ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Scientists set traps for atoms with single-particle precision
• Sandfly spit vaccinates mice against leishmaniasis infection
• Sunshine matters a lot to mental health; temperature, pollution, rain not so much
• Proteins secreted by beneficial gut microbes shown to inhibit salmonella, invasive E. coli
• Brain 'reads' sentences the same in English, Portuguese
• Smoking a pack a day for a year causes 150 mutations in lung cells
• Later start times better for high school students: Poor self-regulation in teens linked to circadian rhythms
• Study links intestinal microbial population to production of inflammatory proteins
• Crack discovered in Earth's magnetic shield
• Plant roots in the dark see light
• Physicists reveal cocktails with Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde features
• Study reveals non-invasive prenatal genetic test is accurate five weeks into pregnancy
• How your diet can influence your environmental impact
• Spiral growth: Feedback loop behind spiral patterns in plants uncovered?
• Here's how your body transports zinc to protect your health
• Can you smell through your lungs?
• Reducing exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) lowers levels of this environmental estrogen in women
• 'Morphing' wing offers new twist on plane flight and manufacturing
• Large numbers of outdoor cats pose challenges for communities
• Researchers show genetic variants and environmental exposures have mighty influence on health
• Roadmap to life after the worst injuries, in times of war and peace
• Frog, toad larvae become vegetarian when it is hot
• Body builders aren't necessarily the strongest athletes
• Link between corporate social responsibility and success in management
• Brain scientists examine brain networks during short-term task learning
• How the chicken crossed the Red Sea
• Major family of gene-regulating proteins has drug-sized pocket
• Can radioactive waste be immobilized in glass for millions of years?
• Scientists successfully tune the brain to alleviate pain
• High demand for psychological services for children demands new approach
• Music therapy reduces depression in children, adolescents, research finds
• Blood pressure may open door to personalized medicine for PTSD
• Female fish judge males on DIY skills, study shows
• Stable biological coating for implants
• Global hot spot maps link consumers with impacts
• Safe navigation through the Northwest Passage
• Energy-saving data glasses
• Adding hydrogen to graphene
• Not eating enough in hospital: Risk factors are the same all over the world
• Automated assessment of early autism
• Simulation brings global 100% renewable electricity system alive for the first time
• Kids continue to consume too much salt, putting them at risk
• Light shed on process of programmed mitochondrial cell death
• Lack of brain shrinkage may help predict who develops dementia with Lewy bodies
• Virtual reality: Hybrid Virtual Environment 3D comes to the cinema
• Whale song 'GPS system': Previously unknown component of whale songs discovered
• When corals met algae: Symbiotic relationship crucial to reef survival dates to the Triassic
• Fluorescent sensor provides low-cost diagnosis of cystic fibrosis
• Engineering students creating scoliosis brace that focuses on comfort, fit, design
• Questionnaire predicts likelihood of unprotected sex, binge drinking
• First time physicists observed, quantified tiny nanoparticle crossing lipid membrane
• Supercomputers capture the crush in biological cells
• Prostate drug offers new relief for kidney stone sufferers
• Bioelectronics at the speed of life

Scientists set traps for atoms with single-particle precision Posted: 03 Nov 2016 11:33 AM PDT Researchers report a new method to use lasers as optical "tweezers" to pick individual atoms out from a cloud and hold them in place. As the atoms are "trapped," the scientists use a camera to create images of the atoms and their locations. Based on these images, they then manipulate the angle of the laser beams, to move individual atoms into any number of different configurations.

Sandfly spit vaccinates mice against leishmaniasis infection Posted: 03 Nov 2016 11:25 AM PDT A vaccine against cutaneous leishmaniasis, a skin infection caused by Leishmania parasites, may be spitting distance away -- sand fly spit, that is. Saliva from a species of the fly responsible for transmitting leishmaniasis can be used to vaccinate mice against the infection, researchers have shown.

Sunshine matters a lot to mental health; temperature, pollution, rain not so much Posted: 03 Nov 2016 11:17 AM PDT Sunshine matters. A lot. The idea isn't exactly new, but according to a recent study, when it comes to your mental and emotional health, the amount of time between sunrise and sunset is the weather variable that matters most.

Proteins secreted by beneficial gut microbes shown to inhibit salmonella, invasive E. coli Posted: 03 Nov 2016 11:16 AM PDT Few treatments exist for bacteria-caused intestinal inflammation that leads to diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps. But now microbiologists have demonstrated a new approach that may lead to more effective remedies. In a new report, scientists provide the first evidence that small protein molecules called microcins, produced by beneficial gut microbes, play a critical part in blocking certain illness-causing bacteria in inflamed intestines.

Brain 'reads' sentences the same in English, Portuguese Posted: 03 Nov 2016 11:15 AM PDT When the brain "reads" or decodes a sentence in English or Portuguese, its neural activation patterns are the same, new research shows. The study is the first to show that different languages have similar neural signatures for describing events and scenes.

Smoking a pack a day for a year causes 150 mutations in lung cells Posted: 03 Nov 2016 11:05 AM PDT Scientists have measured the catastrophic genetic damage caused by smoking in different organs of the body and identified several different mechanisms by which tobacco smoking causes mutations in DNA. Researchers found smokers accumulated an average of 150 extra mutations in every lung cell for each year of smoking one packet of cigarettes a day.

Later start times better for high school students: Poor self-regulation in teens linked to circadian rhythms Posted: 03 Nov 2016 10:03 AM PDT Chronic insufficient sleep is at epidemic levels in U.S. teens and has been associated with depression, substance use, accidents, and academic failure. Poor self-regulation or an inability to alter thinking, emotions, and behaviors to meet varying social demands is thought to be a key link between inadequate sleep in teens and poor health and school-related outcomes. However, a study has found that the number of hours teens sleep on school nights may not be the main problem.

Study links intestinal microbial population to production of inflammatory proteins Posted: 03 Nov 2016 10:00 AM PDT New research has begun to elucidate how differences in the gut microbiome - the microbial population of the gastrointestinal tract - affect the immune response in healthy individuals.

Crack discovered in Earth's magnetic shield Posted: 03 Nov 2016 09:59 AM PDT The GRAPES-3 muon telescope recorded a burst of galactic cosmic rays of about 20 GeV, on 22 June 2015 lasting for two hours. The burst occurred when a giant cloud of plasma ejected from the solar corona, and moving with a speed of about 2.5 million kilometers per hour struck our planet, causing a severe compression of Earth's magnetosphere from 11 to 4 times the radius of Earth. It triggered a severe geomagnetic storm that generated aurora borealis, and radio signal blackouts in many high latitude countries.

Plant roots in the dark see light Posted: 03 Nov 2016 09:49 AM PDT Light transmitted from the shoot to the roots activates photoreceptors in the roots and triggers light-dependent growth responses in plants, scientists have discovered.

Physicists reveal cocktails with Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde features Posted: 03 Nov 2016 09:48 AM PDT A new sudy explains how long-range effects in 2-liquid cocktails have a bearing on the diffusion of their molecules, resulting in the coexistence of different characteristics within the same fluid.

Study reveals non-invasive prenatal genetic test is accurate five weeks into pregnancy Posted: 03 Nov 2016 09:46 AM PDT The latest developments in prenatal technology make it possible to test for genetic disorders a little more than one month into pregnancy, a new report outlines.

How your diet can influence your environmental impact Posted: 03 Nov 2016 09:45 AM PDT The impact of our dietary choices on the global phosphorus footprint shouldn't be neglected, recent research shows. A shift towards a plant-based diet may be an undervalued solution toward decreasing our environmental impact and attaining phosphorus sustainability, suggest researchers.

Spiral growth: Feedback loop behind spiral patterns in plants uncovered? Posted: 03 Nov 2016 09:44 AM PDT For centuries, artists, biologists and mathematicians have been inspired by the recurring patterns of the plant world: the exquisite symmetry of flowers, the sweeping spirals of seeds, spines and leaves. How do plants create such amazing patterns?

Here's how your body transports zinc to protect your health Posted: 03 Nov 2016 09:43 AM PDT Zinc is essential for wound healing, for vision, for DNA creation, for our senses of taste and smell, even for sexual health. But despite its importance, scientists have never fully understood the mechanism that moves the mineral through the body -- until now.

Can you smell through your lungs? Posted: 03 Nov 2016 09:42 AM PDT It was always thought that olfactory receptors' sole bodily function was to smell, and could only be found inside a nose. But now a new study has found two olfactory receptors in human lung tissue.

Reducing exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) lowers levels of this environmental estrogen in women Posted: 03 Nov 2016 09:41 AM PDT Women who avoided foods, cosmetics, and other products packaged in BPA-containing plastic containers for 3 weeks had significant reductions in urinary levels of BPA, a commonly used "endocrine disruptor" associated with negative health effects including weight gain. Over the 3-week study period, the women who participated in an intervention designed to minimize BPA exposure also had significant weight loss.

'Morphing' wing offers new twist on plane flight and manufacturing Posted: 03 Nov 2016 09:38 AM PDT When the Wright brothers accomplished their first powered flight more than a century ago, they controlled the motion of their Flyer 1 aircraft using wires and pulleys that bent and twisted the wood-and-canvas wings. This system was quite different than the separate, hinged flaps and ailerons that have performed those functions on most aircraft ever since. But now, thanks to some high-tech wizardry developed by engineers at MIT and NASA, some aircraft may be returning to their roots, with a new kind of bendable, "morphing" wing.

Large numbers of outdoor cats pose challenges for communities Posted: 03 Nov 2016 09:23 AM PDT The number of outdoor cats in the city of Guelph, Ontario is eye-raising, and these cats are more likely to be found in low-income residential areas, according to a new study.

Researchers show genetic variants and environmental exposures have mighty influence on health Posted: 03 Nov 2016 09:22 AM PDT For the first time, scientists have shown the extent by which interactions between environmental exposures and genetic variation across individuals have a significant impact on human traits and diseases like diabetes, heart disease and obesity, strengthening the case for precision medicine initiatives.

Roadmap to life after the worst injuries, in times of war and peace Posted: 03 Nov 2016 08:54 AM PDT The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have produced a horrific type of medical trauma known as the "dismounted complex blast injury" (DCBI), in which an improvised explosive device detonates beneath a soldier patrolling on foot, often leading to multiple-limb loss. Previously, these injuries were considered deadly, but today, new training techniques are helping to manage DCBIs, and in many cases stabilize these critically injured patients and restore many normal functions. The lessons learned will not only save lives on the battlefield in the future but also in civilian trauma centers today.

Frog, toad larvae become vegetarian when it is hot Posted: 03 Nov 2016 08:52 AM PDT Climate change is currently one of the greatest threats to biodiversity, and one of the groups of animals most affected by the increase in temperature is amphibians. A team of scientists studied how heat waves affect the dietary choices of three species of amphibian found on the Iberian Peninsula: the European tree frog, the Mediterranean tree frog and the Iberian painted frog.

Body builders aren't necessarily the strongest athletes Posted: 03 Nov 2016 08:51 AM PDT An increase in muscle size with exercise may not be directly related to an increase in muscle strength, according to a recent analysis of the literature.

Link between corporate social responsibility and success in management Posted: 03 Nov 2016 08:51 AM PDT Recent research identifies key parallels between quality management and the importance of taking socially responsible steps in business.

Brain scientists examine brain networks during short-term task learning Posted: 03 Nov 2016 08:51 AM PDT "Practice makes perfect" is a common saying. We all have experienced that the initially effortful implementation of novel tasks is becoming rapidly easier and more fluent after only a few repetitions. This works especially efficient when we are guided by explicit instructions. A team of researchers has now examined the underlying neural processes in a current imaging study.

How the chicken crossed the Red Sea Posted: 03 Nov 2016 06:13 AM PDT The discarded bone of a chicken leg, still etched with teeth marks from a dinner thousands of years ago, provides some of the oldest known physical evidence for the introduction of domesticated chickens to the continent of Africa, research has confirmed. Based on radiocarbon dating of about 30 chicken bones unearthed at the site of an ancient farming village in present-day Ethiopia, the findings shed new light on how domesticated chickens crossed ancient roads -- and seas.

Major family of gene-regulating proteins has drug-sized pocket Posted: 03 Nov 2016 06:12 AM PDT An entire class of proteins called transcription factors has largely been ignored by the pharmaceutical industry because it's difficult to design and screen drugs against them. But a new study suggests that a key group of transcription factors are in fact 'druggable,' including several that could be targeted to treat cancer, metabolic disease, or autoimmune conditions.

Can radioactive waste be immobilized in glass for millions of years? Posted: 03 Nov 2016 06:12 AM PDT How do you handle nuclear waste that will be radioactive for millions of years, keeping it from harming people and the environment? It isn't easy, but a researcher has discovered ways to immobilize such waste – the offshoot of decades of nuclear weapons production – in glass and ceramics.

Scientists successfully tune the brain to alleviate pain Posted: 03 Nov 2016 06:10 AM PDT If the brain is 'tuned-in' to a particular frequency, pain can be alleviated, scientists have shown for the first time.

High demand for psychological services for children demands new approach Posted: 03 Nov 2016 06:10 AM PDT Psychological wellbeing services for children must be fundamentally rethought and reconfigured if we are to provide help for all those who need it, say authors of a new report.

Music therapy reduces depression in children, adolescents, research finds Posted: 03 Nov 2016 06:10 AM PDT Music therapy reduces depression in children and adolescents with behavioral and emotional problems, researchers have discovered.

Blood pressure may open door to personalized medicine for PTSD Posted: 03 Nov 2016 06:10 AM PDT Treatment with the drug prazosin effectively reduces symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for many people, but about one third of patients don't respond to the treatment at all. Attempts to understand why people respond differently have fallen short. Now, a new study reports that soldiers with higher blood pressure before beginning prazosin treatment see better results from the medication.

Female fish judge males on DIY skills, study shows Posted: 03 Nov 2016 06:10 AM PDT Male fish build nests to suit local environments - and females judge males on their ability to respond to changing conditions, an international team of scientists shows.

Stable biological coating for implants Posted: 03 Nov 2016 06:10 AM PDT The extracellular matrix (ECM) regulates all important cell functions and is an interesting biomaterial for scientists. An ECM has been created that contains artificial chemical groups which supports natural cell behavior outside the body. It can be applied as a stable coating on implants or be used in cell culture dishes.

Global hot spot maps link consumers with impacts Posted: 03 Nov 2016 06:10 AM PDT A new model creates global hot spot maps to illuminate how what we buy pollutes the planet and where. The idea is to help governments, industries and individuals target areas for cleanup.

Safe navigation through the Northwest Passage Posted: 03 Nov 2016 06:09 AM PDT The Northwest Passage is becoming navigable for longer periods of the year. Ship traffic, however, still bears hazardous risks. A German-Canadian research team wants to change that: it is conducting the preparatory work for a safe navigation through the icy waters.

Energy-saving data glasses Posted: 03 Nov 2016 06:09 AM PDT Data glasses mirror information to the eye without interfering with the wearer's vision, report researchers.

Adding hydrogen to graphene Posted: 03 Nov 2016 06:08 AM PDT Adding hydrogen to graphene could improve its future applicability in the semiconductor industry, when silicon leaves off. Researchers have recently gained further insight into this chemical reaction. These findings extend the knowledge of the fundamental chemistry of graphene and bring scientists perhaps closer to realizing new graphene-based materials.

Not eating enough in hospital: Risk factors are the same all over the world Posted: 03 Nov 2016 06:07 AM PDT Inadequate food intake and malnourishment in sick people is an area of concern for health policy and Public Health and one which impacts upon the social economics of countries with both high and low incomes.

Automated assessment of early autism Posted: 03 Nov 2016 06:07 AM PDT Autism Spectrum Disorder is usually diagnosed in early childhood, but genetic detection of this brain disorder could mean more timely interventions that improve life for the patient and their carers. Research suggests that machine learning might be used to analyze genetic data that points to an ASD diagnosis before symptoms become obvious.

Simulation brings global 100% renewable electricity system alive for the first time Posted: 03 Nov 2016 06:07 AM PDT A new model shows how an electricity system mainly based on solar and wind works in all regions of the world. It shows the functioning of an electricity system that fulfils the targets set by the Paris agreement by using only renewable energy sources.

Kids continue to consume too much salt, putting them at risk Posted: 03 Nov 2016 06:07 AM PDT Cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, kills more than 800,000 Americans each year. We know that too much salt may contribute to high blood pressure and increased cardiovascular risk. According to a new study, American children are consuming sodium at levels that far exceed the daily recommended limit. Taste preferences for high sodium foods, formed as children, follow individuals into adulthood and put them at increased risk for developing cardiovascular problems later in life.

Light shed on process of programmed mitochondrial cell death Posted: 02 Nov 2016 04:39 PM PDT Employing a novel sensor made of graphene – a one-atom-thin layer of carbon – researchers have gained new insight into the process of programmed cell death in mitochondria, possibly opening the door to new ways of forcing cancer cells to self-destruct. They also hit a scientific jackpot of sorts by finding that an accepted paradigm of how cells create energy is only half-right.

Lack of brain shrinkage may help predict who develops dementia with Lewy bodies Posted: 02 Nov 2016 04:39 PM PDT Dementia with Lewy bodies is a progressive disease that causes hallucinations, decline in mental abilities, rigid muscles, slow movement and tremors. With symptoms similar to Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, a correct diagnosis can be difficult. A new study shows that a lack of shrinkage in the area of the brain called the hippocampus may be a sign that people with thinking and memory problems may develop dementia with Lewy bodies rather than Alzheimer's disease.

Virtual reality: Hybrid Virtual Environment 3D comes to the cinema Posted: 02 Nov 2016 04:37 PM PDT A researcher compared the virtual reality experience with two different systems: the one with VR headsets versus one with an immersive projection system using a concave-spherical screen, developed by his research team and called Hybrid Virtual Environment 3D (Hyve-3D). He immersed 20 subjects whom preferred the virtual reality without headsets, because they could interact with other viewers and share their impressions in real time.

Whale song 'GPS system': Previously unknown component of whale songs discovered Posted: 02 Nov 2016 12:58 PM PDT Researchers have known for decades that whales create elaborate songs, sometimes projecting their calls for miles underwater. A new study, however, has revealed a previously unknown element of whale songs that could aid this mode of communication, and may play a pivotal role in locating other whales in open ocean.

When corals met algae: Symbiotic relationship crucial to reef survival dates to the Triassic Posted: 02 Nov 2016 12:57 PM PDT The mutually beneficial relationship between algae and modern corals -- which provides algae with shelter, gives coral reefs their colors and supplies both organisms with nutrients -- began more than 210 million years ago, according to a new study by an international team of scientists.

Fluorescent sensor provides low-cost diagnosis of cystic fibrosis Posted: 02 Nov 2016 12:52 PM PDT Scientists have developed a new diagnostic test for cystic fibrosis. The new device provides a cheaper, easier way to detect levels of chloride in sweat, which are elevated in cystic fibrosis patients.

Engineering students creating scoliosis brace that focuses on comfort, fit, design Posted: 02 Nov 2016 12:52 PM PDT Mechanical engineering students are collaborating with a local doctor and a private company to create a brace that, well, fits like a glove—and is just as comfortable.

Questionnaire predicts likelihood of unprotected sex, binge drinking Posted: 02 Nov 2016 12:52 PM PDT Researchers in the social sciences have been searching for a holy grail: an accurate way to predict who is likely to engage in problematic behavior, like using drugs. A new questionnaire significantly outperforms 14 other gold-standard measures frequently used in economics and psychology on these issues.

First time physicists observed, quantified tiny nanoparticle crossing lipid membrane Posted: 02 Nov 2016 11:43 AM PDT A new discovery may raise concerns about safety of nanomaterials for public health and may suggest to revise the security norms at nanoscale bringing attention to the safety of nanomaterials in general.

Supercomputers capture the crush in biological cells Posted: 02 Nov 2016 11:38 AM PDT Using the largest computer in Japan – one of the most powerful in the world – research has achieved breakthroughs in understanding how proteins are affected by realistic biological environments. The work is a significant step forward in simulating biology in a computer.

Prostate drug offers new relief for kidney stone sufferers Posted: 02 Nov 2016 11:35 AM PDT A prostrate treatment can also help ease the pain of passing kidney stones, new research suggests. One in 11 people in the United States suffer from kidney stones, which range in size from a grain of sand to a pearl or even larger, and can be excruciating to pass through the urinary tract.

Bioelectronics at the speed of life Posted: 02 Nov 2016 11:21 AM PDT With a microfabricated ion pump built from organic electronic components, ions can be sent to nerve or muscle cells at the speed of the nervous system and with a precision of a single cell, say scientists.

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