ScienceDaily: Top News

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• The importance of loving care within children's institutions
• Shale gas, not EPA rules, has pushed decline in coal-generated electricity, study confirms
• Fewer indications of ADHD in children whose mothers took vitamin D during pregnancy
• Mapping the 'dark matter' of human DNA
• Choosing a mate: It's the brain, not the nose, that knows
• Magma movements foretell future eruptions
• Don't panic, but your avocado is radioactive: Study eyes radiation of everyday objects
• Using oxygen as a tracer of galactic evolution
• Methane muted: How did early Earth stay warm?
• How gecko feet got sticky
• Vaccinating babies without vaccinating babies
• Catalyst structure identified in an operating proton exchange membrane fuel cell
• Brain-inspired device to power artificial systems
• Not really a matter of choice?
• Type 2 diabetes and obesity: What do we really know?
• Aberrant tau proteins put neuronal networks to sleep
• How cells take out the trash: The 'phospho-kiss of death' deciphered
• Palm oil plantations devastating to tropical peat swamp forests
• Apes understand that some things are all in your head
• Some birds behave like human musicians
• Chicken korma, Eton mess and a genetic variant provide clues to our food choices
• Hospital rankings may rely on faulty data
• Human neurons continue to migrate after birth
• Scientists rev up speed of bionic enzyme reactions
• Brain cell 'executioner' identified
• How repair protein finds DNA damage
• Use of PSA for prostate screening unaffected by changes in screening guidelines, research finds
• Smallest. Transistor. Ever.
• Hubble detects giant 'cannonballs' shooting from star
• Researcher aims to save endangered cranes
• How 'dead' bacteria return to life
• Ribosomal quality control
• The mathematics of music history
• Efficient low-cost method for hydrogenation of graphene with visible light
• Small droplets feel the vibe
• Antibiotics could be cut by up to one-third, say dairy farmers
• Harnessing algae for the creation of clean energy
• Organic semiconducting polymers can harvest sunlight to split CO2 into alcohol fuels
• New cost-effective silicon carbide high voltage switch created
• New approach to block binge eating
• UV light disinfection significantly reduces Clostridium difficile incidence
• Microfibers fabricated for single-cell studies, tissue engineering
• Researchers discover how selenium is incorporated into proteins
• Strange 'chimeras' defy science's understanding of human genetics
• Therapists more likely to call back 'Allison' than 'Lakisha' with messages promoting mental health services
• As the climate warms, we are 'primed' for worse storms than Sandy
• Did your ancestor fight in the hundred years war?
• Simple blood test could vastly improve detection rates of severe liver disease
• Scientists search for regional accents in cod
• Swinging: Measuring forces with oscillations
• The shapes of electrons: Solving a cryptic puzzle with a little help from a hologram
• First results from the world’s oldest group of ICSI men show they have lower semen quantity and quality
• Fast energy transport between unlike partners
• How solvent molecules cooperate in reactions
• How breast cancer screening could be better and less painful
• Working night shifts unlikely to increase breast cancer risk
• Efficient organic solar cells with very low driving force

The importance of loving care within children's institutions Posted: 07 Oct 2016 08:00 AM PDT Nurturing caregiving from a few consistent individuals helps to minimize the potential emotional and mental-health development issues that can arise from spending the early years of a child's life in an institution. Within such facilities, infants and toddlers reared in daily contact with responsive and warm professionals display better physical, cognitive, and social development. After they are placed into families, they have less aggressive and defiant tendencies and show fewer externalizing behaviors.

Shale gas, not EPA rules, has pushed decline in coal-generated electricity, study confirms Posted: 07 Oct 2016 07:55 AM PDT Cheap shale gas produced by fracking has driven the decline in coal production in the United States during the last decade, researchers have found.

Fewer indications of ADHD in children whose mothers took vitamin D during pregnancy Posted: 07 Oct 2016 07:52 AM PDT Children of mothers who took vitamin D during pregnancy with resultant high levels of the vitamin in the umbilical blood have fewer symptoms of ADHD at the age of 2½ years.

Mapping the 'dark matter' of human DNA Posted: 07 Oct 2016 07:49 AM PDT Although our knowledge of the human DNA is extensive, it is nowhere near complete. For instance, our knowledge of exactly which changes in our DNA are responsible for a certain disease is often insufficient. This is related to the fact that no two people have exactly the same DNA. Even the DNA molecules of identical twins have differences, which occur during their development and ageing. Some differences ensure that not everybody looks exactly alike, while others determine our susceptibility to particular diseases. Knowledge about the DNA variants can therefore tell us a lot about potential health risks and is a first step towards personalized medicine. Many small variants in the human genome -- the whole of genetic information in the cell -- have already been documented. Although it is known that larger structural variants play an important role in many hereditary diseases, these variants are also more difficult to detect and are, therefore, much less investigated.

Choosing a mate: It's the brain, not the nose, that knows Posted: 07 Oct 2016 07:43 AM PDT Female moths produce a sex pheromone, a different blend of chemicals for each species, which attracts males from a distance. Males detect these chemicals with exquisitely sensitive hair-like structures in the antenna. These hairs contain specialized neurons, nerve cells that express pheromone receptors which are activated when they bind to individual pheromone components. Different species have different pheromone receptors, and so the ability to most accurately smell females of the same species prevents attraction to other females. Solving the puzzle of why a certain pheromone receptor is activated only by a specific chemical has motivated much past research.

Magma movements foretell future eruptions Posted: 07 Oct 2016 07:39 AM PDT Geologists have traced magma movement beneath Mt. Cameroon volcano, which will help monitoring for future volcanic eruptions.

Don't panic, but your avocado is radioactive: Study eyes radiation of everyday objects Posted: 07 Oct 2016 07:35 AM PDT Most people assume all radioactive materials are dangerous, if not deadly. But a new study on the radiation emitted by everyday objects highlights the fact that we interact with radioactive materials every day. The goal of the work is to give people a frame of reference for understanding news stories or other information about radiation and nuclear safety.

Using oxygen as a tracer of galactic evolution Posted: 07 Oct 2016 06:34 AM PDT A new study casts light on how young, hot stars ionize oxygen in the early universe and the effects on the evolution of galaxies through time. The study presents the first measurements of the changing strengths of oxygen emission lines from the present day and back to 12.5 billion years ago. The main conclusions are that the strength of doubly ionized oxygen increases going back in time, while the strength of singly ionized oxygen increases up to 11 billion years ago and then decreases for the remaining one to two billion years.

Methane muted: How did early Earth stay warm? Posted: 07 Oct 2016 06:06 AM PDT For at least a billion years of the distant past, planet Earth should have been frozen over but wasn't. Scientists thought they knew why, but a new modeling study has fired the lead actor in that long-accepted scenario.

How gecko feet got sticky Posted: 07 Oct 2016 05:57 AM PDT How do key innovations in the animal kingdom arise? To explore this question, evolutionary biologists studied Gonatodes, a genus of dwarf geckos. In the process, the researchers found a gecko,Gonatodes humeralis that they posit offers a "snapshot" into the evolution of adhesion in geckos.

Vaccinating babies without vaccinating babies Posted: 07 Oct 2016 05:56 AM PDT Scientists have long understood that mother's milk provides immune protection against some infectious agents through the transfer of antibodies, a process referred to as "passive immunity." A research team now shows that mother's milk also contributes to the development of the baby's own immune system by a process the team calls "maternal educational immunity."

Catalyst structure identified in an operating proton exchange membrane fuel cell Posted: 07 Oct 2016 05:47 AM PDT The structure of the palladium catalyst for hydrogen oxidation in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells has been revealed by scientists. Contrary to current views the results, obtained by applying X-ray spectroscopy under operating conditions, indicate the existence of a hydride phase throughout the operating range.

Brain-inspired device to power artificial systems Posted: 07 Oct 2016 05:47 AM PDT New research has demonstrated that a nanoscale device, called a memristor, could be used to power artificial systems that can mimic the human brain. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) exhibit learning abilities and can perform tasks which are difficult for conventional computing systems, such as pattern recognition, on-line learning and classification. Practical ANN implementations are currently hampered by the lack of efficient hardware synapses; a key component that every ANN requires in large numbers.

Not really a matter of choice? Posted: 07 Oct 2016 05:46 AM PDT Choices, it is commonly understood, lead to action – but how does this happen in the brain? Intuitively, we first make a choice between the options. For example, when approaching a yellow traffic light, we need to decide either to hit the breaks or to accelerate the car. Next, the appropriate motor response is selected and carried out, in this case moving the foot to the left or to the right. Traditionally, it is assumed that separate brain regions are responsible for these stages. Now researchers have found evidence that challenges this intuitive division between a 'deciding' and a 'responding' stage in decision making.

Type 2 diabetes and obesity: What do we really know? Posted: 07 Oct 2016 05:46 AM PDT Social and economic factors have led to a dramatic rise in type 2 diabetes and obesity around the world. In a new review, researchers examine the knowledge of the actual causes and the interplay between genetics and lifestyle factors.

Aberrant tau proteins put neuronal networks to sleep Posted: 07 Oct 2016 05:46 AM PDT Researchers present new findings on the role of the protein Tau in certain brain diseases. Their report, which is based on laboratory studies, suggests that the drug "Rolofylline" could possibly alleviate learning and memory problems associated with aggregating Tau proteins.

How cells take out the trash: The 'phospho-kiss of death' deciphered Posted: 07 Oct 2016 05:46 AM PDT Cells never forget to take out the trash. It has long been known that cells tag proteins for degradation by labeling them with ubiquitin, a signal described as "the molecular kiss of death". Now a research group has identified an analogous system in gram-positive bacteria, where the role of a degradation tag is fulfilled by a little known post-translational modification: arginine phosphorylation. The discovery opens new avenues for designing antibacterial therapies.

Palm oil plantations devastating to tropical peat swamp forests Posted: 06 Oct 2016 07:19 PM PDT Any notion that current palm oil production practices in southeast Asian peat swamp forests are environmentally responsible or sustainable in practice is ludicrous, say experts.

Apes understand that some things are all in your head Posted: 06 Oct 2016 01:07 PM PDT We all know that the way someone sees the world, and the way it really is, aren't always the same. This ability to recognize that someone's beliefs may differ from reality has long been seen as unique to humans.

Some birds behave like human musicians Posted: 06 Oct 2016 12:49 PM PDT The tuneful behavior of some songbirds parallels that of human musicians, according to new research.

Chicken korma, Eton mess and a genetic variant provide clues to our food choices Posted: 06 Oct 2016 11:47 AM PDT People who carry variants in a particular gene have an increased preference for high fat food, but a decreased preference for sugary foods, according to a new study. The research has provided insights into why we make particular food choices, with potential implications for our understanding of obesity. This is one of the first studies to show a direct link between food preference and specific genetic variants in humans.

Hospital rankings may rely on faulty data Posted: 06 Oct 2016 11:39 AM PDT A new report suggests hospital rankings may not be as reliable as thought. Researchers found that false-positive event rates were common among high-transfer and high-volume hospitals.

Human neurons continue to migrate after birth Posted: 06 Oct 2016 11:36 AM PDT Researchers have discovered a previously unknown mass migration of inhibitory neurons into the brain's frontal cortex during the first few months after birth, revealing a stage of brain development that had previously gone unrecognized. The authors hypothesize that this late-stage migration may play a role in establishing fundamentally human cognitive abilities and that its disruption could underlie a number of neurodevelopmental diseases.

Scientists rev up speed of bionic enzyme reactions Posted: 06 Oct 2016 11:36 AM PDT Bionic enzymes got a needed boost in speed thanks to new research. By pairing a noble metal with a natural enzyme, scientists created a hybrid capable of churning out molecules at a rate comparable to biological counterparts.

Brain cell 'executioner' identified Posted: 06 Oct 2016 11:36 AM PDT Despite their different triggers, the same molecular chain of events appears to be responsible for brain cell death from strokes, injuries and even such neurodegenerative diseases as Alzheimer's. Now, researchers say they have pinpointed the protein at the end of that chain of events, one that delivers the fatal strike by carving up a cell's DNA. The find, they say, potentially opens up a new avenue for the development of drugs to prevent, stop or weaken the process.

How repair protein finds DNA damage Posted: 06 Oct 2016 11:35 AM PDT Researchers have demonstrated how Rad4, a protein involved in DNA repair, scans the DNA in a unique pattern of movement called 'constrained motion' to efficiently find structural faults in DNA. The findings could lead to therapies that boost existing drug treatments and counter drug-resistance.

Use of PSA for prostate screening unaffected by changes in screening guidelines, research finds Posted: 06 Oct 2016 11:07 AM PDT Controversy over prostate cancer screening guidelines that discourage use of PSA tests did not significantly reduce use of the test, a five-year review of more than 275,000 visits showed.

Smallest. Transistor. Ever. Posted: 06 Oct 2016 11:05 AM PDT Engineers have been eyeing the finish line in the race to shrink the size of components in integrated circuits. Now, a team of researchers has succeeded in creating a transistor with a working 1-nanometer gate. For comparison, a strand of human hair is about 50,000 nanometers thick.

Hubble detects giant 'cannonballs' shooting from star Posted: 06 Oct 2016 10:30 AM PDT NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has detected superhot blobs of gas, each twice as massive as the planet Mars, being ejected near a dying star. The plasma balls are zooming so fast through space it would take only 30 minutes for them to travel from Earth to the moon. The fireballs present a puzzle to astronomers, because the ejected material could not have been shot out by the host star.

Researcher aims to save endangered cranes Posted: 06 Oct 2016 09:44 AM PDT Slender, graceful and majestic, Asia's red-crowned cranes may look the same in the wild or in captivity, but inside they are markedly different in the types of microbes they carry around—something that may guide conservation efforts for the endangered birds.

How 'dead' bacteria return to life Posted: 06 Oct 2016 09:44 AM PDT A strict genetic timetable for resuscitation of dormant cells has been uncovered by scientists. The findings provide insight into a previously unknown survival strategy of bacteria and enable the researchers to draw key conclusions about cell aging processes.

Ribosomal quality control Posted: 06 Oct 2016 09:27 AM PDT The assembly of proteins to form larger macromolecular structures within cells is linked to ribosomes and thus to their synthesis through the process of translation. Ribosomes adopt the role of a quality "checkpoint" in this context: They make sure that newly built proteins are directly fed into the production lines of macromolecular complexes.

The mathematics of music history Posted: 06 Oct 2016 09:25 AM PDT Experts have analyzed thousands of musical themes composed by French, Italian, and Austro-German composers living in 1600-1950. During these years, rhythmic variability in French music was initially low -- just like in Italian music and language. Later on, it increased towards the natural equilibrium for Austro-German music and language before the rhythms of French music finally diverged into two separate stylistic schools of composition, they report.

Efficient low-cost method for hydrogenation of graphene with visible light Posted: 06 Oct 2016 09:20 AM PDT An environmentally friendly, efficient and low-cost method for hydrogenation of graphene with visible light has been developed.

Small droplets feel the vibe Posted: 06 Oct 2016 09:15 AM PDT A team of researchers have used ultrasonic forces to accurately pattern thousands of microscopic water-based droplets. Each droplet can be designed to perform a biochemical experiment, which could pave the way for highly efficient lab-on-a-chip devices with future applications in drug discovery and clinical diagnostics.

Antibiotics could be cut by up to one-third, say dairy farmers Posted: 06 Oct 2016 09:15 AM PDT Nine in 10 dairy farmers participating in a new British survey say that the farming industry must take a proactive lead in the battle against antibiotic resistance. Those questioned also think that over the next five years they could cut their own antibiotic use by almost a third in dry cow therapy and a fifth in clinical mastitis.

Harnessing algae for the creation of clean energy Posted: 06 Oct 2016 09:13 AM PDT Researchers have revealed how microalgae produce hydrogen, a clean fuel of the future, and suggest a possible mechanism to jumpstart mass production of this environmentally-friendly energy source.

Organic semiconducting polymers can harvest sunlight to split CO2 into alcohol fuels Posted: 06 Oct 2016 09:11 AM PDT Chemists have been the first to demonstrate that an organic semiconductor polymer called polyaniline is a promising photocathode material for the conversion of carbon dioxide into alcohol fuels without the need for a co-catalyst.

New cost-effective silicon carbide high voltage switch created Posted: 06 Oct 2016 09:09 AM PDT Researchers have created a high voltage and high frequency silicon carbide (SiC) power switch that could cost much less than similarly rated SiC power switches. The findings could lead to early applications in the power industry, especially in power converters like medium voltage drives, solid state transformers and high voltage transmissions and circuit breakers.

New approach to block binge eating Posted: 06 Oct 2016 09:08 AM PDT A new therapeutic target for the treatment of compulsive binge eating has been identified by researchers. They report the beneficial effects of the activation of a class of receptors, Trace Amine-Associated Receptor 1 (TAAR1), on compulsive, binge eating. TAAR1 discovered in 2001, is a receptor that binds molecules in the brain called trace amines.

UV light disinfection significantly reduces Clostridium difficile incidence Posted: 06 Oct 2016 09:05 AM PDT Ultraviolet C light disinfection to clean unoccupied patient rooms significantly reduced C. difficile infections (CDI) in high-risk patients who later occupied those rooms, according to a new study. The no-touch device, used after patients with CDI were discharged from the hospital, also resulted in substantial healthcare savings, estimated between $350,000 and $1.5 million annually.

Microfibers fabricated for single-cell studies, tissue engineering Posted: 06 Oct 2016 09:02 AM PDT Researchers have created a new way to design and fabricate microfibers that support cell growth and could be useful tools for reconnecting nerves and regenerating other damaged tissues.

Researchers discover how selenium is incorporated into proteins Posted: 06 Oct 2016 09:00 AM PDT Humans need eight essential trace elements for good health, and one of them is selenium -- a powerful antioxidant that is important for thyroid and brain function as well as metabolism. Researchers have now discovered exactly how selenium is incorporated into selenoproteins.

Strange 'chimeras' defy science's understanding of human genetics Posted: 06 Oct 2016 09:00 AM PDT The human genome is far more complex than thought, with genes functioning in an unexpected fashion that scientists have wrongly assumed must indicate cancer, research indicates.

Therapists more likely to call back 'Allison' than 'Lakisha' with messages promoting mental health services Posted: 06 Oct 2016 09:00 AM PDT If you leave a message with a therapist seeking mental health services you have a better chance of getting a callback that promotes care if you have a white-sounding name than a black one, research shows.

As the climate warms, we are 'primed' for worse storms than Sandy Posted: 06 Oct 2016 08:59 AM PDT With the climate warming and the sea level rising, conditions are ripe for storms deadlier and more devastating than Sandy that put more people at risk, warns a geography professor who has served as the New Jersey state climatologist for 25 years.

Did your ancestor fight in the hundred years war? Posted: 06 Oct 2016 08:59 AM PDT If you've ever wondered whether your ancestors served as a medieval soldier in the Hundred Years War, a newly launched website may have the answer.

Simple blood test could vastly improve detection rates of severe liver disease Posted: 06 Oct 2016 08:53 AM PDT A new non-invasive method of predicting the risk of developing a severe form of liver disease could ensure patients receive early and potentially life-saving medical intervention before irreversible damage is done, report researchers.

Scientists search for regional accents in cod Posted: 06 Oct 2016 08:18 AM PDT Fish may have regional accents and communicate differently in different parts of the world, according to a fish expert.

Swinging: Measuring forces with oscillations Posted: 06 Oct 2016 07:46 AM PDT A child swings on a swing, gaining momentum with its legs. For physicists, this is a reasonably easy movement. They call it parametric oscillation. Things are getting more complicated if -- in addition to the child's efforts -- the mother (or the father) is around to push the swing. The interaction between the pushing force and the parametric oscillation can become very intricate, making it hard to calculate how much force the parent expends from the resulting irregular swinging motion.

The shapes of electrons: Solving a cryptic puzzle with a little help from a hologram Posted: 06 Oct 2016 07:39 AM PDT A recent discovery provides an innovative technique for calculating the shapes of electrons. This finding will help scientists gain a better and faster understanding of the properties of complex materials. Scientists used holographic logic to compile an algorithm for visualizing the shape of an electron in a superconducting material. This successful collaboration clarified the puzzling results of a series of experiments performed in the past 15 years, resolving a mysterious scientific enigma.

First results from the world’s oldest group of ICSI men show they have lower semen quantity and quality Posted: 06 Oct 2016 07:14 AM PDT First results from the world's oldest group of young men conceived by means of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) fertility treatment because of their fathers' infertility have shown that they have lower sperm quantity and quality than men who were spontaneously conceived.

Fast energy transport between unlike partners Posted: 06 Oct 2016 07:14 AM PDT Chemists have combined different dye molecules in aggregates and thereby observed surprising properties. Their discovery may help to use sunlight more efficiently for the generation of energy.

How solvent molecules cooperate in reactions Posted: 06 Oct 2016 07:14 AM PDT Molecules from the solvent environment that at first glance seem to be uninvolved can be essential for chemical reactions. This has been shown by researchers studying the formation of an ether in pure solvents and in their mixtures. They explained the underlying mechanisms in detail using advanced spectroscopic and theoretical techniques. The conclusion: even solvent molecules that do not participate directly in the reaction are essential for the reaction process and can significantly influence reaction partners.

How breast cancer screening could be better and less painful Posted: 06 Oct 2016 07:14 AM PDT The breast cancer screening tests offered to women may in many cases be unnecessarily painful. New research shows that strong compression of the breast during mammography screening does not automatically lead to a better basis for diagnosis.

Working night shifts unlikely to increase breast cancer risk Posted: 06 Oct 2016 07:14 AM PDT Working night shifts has little or no effect on a woman's breast cancer risk despite a review in 2007 by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifying shift work disrupting the 'body clock'  as a probable cause of cancer, suggests new research.

Efficient organic solar cells with very low driving force Posted: 06 Oct 2016 07:10 AM PDT Organic solar cells have now been developed with a significantly lower driving force and faster charge separation than previous cells, report scientists.

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