds associated with singing in the Java sparrow, a song bird.

We have difficulty understanding the world map's edge Posted: 20 May 2015 12:15 PM PDT Where do the aircraft pop up again? A new study shows that we have difficulty understanding how the edges of a world map are connected. Both adults and children have great difficulties to accurately indicate where an aircraft passing the world map's edge comes back to the map.

Peat moss, a necessary bane Posted: 20 May 2015 12:15 PM PDT The temperature balance on Earth may be dependent on a conspicuous creation that sours life for everyone around, guzzles more than a sponge and produces lots of offspring that behave likewise. And you thought your neighbors were bad.

Development of gold nanoparticles that control osteogenic differentiation of stem cells Posted: 20 May 2015 12:13 PM PDT Scientists have successfully developed gold nanoparticles that have functional surfaces and act on osteogenic differentiation of stem cells.

Mesoporous particles for the development of drug delivery system safe to human bodies Posted: 20 May 2015 12:13 PM PDT Scientists have succeeded in developing porous particles (mesoporous particles) consisting solely of phospholipids, a biological component, that are suitable for use as a drug delivery system.

Nanospace-controlled gold material created using molecular technology Posted: 20 May 2015 12:13 PM PDT Scientists have successfully developed a nanoporous gold material with a regular, uniform pore arrangement using polymers as a template.

Colorado's biggest storms can happen any time, study shows Posted: 20 May 2015 11:07 AM PDT In a state known for its dramatic weather and climate, Colorado's history of extreme precipitation varies considerably by season and location, according to a new study. Decision makers -- often facing increased pressure to consider climate change information -- typically turn to historical averages to understand when and where extreme rain, hail and snow happen in the state. But those averages often are not reliable because they're based on observations of events that don't happen frequently and because the observations themselves are limited, especially in remote areas, researchers say.

Defects can 'Hulk-up' materials Posted: 20 May 2015 11:07 AM PDT A new study has shown that just as exposure to gamma radiation transforms Bruce Banner into fictional superhero the Hulk, exposure to alpha-particle radiation can transform thermoelectric materials into far more powerful versions of themselves.

Regrets? Opting out of clinical trials may prompt more than a few Posted: 20 May 2015 11:07 AM PDT Women who choose not to participate in a clinical trial may be significantly more likely to later regret that decision than women who choose to participate in the study, according to a team of researchers.

DNA bank holds saliva samples of people who stutter Posted: 20 May 2015 11:07 AM PDT Scientists want people who stutter to give a spit -- five milliliters to be precise -- to help find the cause and a cure for stuttering.

Energy harvesting? Measuring thermoelectric behavior by 'tinkertoy' materials Posted: 20 May 2015 11:06 AM PDT Researchers have made the first measurements of thermoelectric behavior by a nanoporous metal-organic framework (MOF), a development that could lead to an entirely new class of materials for such applications as cooling computer chips and cameras and energy harvesting.

Scientists tackle mystery of thunderstorms that strike at night Posted: 20 May 2015 11:06 AM PDT From June 1 through July 15, researchers from across North America will fan out each evening across the Great Plains to study the mysterious phenomenon of nighttime thunderstorms.

Biomarker may boost ovarian cancer chemotherapy response Posted: 20 May 2015 11:06 AM PDT A molecule that helps control gene expression may play a role in controlling chemotherapy resistance among patients with the most common form of ovarian cancer. Chemoresistance is a major challenge in cancer treatment and this study may provide a means to overcome resistance, the researchers say.

Robotic sonar system inspired by bats Posted: 20 May 2015 11:06 AM PDT Engineers have taken the first steps toward building a novel dynamic sonar system inspired by horseshoe bats that could be more efficient and take up less space than current man-made sonar arrays.

Injected immune cells safe in multiple myeloma patients, pilot study finds Posted: 20 May 2015 11:06 AM PDT In a report on what is believed to be the first small clinical trial of its kind, researchers say they have safely used immune cells grown from patients' own bone marrow to treat multiple myeloma, a cancer of white blood cells.

Scientists reveal potential new drug target for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis Posted: 20 May 2015 11:06 AM PDT A novel drug target for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis has been identified, which focuses on the cells that are directly responsible for the cartilage damage in affected joints. Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that leads to stiff, deformed joints and often crippling pain, affects around 1.5 million adults in the United States. The immune system's attack on the body's own tissue leads to chronic, painful inflammation in the affected joints.

Study reveals how eastern US forests came to be Posted: 20 May 2015 10:46 AM PDT Spring visitors to Great Smoky Mountains or the Blue Ridge Parkway will see ridges and valleys covered in flowering mountain laurels, rhododendrons, tulip poplars, dogwoods, black locusts and silverbell trees. A new study of nearly all the trees and shrubs in the southern Appalachians suggests that roughly half of the species can trace their relatives to thousands of miles away in Asia. Most of the rest likely arose within North America, the researchers say.

How video gamers will be able to play in the cloud without guzzling gigabytes Posted: 20 May 2015 10:46 AM PDT Gamers might one day be able to enjoy the same graphics-intensive fast-action video games they play on their gaming consoles or personal computers from mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets without guzzling gigabytes, thanks to a new tool developed. Named 'Kahawai' after the Hawaiian word for stream, the tool delivers graphics and gameplay on par with conventional cloud-gaming, while using one sixth of the bandwidth.

Resolving a lymphatic riddle: Researchers to grow, for the first time, lymphatic cells in the lab Posted: 20 May 2015 10:36 AM PDT For over one hundred years, scientists have debated the question of the origins of the lymphatic system -- a parallel system to the blood vessels that serves as a conduit for everything from immune cells to fat molecules to cancer cells. This debate is over, now that researchers have grown, for the first time, lymphatic cells in the lab.

Supernova ignition surprises scientists Posted: 20 May 2015 10:36 AM PDT Scientists have captured the early death throes of supernovae for the first time and found that the universe's benchmark explosions are much more varied than expected.The scientists used the Kepler space telescope to photograph three type 1a supernovae in the earliest stages of ignition. They then tracked the explosions in detail to full brightness around three weeks later, and the subsequent decline over the next few months.

Supernova collides with its companion star Posted: 20 May 2015 10:35 AM PDT Type Ia supernovae, one of the most dazzling phenomena in the universe, are produced when small dense stars called white dwarfs explode with ferocious intensity. At their peak, these supernovae can outshine an entire galaxy. Although thousands of supernovae of this kind were found in the last decades, the process by which a white dwarf becomes one has been unclear.

World's oldest stone tools challenge ideas about first toolmakers Posted: 20 May 2015 10:35 AM PDT Scientists working in the desert of northwestern Kenya have found stone tools dating back 3.3 million years, long before the advent of modern humans, and by far the oldest such artifacts yet discovered. The tools push the known date of such tools back by 700,000 years; they also may challenge the notion that our own most direct ancestors were the first to bang two rocks together to create a new technology.

Fundamental magnetism discovery: New class of swelling magnets Posted: 20 May 2015 10:17 AM PDT A new class of magnets that expand their volume when placed in a magnetic field and generate negligible amounts of wasteful heat during energy harvesting, has been discovered.

People with metabolic syndrome face higher cardiovascular death risk Posted: 20 May 2015 10:17 AM PDT People who have metabolic syndrome are more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than people who do not have the condition, and having diabetes or high blood pressure worsens the risk, according to a new study.

Mothers of sons more likely to develop diabetes during pregnancy Posted: 20 May 2015 10:17 AM PDT Gestational diabetes occurs when a pregnant woman has higher levels of glucose, or blood sugar, in the bloodstream than normal. New research suggests that an unborn child's gender can affect the mother's risk of developing gestational diabetes or Type 2 diabetes later in life.

Researchers focus on potential tool for predicting survival, staging in prostate cancer Posted: 20 May 2015 09:28 AM PDT A molecule that promotes metastasis of advanced prostate cancer to the bone, an incurable condition that significantly decreases quality of life, has been identified by researchers. The research may offer new targets for diagnosing and treating this common disease.

Severe weather may be linked to Arctic warming Posted: 20 May 2015 09:28 AM PDT New evidence has linked Arctic warming with severe weather in countries including the UK and US. The studies are adding to the growing weight of evidence linking increased Arctic temperatures with changes in mid-latitude weather patterns.

American energy use up slightly, carbon emissions almost unchanged Posted: 20 May 2015 09:28 AM PDT Americans' energy use continued to grow slowly in 2014, fueled by increases in the use of natural gas, wind and solar, according to the most recent energy flow charts.

Study pinpoints the likeliest rodent sources of future human infectious diseases Posted: 20 May 2015 09:28 AM PDT Researchers have developed a way to predict which species of rodents are likeliest to be sources of new disease outbreaks in humans. The findings could help public health officials take a more preemptive approach to disease surveillance, prevention and control.

Metal pollutants in earthworms may threaten forest predators, study finds Posted: 20 May 2015 09:28 AM PDT Invasive earthworms in New England's forests are absorbing toxic metal pollutants in potentially hazardous levels that may be contributing to a decline in birds, amphibians and mammals that feed on them, a study finds.

Inhaled corticosteroids for COPD decrease mortality risk from pneumonia and other causes Posted: 20 May 2015 09:28 AM PDT Treatment of COPD with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) may decrease the risk of dying from pneumonia and from other causes despite being associated with an increase in the occurrence of pneumonia, according to a new meta-analysis.

Natural gas versus diesel: Examining the climate impacts of natural gas trucks Posted: 20 May 2015 08:43 AM PDT Some major trucking companies are turning to natural gas to fuel their fleets -- and to earn 'green' credit among customers. But celebrating lower emissions could be premature, according to a recent analysis. Researchers have found that converting heavy-duty trucks to run on natural gas could lead to negative climate impacts if steps are not taken to improve engine efficiency and reduce methane emissions from the fuel's supply chain.

Include men in osteoporosis screening guidelines, experts urge Posted: 20 May 2015 08:43 AM PDT Osteoporosis affects more men than prostate cancer. In a large study of smokers, men were more likely than women to have osteoporosis and fractures of their vertebrae. Smoking history and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were independent risk factors for low bone density among both men and women. Researchers say screening for low vBMD by using QCT in men and women who are smokers will increase opportunities to identify and treat osteoporosis in this at-risk population.

Do you see 'the self' in your brain or your heart? Decision-making differs Posted: 20 May 2015 08:43 AM PDT Whether people locate their sense of self in the brain or the heart can have a major influence on people's decision-making, according to a new study by management and business experts.

Experimental Ebola treatment boosts survival in mice Posted: 20 May 2015 08:43 AM PDT The number of new Ebola cases is tapering off, but the search for new treatments continues. Now, one research team has found potential drug candidates that successfully treated up to 90 percent of mice exposed to the Ebola virus.

Do CEOs deserve all the attention they get? New research provides answers Posted: 20 May 2015 08:43 AM PDT Media interest in CEOs has soared to stratospheric heights in recent years, with the likes of Jeff Bezos and Steve Jobs becoming household names. But do corporate top dogs deserve all that attention? New research shows that a CEO does indeed often have an outsized effect on firm performance.

One simple molecule regulates sexual behavior in Drosophila Posted: 20 May 2015 08:42 AM PDT Until now researchers have failed to identify the specific pheromone in Drosophila melanogaster that leads to mating success. Although the pheromones that inhibit mating in Drosophila were known, the positive pheromone signal that elicits courtship behavior and mating remained a mystery. Scientists have succeeded in identifying the molecule that regulates complex mating behavior in vinegar flies: a fatty acid methyl ester called methyl laurate.

Amazing microdroplet structures may lead to new technologies Posted: 20 May 2015 08:42 AM PDT Unexpected shapes of mesoscale atoms -- structures built of microdroplets encapsulated within microdroplets -- have now been created. The discovery was possible with a new method for precise control over placement of tiny segments of liquid, one in another. With further progress in innovative microfluidic systems, the method may find use in medicine and materials science.

Bats treated for white nose syndrome released in wild: New optimism Posted: 20 May 2015 08:42 AM PDT Biologists have expressed cautious optimism about a possible treatment for White-nose Syndrome (WNS). They have now released bats that had WNS last fall but were successfully treated during a field trial over the past winter.

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