ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Surprising discoveries about 2D molybdenum disulfide
• Look at me! Forest-dwelling anoles 'glow' to attract attention
• Microbe that bolsters isobutanol production created
• Carnivorous conchs to blame for oyster decline
• On Wikipedia, politically controversial science topics vulnerable to information sabotage
• Can your brain control how it loses control?
• Study shows how climate change threatens health
• Novel diagnostic tool for ethnically diverse non-small-cell lung cancer patients
• Unlikely element turns up in enzyme; commercial renewable fuels might ultimately result
• Revealed: Helicobacter pylori's secret weapon
• Biotechnologist achieves larger, stronger fruits with plant hormone crystals
• Engineers 'sandwich' atomic layers to make new materials for energy storage
• 'Fishing expedition' nets nearly tenfold increase in number of sequenced virus genomes
• Young minds think alike; older people are more distractible
• Higher intelligence score means better physical performance
• 'Brainy' mice raise hope of better treatments for cognitive disorders
• Common group identity may motivate Americans to help integrate immigrants
• Tdap booster vaccine rates triple at family care clinics using automated reminders
• Recipe book for colloids: Correlation between microscopic structures and macroscopic properties
• Vitamin D in teens: Don't overdo it, or bad things might happen
• Study finds little improvement in mortality rate for extremely preterm infants since 2000
• Meat food waste has greater negative environmental impact than vegetable waste
• MicroRNA markers for Madhumeha
• The protein that keeps cells static is found to play a key role in cell movement
• Mini X-ray source with laser light
• The potential in your pond
• European consortium develops new approaches for dealing with Big Data
• Company eliminates pests from stored grain with ozone and reduce costs
• Research examines relationship between autism and creativity
• Titanium rings proving problematic for emergency care doctors
• Mobile technology may help people improve health behaviors
• How anesthesia's brain effects differ in older adults, children
• Surprise: Baby marmosets learning to 'talk' do listen to adults
• Regenerating nerve tissue in spinal cord injuries
• Scientists discover a pathway that controls cancer cell proliferation by nutrients
• Critically endangered species successfully reproduced using frozen sperm from ferret dead for 20 years
• New information is easier to learn when composed of familiar elements

Surprising discoveries about 2D molybdenum disulfide Posted: 14 Aug 2015 11:59 AM PDT Researchers used their "Campanile" nano-optical probe to make some surprising discoveries about molybdenum disulfide, a member of the "transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) semiconductor family whose optoelectronic properties hold great promise for future nanoelectronic and photonic devices.

Look at me! Forest-dwelling anoles 'glow' to attract attention Posted: 14 Aug 2015 11:58 AM PDT See and be seen. In the elaborate game of seeking and attracting a mate, male anole lizards have a special trick -- they grab attention by perching on a tree limb, bobbing their heads up and down, and extending a colorful throat fan, called a dewlap. The dramatic 'glowing' effect, according to a new study, increases the efficacy of the male lizard's visual signal, making them stand out better to females.

Microbe that bolsters isobutanol production created Posted: 14 Aug 2015 11:57 AM PDT Another barrier to commercially viable biofuels from sources other than corn has fallen with the engineering of a microbe that improves isobutanol yields by a factor of 10.

Carnivorous conchs to blame for oyster decline Posted: 14 Aug 2015 11:57 AM PDT A marine and environmental science professor has solved the mystery of why reefs in Florida inlets were experiencing large numbers of oyster loss. Drought and subsequent high salt levels in water led to a population spike in one of the oysters' main predators: conchs.

On Wikipedia, politically controversial science topics vulnerable to information sabotage Posted: 14 Aug 2015 11:57 AM PDT As society turns to Wikipedia for answers, students, educators, and citizens should understand its limitations when researching scientific topics that are politically charged. On entries subject to edit-wars, like acid rain, evolution, and global change, one can obtain -- within seconds -- diametrically different information on the same topic, say authors of a new report.

Can your brain control how it loses control? Posted: 14 Aug 2015 11:57 AM PDT A new study may have unlocked understanding of a mysterious part of the brain -- with implications for neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's. The results open up new areas of research in the pursuit of neuroprotective therapies

Study shows how climate change threatens health Posted: 14 Aug 2015 11:57 AM PDT A new study is focused on the public health implications of climate change on the US Gulf Coast. The study has implications for other coastal regions, including the Northeast and West Coast, author say.

Novel diagnostic tool for ethnically diverse non-small-cell lung cancer patients Posted: 14 Aug 2015 11:57 AM PDT Early-stage Non-small-cell Lung Cancer is asymptomatic and difficult to detect since no blood test for NSCLC is currently available. In a new study, researchers identified a panel of five serum microRNAs as the potential biomarker for NSCLC diagnosis.

Unlikely element turns up in enzyme; commercial renewable fuels might ultimately result Posted: 14 Aug 2015 11:56 AM PDT Tungsten is exceptionally rare in biological systems. Thus, it came as a huge surprise to researchers when they discovered it in what appeared to be a novel enzyme in the hot spring-inhabiting bacterium, Caldicellulosiruptor bescii. This discovery could ultimately lead to commercially viable conversion of cellulosic (woody) biomass to fuels and chemical feedstocks, which could substantially reduce greenhouse emissions.

Revealed: Helicobacter pylori's secret weapon Posted: 14 Aug 2015 11:56 AM PDT Is the game up for Helicobactor pylori? Researchers have identified the molecular mechanism that the bacterium's best-known adhesion protein uses to attach to stomach sugars and evade the body's attempts to 'flush' it away.

Biotechnologist achieves larger, stronger fruits with plant hormone crystals Posted: 14 Aug 2015 09:29 AM PDT Wanting to produce large and juicy fruits without losing their texture and maintain all their nutrients, researchers developed a bioprocess for the production of phytohormones (plant hormones) that is 60 percent cheaper than the material used today.

Engineers 'sandwich' atomic layers to make new materials for energy storage Posted: 14 Aug 2015 09:28 AM PDT Using a method they invented for joining disparate elemental layers into a stable material with uniform, predictable properties, researchers are testing an array of new combinations that may vastly expand the options available to create faster, smaller, more efficient energy storage, advanced electronics and wear-resistant materials.

'Fishing expedition' nets nearly tenfold increase in number of sequenced virus genomes Posted: 14 Aug 2015 08:37 AM PDT Using a specially designed computational tool as a lure, scientists have netted the genomic sequences of almost 12,500 previously uncharacterized viruses from public databases.

Young minds think alike; older people are more distractible Posted: 14 Aug 2015 07:15 AM PDT Age is believed to change the way our brains respond and how its networks interact, but studies looking at these changes tend to use very artificial experiments, with basic stimuli. To try to understand how we respond to complex, life-like stimuli, researchers showed 218 subjects aged 18-88 an edited version of an episode from a Hitchcock TV series while using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure their brain activity.

Higher intelligence score means better physical performance Posted: 14 Aug 2015 07:15 AM PDT New research reveals a distinct association between male intelligence in early adulthood and their subsequent midlife physical performance. The higher intelligence score, the better physical performance, the study reveals.

'Brainy' mice raise hope of better treatments for cognitive disorders Posted: 14 Aug 2015 07:15 AM PDT Researchers have created unusually intelligent mice by altering a single gene and as a result the mice were also less likely to feel anxiety or recall fear.

Common group identity may motivate Americans to help integrate immigrants Posted: 14 Aug 2015 07:15 AM PDT Researchers from Norway, Denmark, Harvard University, Canada and Russia examined the flip side of the assimilation issue: What does it take for native residents to accept immigrants rather than just expecting the newcomers to fit in? The authors found that 'common group identity positively predicts majority members' efforts to integrate immigrants. This was the case for mere support of economic, political and judicial measures, but also for actual behavior such as monetary donations to, and even personal volunteering in, immigrant-supporting organizations.'

Tdap booster vaccine rates triple at family care clinics using automated reminders Posted: 14 Aug 2015 06:13 AM PDT Electronic reminders at clinics helped boost rates of Tdap booster that protects against tetanus, diptheria, and whooping cough, a study shows. Guidelines recommend that adolescents and adults ages 11 and up receive a single dose of the Tdap vaccine for booster immunization even if they have had a Td (tetanus and diphtheria) vaccine within the past 10 years.

Recipe book for colloids: Correlation between microscopic structures and macroscopic properties Posted: 14 Aug 2015 06:13 AM PDT Researchers have developed a model system for so-called soft colloids. The model gives us a better understanding of correlations between the atomic structure of colloids and their perceptible material properties. These findings could lead to new approaches for the targeted development of innovative colloid materials.

Vitamin D in teens: Don't overdo it, or bad things might happen Posted: 14 Aug 2015 06:13 AM PDT Dosing obese teens with vitamin D shows no benefits for their heart health or diabetes risk, and could have the unintended consequences of increasing cholesterol and fat-storing triglycerides. These are the latest findings in a series of studies in childhood obesity.

Study finds little improvement in mortality rate for extremely preterm infants since 2000 Posted: 14 Aug 2015 06:11 AM PDT Accurate data on how extremely preterm infants fare is important as doctors and parents face difficult decisions. A neonatologist recently took a closer look at the infant mortality rates of extremely preterm infants. Many found significant improvements in the infant mortality rate among extremely preterm infants before 2000, there has been little improvement since the turn of the century.

Meat food waste has greater negative environmental impact than vegetable waste Posted: 14 Aug 2015 06:11 AM PDT The type of food wasted has a significant impact on the environment, scientists have found. Although less meat is wasted (on average) compared to fruits and vegetables, the researchers found that significantly more energy is used in the production of meat compared to the production of vegetables.

MicroRNA markers for Madhumeha Posted: 14 Aug 2015 04:58 AM PDT Researchers have shown the biomarker role of certain circulatory microRNAs characteristic of 'Asian Indian phenotype' in patients with type 2 diabetes.

The protein that keeps cells static is found to play a key role in cell movement Posted: 14 Aug 2015 04:57 AM PDT The protein E-Cadherin is required for groups of diverse cells to migrate together, research shows. Tumors with intermediary levels of E-Cadherin generally have a poorer prognosis, and the scientists suggest that the phenomenon of heterogeneous cell migration may be related to this.

Mini X-ray source with laser light Posted: 14 Aug 2015 04:57 AM PDT Physicists have developed a method using laser-generated X-rays and phase-contrast X-ray tomography to produce three-dimensional images of soft tissue structures in organisms.

The potential in your pond Posted: 14 Aug 2015 04:57 AM PDT Scientists have discovered that Euglena gracilis, the single cell algae which inhabits most garden ponds, has a whole host of new, unclassified genes which can make new forms of carbohydrates and natural products.

European consortium develops new approaches for dealing with Big Data Posted: 14 Aug 2015 04:57 AM PDT Big Data is a major factor driving knowledge discovery and innovation in our information society. However, large amounts of data can only be used efficiently if algorithms for understanding the data are available and if these algorithms can also be appropriately applied in highly scalable systems with thousands of hard drives. Big Data thus presents complex challenges for software developers, as the necessary algorithms can only be created with the aid of specialist skills in a wide range of different fields, such as statistics, machine learning, visualization, databases, and high-performance computing.

Company eliminates pests from stored grain with ozone and reduce costs Posted: 14 Aug 2015 04:57 AM PDT The process of eliminating pests from stored grains with ozone replaces the chemical tablets phosphine and methyl bromide, which are toxic and carcinogenic, used in traditional spraying methods. With this process, the loss of 18 percent of product damaged by the existence of pathogenic organisms is avoided.

Research examines relationship between autism and creativity Posted: 13 Aug 2015 07:22 PM PDT People with high levels of autistic traits are more likely to produce unusually creative ideas, new research confirms. While the researchers found that people with high autistic traits produced fewer responses when generating alternative solutions to a problem, the responses they did produce were more original and creative. It is the first study to find a link between autistic traits and the creative thinking processes.

Titanium rings proving problematic for emergency care doctors Posted: 13 Aug 2015 07:22 PM PDT Rings made of titanium -- an increasingly popular alternative to gold and silver -- are giving emergency doctors a headache because they are so difficult to prize off swollen fingers, reveals a case study.

Mobile technology may help people improve health behaviors Posted: 13 Aug 2015 02:12 PM PDT Smart phone apps and wearable sensors are promising for improving cardiovascular health behaviors, preliminary data suggest. Self-monitoring is a key facet of changing behavior to prevent and manage heart health. Smartphone apps and wearable sensors have the potential to encourage positive change.

How anesthesia's brain effects differ in older adults, children Posted: 13 Aug 2015 01:23 PM PDT A series of papers is detailing the different ways common anesthetics affect the brains of older patients and children, findings that could lead to improved monitoring technology and safety of general anesthesia for such patients.

Surprise: Baby marmosets learning to 'talk' do listen to adults Posted: 13 Aug 2015 11:25 AM PDT As nonhuman primates mature, their vocalizations are thought to be minimally or not at all influenced by caregivers -- but a new study reveals that infant marmosets use cues from adults as they develop vocalizations.

Regenerating nerve tissue in spinal cord injuries Posted: 13 Aug 2015 10:05 AM PDT Researchers are exploring a new therapy using stem cells to treat spinal cord injuries within the first 14 to 30 days of injury. The therapy uses a population of cells derived from human embryonic stem cells containing progenitor cells that support nerve cells and can potentially make poorly functioning nerves function better.

Scientists discover a pathway that controls cancer cell proliferation by nutrients Posted: 13 Aug 2015 10:04 AM PDT Findings of a new study introduce new drug targets to selectively inhibit a key event in tumor cell progression. The study provides further insight into the control of mTORC1 activation, and highlights several new potential drug targets to treat human pathologies linked to mTORC1 deregulation.

Critically endangered species successfully reproduced using frozen sperm from ferret dead for 20 years Posted: 13 Aug 2015 10:02 AM PDT Black-footed ferrets, a critically endangered species native to North America, have renewed hope for future survival thanks to successful efforts by a coalition of conservationists, to reproduce genetically important offspring using frozen semen from a ferret who has been dead for approximately 20 years. The sire, 'Scarface,' as he is affectionately called, was one of the last 18 black-footed ferrets to exist in the world in the 1980s.

New information is easier to learn when composed of familiar elements Posted: 13 Aug 2015 10:02 AM PDT People have more difficulty recalling the string of letters BIC, IAJ, FKI, RSU and SAF than FBI, CIA, JFK, IRS and USA. The well-established reason is that the amount of information we can hold in our short-term or working memory is affected by whether the information can be 'chunked' into larger units. New research takes this learning principle one step further by uncovering how the strength -- or familiarity -- of those chunks plays a crucial role.

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