ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Faintest hisses from space reveal famous star's past life
• A giant stellar void in the Milky Way
• Heart attacks continue notable 15-year decline in Northern California
• Leaky calcium triggers brainstem blackout that results in sudden cardiac death
• Patients with non-functional adrenal tumors at increased risk of diabetes
• 'Generic' biologic drugs appear comparable to brand-name counterparts
• Potential new way to sway the immune system
• Restoring prairie and fighting wildfire with (drone launched) fire(balls)
• Why is cocaine so addictive? Study using animal model provides clues
• Replacing ill workers with healthy ones accelerates some epidemics
• Effectiveness of new anti-HIV medication to protect women and infants demonstrated
• Lack of water likely caused extinction of isolated Alaska mammoths
• Flooding and drought in opposing mountain ranges
• No platelets, no immune response
• How birds soar to great heights
• Coordinated response cuts time to treatment for deadly heart attacks
• Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil, may aid healing after heart attack
• Study: Bioenergy decisions involve wildlife habitat and land use trade-offs
• Big trash pickup for cells
• Excessive alcohol consumption impacts breathing
• New approach for treating skin cancer
• Protein critical to toxoplasmosis regulation: CD4 T-Cell and Blimp-1
• Antibiotic resistance persists in bacteria, even absent selection pressure from antibiotics
• New silicon structures could make better biointerfaces
• Iron catalysts can modify amino acids, peptides to create new drug candidates
• Real and artificially generated 3-D films are nearly impossible to distinguish
• New high-temperature device captures a broader solar wavelength spectrum
• New system can identify how much power is being used by each device in a household
• Still changing after all these years
• Antioxidant therapies may help in the fight against neurodegenerative diseases
• New lipid-lowering drugs help patients reduce LDL cholesterol
• Are bounce houses as dangerous as hot cars?
• One of the most common viruses in humans may promote breast cancer development
• Is Earthly life premature from a cosmic perspective?
• The search for the earthquake nucleus
• Mechanistic finding may help develop treatment for Ice Bucket Challenge disease
• Cheaper, faster, more accurate method to quantify water in solid pharmaceutical drugs
• New strategy to treat some instances of preterm labor
• Antarctic sea ice may be a source of mercury in southern ocean fish and birds
• Autism genes identified using new approach
• Higher BMI not associated with increased risk of heart attack or early death, twin study shows
• DNA's dynamic nature makes it well-suited to serve as the blueprint of life
• Swapping substrates improves edges of graphene nanoribbons
• Handheld device takes high-resolution images of children's retinas
• Study examines symptom spikes in kids after concussion
• High animal protein intake associated with higher, plant protein with lower mortality rate
• New rare congenital heart disease disorders found in children
• Novel study method identifies 15 genomic regions associated with depression
• FAMIN or feast? Newly discovered mechanism influences how immune cells 'eat' invaders
• Mechanism for inducing memory B cell differentiation elucidated
• First wave-propelled robot swims, crawls and climbs using a single, small motor
• Labrador study offers vets clues on why dogs' tails lose their wag
• Here's why the epidemic strain of C. difficile is so deadly -- and a way to stop it
• New areas of the brain identified where ALS gene is active
• Life on the edge: How forest fragmentation is impacting on amphibian and reptile species
• Heating the exterior of suitcases may decrease the spread of bed bugs through luggage
• New strategies against mosquitoes and other pests
• Power amplifiers for 5G made of gallium nitride
• Combining medications could offer better results for ADHD patients
• Meat consumption contributing to global obesity

Faintest hisses from space reveal famous star's past life Posted: 01 Aug 2016 06:03 PM PDT Using a telescope in remote outback Australia, astronomers have peered into the past of a nearby star millions of years before its famous explosion.The research paints a picture of the star's life long before its death in what was the closest and brightest supernova seen from Earth, now known as supernova remnant 1987A, which collapsed spectacularly almost 30 years ago.

A giant stellar void in the Milky Way Posted: 01 Aug 2016 06:03 PM PDT A major revision is required in our understanding of our Milky Way Galaxy according to an international team. Astronomers have found that there is a huge region around the center of our own galaxy, which is devoid of young stars.

Heart attacks continue notable 15-year decline in Northern California Posted: 01 Aug 2016 04:09 PM PDT Heart attack rates among an ethnically diverse population of more than 3.8 million Kaiser Permanente members in Northern California fell 23 percent from 2008 to 2014, as reported today.

Leaky calcium triggers brainstem blackout that results in sudden cardiac death Posted: 01 Aug 2016 04:09 PM PDT Researchers report how a mutation in a gene involved in the regulation of calcium inside brain cells can help trigger blackouts of the brainstem, the center that controls heartbeat and breathing, and increase the risk of sudden unexpected death.

Patients with non-functional adrenal tumors at increased risk of diabetes Posted: 01 Aug 2016 04:09 PM PDT Researchers have found that 'non-functional' adrenal tumors can increase a person's risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

'Generic' biologic drugs appear comparable to brand-name counterparts Posted: 01 Aug 2016 04:09 PM PDT Generic forms of a biologic drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and psoriasis appear to be as safe and effective as their brand-name counterparts, a new analysis suggests.

Potential new way to sway the immune system Posted: 01 Aug 2016 01:50 PM PDT A new international collaboration opens a door to influencing the immune system, which would be useful to boost the effectiveness of vaccines or to counter autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

Restoring prairie and fighting wildfire with (drone launched) fire(balls) Posted: 01 Aug 2016 01:50 PM PDT One ecologist wants to change the way we think about prescribed burns. The professor says he can harness extreme fire to restore grasslands on the Great Plains -- and he has created a small drone that launches ping-pong balls of fire to help him do it safely and cheaply.

Why is cocaine so addictive? Study using animal model provides clues Posted: 01 Aug 2016 01:39 PM PDT Scientists are one step closer to understanding what causes cocaine to be so addictive. Using an animal model, researchers have discovered that cocaine leaves a long-lasting imprint on the dopamine system that is activated by re-exposure to cocaine. This 'priming effect,' which may be permanent, may contribute to the severity of relapse episodes in cocaine addicts.

Replacing ill workers with healthy ones accelerates some epidemics Posted: 01 Aug 2016 01:39 PM PDT When disease outbreaks occur, people with essential roles -- healthcare workers, first responders, and teachers, for example -- are typically up close and personal with infected people. As these front-line workers become infected, healthy individuals take their places. Based on network models of this 'human exchange,' researchers find that replacing sick individuals with healthy ones can actually accelerate the spread of infection.

Effectiveness of new anti-HIV medication to protect women and infants demonstrated Posted: 01 Aug 2016 01:39 PM PDT Each year, 1.5 million women living with HIV become pregnant. Without effective treatment, up to 45 percent of HIV-infected mothers will transmit the virus to their child, usually through breastfeeding. In an effort to prevent HIV transmission to women and their children, researchers have demonstrated the effectiveness of a new anti-HIV medication, EFdA, in pre-clinical animal models.

Lack of water likely caused extinction of isolated Alaska mammoths Posted: 01 Aug 2016 01:38 PM PDT A remnant population of woolly mammoths on a remote Alaska island was likely pushed to extinction by rising sea levels and a lack of access to fresh water, according to a newly published study.

Flooding and drought in opposing mountain ranges Posted: 01 Aug 2016 01:38 PM PDT In the future, people in the Himalayas will have to contend with flooding, while those in the Andes will have longer dry spells and less water. These are the conclusions drawn by researchers, who have used measurement data and climate models to closely examine water balance in both of these mountain ranges.

No platelets, no immune response Posted: 01 Aug 2016 01:38 PM PDT When a virus attacks our organism, an inflammation appears on the affected area. White blood cells move quickly to the inflamed area. Up until now, it was proved that neutrophils were the first defenders to arrive but today, researchers now discovered that their recruitment onsite depend on a group of patrolling monocytes, referred to as 'residents,' and also on a protein called CCN1, produced by the platelets and by the endothelium.

How birds soar to great heights Posted: 01 Aug 2016 01:38 PM PDT Biologists and physicists have demonstrated with mathematical models how glider pilots might be able to soar more efficiently by adopting the learning strategies that birds use to navigate their way through thermals.

Coordinated response cuts time to treatment for deadly heart attacks Posted: 01 Aug 2016 01:38 PM PDT The largest nationwide demonstration project aimed at reducing time to treatment for people suffering ST segment elevation myocardial infarction suggests a coordinated response results in more people getting life-saving treatment sooner. Treatment response times improved the most when patients were taken by EMS directly to hospitals that could perform the procedure to open blocked heart arteries. The AHA's Mission: Lifeline STEMI Systems Accelerator model can help standardize and coordinate emergency medical systems and hospital-based care for STEMI patients, researchers said.

Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil, may aid healing after heart attack Posted: 01 Aug 2016 01:38 PM PDT Taking a high dose of omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil daily for six months after a heart attack improved the function of the heart and reduced scarring in the undamaged muscle, according to a new study.

Study: Bioenergy decisions involve wildlife habitat and land use trade-offs Posted: 01 Aug 2016 12:50 PM PDT New research finds that choosing how to meet bioenergy goals means making trade-offs about which wildlife species and ecosystems will be most impacted. The work focuses on the southeastern United States, but yields general insights that could inform bioenergy policy globally.

Big trash pickup for cells Posted: 01 Aug 2016 11:20 AM PDT Autophagy (self eating) has long been considered a kind of indiscriminate Pac-man like process of waste disposal. Now scientists have shown that apart from conditions of cell starvation, it is carefully regulated: both in plants and yeast and most likely in people. The finding is relevant to aggregation-prone pathologies, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

Excessive alcohol consumption impacts breathing Posted: 01 Aug 2016 11:20 AM PDT Researchers have discovered a potential new health concern related to excessive alcohol consumption. Adults who drink excessively were found to have less nitric oxide in their exhaled breath than adults who don't drink. Nitric oxide helps protect against certain harmful bacteria.

New approach for treating skin cancer Posted: 01 Aug 2016 11:20 AM PDT Using new and innovative immune-therapeutic approaches to silence 'don't eat me' signaling proteins recognized by specialized cells of the immune system, molecular biologists have identified an effective way to combat metastatic melanoma.

Protein critical to toxoplasmosis regulation: CD4 T-Cell and Blimp-1 Posted: 01 Aug 2016 11:20 AM PDT Researchers are finding a way to regulate chronic toxoplasmosis, one of the most common parasitic diseases worldwide. This research also has important implications for cancer.

Antibiotic resistance persists in bacteria, even absent selection pressure from antibiotics Posted: 01 Aug 2016 11:20 AM PDT Plasmids are pieces of independent DNA that often carry multiple antibiotic resistance genes. Plasmids can jump from one bacterium to another, spreading that resistance. A team of investigators now shows that bacteria that acquire plasmids containing resistance genes rarely lose them.

New silicon structures could make better biointerfaces Posted: 01 Aug 2016 10:12 AM PDT A team of researchers have engineered silicon particles one-fiftieth the width of a human hair, which could lead to "biointerface" systems designed to make nerve cells fire and heart cells beat.

Iron catalysts can modify amino acids, peptides to create new drug candidates Posted: 01 Aug 2016 10:12 AM PDT For medicinal chemists, making tweaks to peptide structures is key to developing new drug candidates. Now, researchers have demonstrated that two iron-containing small-molecule catalysts can help turn certain types of amino acids -- the building blocks of peptides and proteins -- into an array of potential new forms, even when part of a larger peptide, while preserving a crucial aspect of their chemistry: chirality, or "handedness."

Real and artificially generated 3-D films are nearly impossible to distinguish Posted: 01 Aug 2016 10:11 AM PDT For viewers it seems to be very difficult to tell the difference between real and artificially rendered 3-D films. Psychologists have studied the effects of various technologies and found that it plays virtually no role in the viewer's experience whether a 3-D film was originally produced as such or whether it was later converted from 2-D to 3-D using algorithms as, for example, is the case with new 3-D televisions.

New high-temperature device captures a broader solar wavelength spectrum Posted: 01 Aug 2016 10:11 AM PDT Using a heat-resistant device, made of tungsten and alumina layers, researchers have found that the device can absorb the sun's broad spectrum radiation and convert it to electricity.

New system can identify how much power is being used by each device in a household Posted: 01 Aug 2016 10:11 AM PDT If you want to save on your monthly electric bill and reduce your greenhouse gas emissions at the same time, you might buy a new, energy-efficient refrigerator. Or water heater. Or clothes dryer. But if you can only replace one of these, which will give you the biggest payback?

Still changing after all these years Posted: 01 Aug 2016 10:11 AM PDT In a long-term evolution experiment, an international team of researchers sequenced the entire genomes of E. coli bacteria to pinpoint the genes with beneficial mutations that gave the bacteria a competitive edge over their ancestors. The researchers found more than 14,000 changes across the study's 12 populations. Each population changed in different ways, but there were some important commonalities as well.

Antioxidant therapies may help in the fight against neurodegenerative diseases Posted: 01 Aug 2016 10:10 AM PDT A new review examines the potential of antioxidant approaches for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and multiple sclerosis.

New lipid-lowering drugs help patients reduce LDL cholesterol Posted: 01 Aug 2016 10:10 AM PDT A recent analysis indicates that adding new therapies called anti-PCSK9 antibodies to other lipid-lowering treatments can help patients lower their LDL cholesterol levels.

Are bounce houses as dangerous as hot cars? Posted: 01 Aug 2016 08:42 AM PDT Heat safety issues in bounce houses can put children in danger, according to a new study.

One of the most common viruses in humans may promote breast cancer development Posted: 01 Aug 2016 08:40 AM PDT New research reveals that infection with the Epstein-Barr virus may put some women at increased risk for developing breast cancer. The findings may have important implications for breast cancer screening and prevention.

Is Earthly life premature from a cosmic perspective? Posted: 01 Aug 2016 08:39 AM PDT The universe is 13.8 billion years old, while our planet formed just 4.5 billion years ago. Some scientists think this time gap means that life on other planets could be billions of years older than ours. However, new theoretical work suggests that present-day life is actually premature from a cosmic perspective.

The search for the earthquake nucleus Posted: 01 Aug 2016 08:39 AM PDT Where a tectonic plate dives under another, in the so-called subduction zones at ocean margins, many strong earthquakes occur. Especially the earthquakes at shallow depths often cause tsunamis. How exactly are such earthquakes initiated? Which rock composition favours a break in the earth's interior that can lead to such natural disasters? A recent study points to earthquake nucleation in calcareous sediments.

Mechanistic finding may help develop treatment for Ice Bucket Challenge disease Posted: 01 Aug 2016 08:38 AM PDT Motor neuron diseases rob patients of their ability to walk, eat, talk or breathe since they affect the motor neurons controlling the muscles. Young patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) have a shortage of the survival motor neuron protein. Revealing clues about SMA, scientists have shown that fruit flies develop motor neuron disease symptoms when they blocked the construction of the cell's machine that cuts and pastes genetic instructions.

Cheaper, faster, more accurate method to quantify water in solid pharmaceutical drugs Posted: 01 Aug 2016 08:38 AM PDT Chemists have invented a method to quantify water content in solid pharmaceutical drugs that is faster, cheaper, more accurate and more precise than Karl Fischer titration, the method currently recognized by the US Food and Drug Administration and widely used worldwide.

New strategy to treat some instances of preterm labor Posted: 01 Aug 2016 08:38 AM PDT A new research report reveals a potentially new therapeutic target for preventing or stopping preterm labor.

Antarctic sea ice may be a source of mercury in southern ocean fish and birds Posted: 01 Aug 2016 08:38 AM PDT New research has found methylmercury -- a potent neurotoxin - in sea ice in the Southern Ocean. The results are the first to show that sea-ice bacteria can change mercury into methylmercury, a more toxic form that can contaminate the marine environment, including fish and birds.

Autism genes identified using new approach Posted: 01 Aug 2016 08:38 AM PDT Researchers have developed a machine-learning approach that for the first time analyzes the entire human genome to predict which genes may cause autism spectrum disorder, raising the number of genes that could be linked to the disorder from 65 to 2,500.

Higher BMI not associated with increased risk of heart attack or early death, twin study shows Posted: 01 Aug 2016 08:38 AM PDT A study of 4,046 genetically identical twin pairs with different amounts of body fat shows that twin siblings with a higher body mass index, as a measure of obesity, do not have an increased risk of heart attack or mortality. The study also shows that a higher BMI is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

DNA's dynamic nature makes it well-suited to serve as the blueprint of life Posted: 01 Aug 2016 08:38 AM PDT A new study could explain why DNA and not RNA, its older chemical cousin, is the repository of genetic information. The DNA double helix is a more forgiving molecule that can contort itself into different shapes to absorb chemical damage to the basic building blocks -- A, G, C and T -- of genetic code. In contrast, when RNA is in the form of a double helix, it is so rigid that rather than accommodating damaged bases, it falls apart.

Swapping substrates improves edges of graphene nanoribbons Posted: 01 Aug 2016 08:37 AM PDT Miniscule ribbons of graphene are highly sought-after building blocks for semiconductor devices because of their predicted electronic properties. But making these nanostructures has remained a challenge. Now, scientists have devised a new method to make the structures in the lab.

Handheld device takes high-resolution images of children's retinas Posted: 01 Aug 2016 08:37 AM PDT Engineers and physicians have developed a handheld device capable of capturing images of a retina with cellular resolution. The new probe will allow researchers to gather detailed structural information about the eyes of infants and toddlers for the first time.

Study examines symptom spikes in kids after concussion Posted: 01 Aug 2016 08:36 AM PDT Symptom exacerbations after concussion appeared to be common in a secondary analysis of a clinical trial that included 63 children studied for 10 days after injury, according to a new article.

High animal protein intake associated with higher, plant protein with lower mortality rate Posted: 01 Aug 2016 08:36 AM PDT The largest study to examine the effects of different sources of dietary protein found that a high intake of proteins from animal sources -- particularly processed and unprocessed red meats -- was associated with a higher mortality rate, while a high intake of protein from plant sources was associated with a lower risk of death.

New rare congenital heart disease disorders found in children Posted: 01 Aug 2016 08:36 AM PDT In one of the largest international genetic studies of congenital heart disease, researchers have discovered gene mutations linked to three new rare congenital heart disorders. The researchers also found the first clear evidence of genetic differences between two forms of the disease, and that one form can be traced back to healthy parents.

Novel study method identifies 15 genomic regions associated with depression Posted: 01 Aug 2016 08:36 AM PDT A genomic study using a novel method of enrolling participants has identified for the first time 15 regions of the genome that appear to be associated with depression in individuals of European ancestry.

FAMIN or feast? Newly discovered mechanism influences how immune cells 'eat' invaders Posted: 01 Aug 2016 08:36 AM PDT A new mechanism that affects how our immune cells perform -- and hence their ability to prevent disease -- has been discovered by an international team of researchers.

Mechanism for inducing memory B cell differentiation elucidated Posted: 01 Aug 2016 08:05 AM PDT Scientists have clarified the mechanism for inducing germinal-center B cells' differentiation into memory B cells, immune cells that remember antigens, at the molecular level.

First wave-propelled robot swims, crawls and climbs using a single, small motor Posted: 01 Aug 2016 08:04 AM PDT The first single actuator wave-like robot (SAW) has been developed. The 3D-printed robot can move forward or backward in a wave-like motion, moving much like a worm would in a perpendicular wave.

Labrador study offers vets clues on why dogs' tails lose their wag Posted: 01 Aug 2016 08:02 AM PDT A painful condition that affects dogs' tails may be more common than previously thought, a new study suggests.

Here's why the epidemic strain of C. difficile is so deadly -- and a way to stop it Posted: 01 Aug 2016 08:02 AM PDT A new, epidemic strain of C. difficile is proving alarmingly deadly, and new research not only explains why but also suggests a way to stop it.

New areas of the brain identified where ALS gene is active Posted: 01 Aug 2016 08:01 AM PDT For the first time novel expression sites in the brain have been identified for a gene which is associated with motor neuron disease and frontotemporal dementia.

Life on the edge: How forest fragmentation is impacting on amphibian and reptile species Posted: 01 Aug 2016 06:32 AM PDT Experts call for new conservation guidelines after research shows 90% of tropical amphibian and reptile species are affected by the 'edge effect' and forest islands less than 500m in diameter are putting many at risk.

Heating the exterior of suitcases may decrease the spread of bed bugs through luggage Posted: 01 Aug 2016 06:32 AM PDT New research indicates that brief heat treatment is a promising way to decrease the spread of bed bugs being transported on the outer surface of luggage.

New strategies against mosquitoes and other pests Posted: 01 Aug 2016 06:32 AM PDT South America is fighting a battle against tiger mosquitoes that transmit yellow fever, dengue fever and the Zika virus. In Central Europe, wine and fruit growers fear another year of massive crop failures due to a type of vinegar fly known as the spotted-wing drosophila. Since the success rate of conventional methods continues to fall, researchers are developing new species-specific strategies that keep pests under control without resorting to environmental toxins.

Power amplifiers for 5G made of gallium nitride Posted: 01 Aug 2016 06:32 AM PDT The wireless data transmission via mobile communication is reliable and affordable. However, data volume per user is rising exponentially. Causes are not only the continuously growing number of smartphones, but also trends as car-to-car (C2C) or machine-to-machine (M2M) communication – cars and machines need to communicate in high speed with each other. From 2020 the 5G mobile standard is aiming to transmit data rapidly and energy-efficiently. For that purpose researchers are developing new power amplifiers based on the semiconductor gallium nitride.

Combining medications could offer better results for ADHD patients Posted: 01 Aug 2016 06:32 AM PDT Three studies report that combining two standard medications could lead to greater clinical improvements for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than either ADHD therapy alone. At present, studies show that the use of several ADHD medications result in significant reductions in ADHD symptoms. However, so far there is no conclusive evidence that these standard drug treatments also improve long-term academic, social, and clinical outcomes.

Meat consumption contributing to global obesity Posted: 01 Aug 2016 06:30 AM PDT Should we be warning consumers about over-consumption of meat as well as sugar?

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