ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Astronomer searches for signs of life on Wolf 1061 exoplanet
• How much drought can a forest take?
• Digital assay of circulating tumor cells may improve diagnosis, monitoring of liver cancer
• Time to put TB on a diet
• Moth gut bacterium defends its host by making antibiotic
• In Alzheimer's, excess tau protein damages brain's GPS
• Curb your immune enthusiasm
• Your 'anonmyized' web browsing history may not be anonymous
• Brain stimulation used like a scalpel to improve memory
• Treated carbon pulls radioactive elements from water
• Researchers identify mechanism of oncogene action in lung cancer
• Roots of related genetic diseases found in cell powerhouses
• Ants find their way even when going backwards
• New method could turbocharge drug discovery, protein research
• Affordable Care Act made cancer screening more accessible for millions, study finds
• The type, not just the amount, of sugar consumption matters in risk of health problems
• Technological progress alone won't stem resource use
• Caves in central China show history of natural flood patterns
• Creating atomic scale nanoribbons
• Advances in imaging detect blunt cerebrovascular injury more frequently in trauma patients
• What causes sleepiness when sickness strikes
• Insecticides mimic melatonin, creating higher risk for diabetes
• Non-Invasive Prenatal Screening's Popularity on the Rise
• Regional sea-level scenarios: Helping US Northeast plan for faster-than-global rise
• One percent of Cambodian children live in orphanages yet have a living parent
• Theorists propose new class of topological metals with exotic electronic properties
• Making AI systems that see the world as humans do
• Research team develops new diagnostic tool to identify tinnitus in animals
• One in five adults secretly access their friends' Facebook accounts
• Meeting the challenges of nanotechnology: Nanoscale catalytic effects for nanotechnology
• Teenagers who access mental health services see significant improvements, study shows
• Rabies viruses reveal wiring in transparent brains
• Statins could halt vein blood clots, research suggests
• 'Marine repairmen': Limpets are construction workers of the seashore
• Quality control inside the cell: How rescue proteins dispose of harmful messages
• Insects also migrate, study shows
• Telecommuting extends the work week, at little extra pay
• Magnetic moment of a single antiproton determined with greatest precision ever
• Harvests in US to suffer from climate change
• Graphene's sleeping superconductivity awakens
• Precision medicine advances pediatric brain tumor diagnosis and treatment
• Climate change prompts Alaska fish to change breeding behavior
• Lap band surgery benefits very obese adolescents
• Public reporting of lung cancer surgery outcomes provides valuable information about quality of patient care
• Chip-sized, high-speed terahertz modulator raises possibility of faster data transmission
• Trapped by the game: Why professional soccer players don't talk about their mental health
• Mars and Venus on the therapist's couch
• Great differences in the view of withdrawing futile intensive care
• New study will help find the best locations for thermal power stations in Iceland
• Employee wages not just linked to skills, but quality of co-workers
• Major Viking Age manor discovered at Birka, Sweden
• New theory may explain mystery of Fairy Circles of Namibia
• Eco-HAB: New quality in research on neuronal basis of social behavior
• More than half of atrial fibrillation patients become asymptomatic after catheter ablation
• School curricula are a reflection of society's expectations
• Protein complex prevents genome instability
• Raw materials for meatballs, falafel from mealworms and crickets
• Molecule flash mob
• Structure of atypical cancer protein paves way for drug development
• Mapping brain in preemies may predict later disability

Astronomer searches for signs of life on Wolf 1061 exoplanet Posted: 19 Jan 2017 01:15 PM PST Astronomers have located the habitable zone, the region where water could exist on the surface of a planet, on the Wolf 1061, a planetary system that's 14 light years away.

How much drought can a forest take? Posted: 19 Jan 2017 11:34 AM PST Why do some trees die in a drought and others don't? And how can we predict where trees are most likely to die in future droughts? Scientists have examined those questions in a new study.

Digital assay of circulating tumor cells may improve diagnosis, monitoring of liver cancer Posted: 19 Jan 2017 11:34 AM PST Use of an advanced form of the commonly used polymerase chain reaction method to analyze circulating tumor cells may greatly increase the ability to diagnose early-stage cancer, increasing the likelihood of successful treatment.

Time to put TB on a diet Posted: 19 Jan 2017 11:33 AM PST The tuberculosis bacillus is growing resistant to antibiotics. For this reason, biochemists are attempting to identify the mechanisms that enable the bacterium to reproduce, spread and survive in latent form in our macrophages. The scientists have discovered that the bacterium has the ability to 'reprogram' the cell it infects so that it can feed on its lipids. This results will pave the way for treatment opportunities based on starving and weakening the bacterium.

Moth gut bacterium defends its host by making antibiotic Posted: 19 Jan 2017 10:46 AM PST Nearly half of all insects are herbivores, but their diets do not consist of only plant material. It is not uncommon for potentially harmful microorganisms to slip in during a feast. Researchers now report that these insects use an ironic strategy to resist microbial infections. A bacterial species commonly found in the gut of the cotton leafworm and other moths secretes a powerful antimicrobial peptide, killing off competitors.

In Alzheimer's, excess tau protein damages brain's GPS Posted: 19 Jan 2017 10:46 AM PST Researchers have linked excess tau protein in the brain to the spatial disorientation that leads to wandering in many Alzheimer's disease patients. The findings, in mice, could lead to early diagnostic tests for Alzheimer's and point to treatments for this common and troubling symptom.

Curb your immune enthusiasm Posted: 19 Jan 2017 10:45 AM PST Scientists have discovered how to prevent undesirable immune attacks on therapeutic viruses.

Your 'anonmyized' web browsing history may not be anonymous Posted: 19 Jan 2017 10:45 AM PST Researchers have written computer programs that found patterns among anonymized data about web traffic and used those patterns to identify individual users. The researchers note web users with active social media are vulnerable to the attack.

Brain stimulation used like a scalpel to improve memory Posted: 19 Jan 2017 10:45 AM PST For the first time, scientists have found that non-invasive brain stimulation can be used like a scalpel to affect a specific improvement in precise memory. Precise memory, rather than general memory, is critical for knowing the building you are looking for has a specific color, shape and location, rather than simply knowing the part of town it's in. Precise memory is crucial for normal functioning, and it is often lost in people with memory disorders.

Treated carbon pulls radioactive elements from water Posted: 19 Jan 2017 10:45 AM PST Scientists have developed inexpensive, oxidized carbon particles that extract radioactive metals from water. They said their materials may help purify contaminated waters stored after the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident.

Researchers identify mechanism of oncogene action in lung cancer Posted: 19 Jan 2017 10:45 AM PST Researchers have identified a genetic promoter of cancer that drives a major form of lung cancer. In a new paper, researchers provide genetic evidence that Ect2 drives lung adenocarcinoma tumor formation.

Roots of related genetic diseases found in cell powerhouses Posted: 19 Jan 2017 09:56 AM PST Scientists have discovered the mechanisms behind a genetic change known to cause a set of related diseases.

Ants find their way even when going backwards Posted: 19 Jan 2017 09:54 AM PST Ants can get their bearings whatever the orientation of their body, new research shows. Their brains may be smaller than the head of a pin, but ants are excellent navigators that use celestial and terrestrial cues to memorize their paths. To do so, they use several regions of the brain simultaneously, proving once again that the brain of insects is more complex than thought.

New method could turbocharge drug discovery, protein research Posted: 19 Jan 2017 09:54 AM PST A team led by scientists has developed a versatile new method that should enhance the discovery of new drugs and the study of proteins.

Affordable Care Act made cancer screening more accessible for millions, study finds Posted: 19 Jan 2017 09:04 AM PST The Affordable Care Act helped make recommended cancer screening more affordable and accessible for millions of Americans, according to new research.

The type, not just the amount, of sugar consumption matters in risk of health problems Posted: 19 Jan 2017 09:04 AM PST The type of sugar you eat—and not just calorie count—may determine your risk for chronic disease. A new study is the first of its kind to compare the effects of two types of sugar on metabolic and vascular function.

Technological progress alone won't stem resource use Posted: 19 Jan 2017 09:02 AM PST While some scientists believe that the world can achieve significant dematerialization through improvements in technology, a new study finds that technological advances alone will not bring about dematerialization and, ultimately, a sustainable world. The researchers found that no matter how much more efficient and compact a product is made, consumers will only demand more of that product and in the long run increase the total amount of materials used in making that product.

Caves in central China show history of natural flood patterns Posted: 19 Jan 2017 09:02 AM PST Researchers have found that major flooding and large amounts of precipitation occur on 500-year cycles in central China. These findings shed light on the forecasting of future floods and improve understanding of climate change over time and the potential mechanism of strong precipitation in monsoon regions.

Creating atomic scale nanoribbons Posted: 19 Jan 2017 09:02 AM PST A recent study has demonstrated the first important step toward integrating atomically precise graphene nanoribbons (APGNRs) onto nonmetallic substrates.

Advances in imaging detect blunt cerebrovascular injury more frequently in trauma patients Posted: 19 Jan 2017 09:02 AM PST Advances in diagnostic imaging technology have meant that more trauma patients are being diagnosed with blunt cerebrovascular injuries, and as a result, stroke and related death rates in these patients have declined significantly over the past 30 years. These changes are due to the evolution of imaging technology, namely CT-scanning, and its wide availability in hospitals large and small, according to a new study.

What causes sleepiness when sickness strikes Posted: 19 Jan 2017 09:02 AM PST It's well known that humans and other animals are fatigued and sleepy when sick, but it's a microscopic roundworm that's providing an explanation of how that occurs.

Insecticides mimic melatonin, creating higher risk for diabetes Posted: 19 Jan 2017 09:02 AM PST Synthetic chemicals commonly found in insecticides and garden products bind to the receptors that govern our biological clocks researchers have found.

Non-Invasive Prenatal Screening's Popularity on the Rise Posted: 19 Jan 2017 08:13 AM PST Genetic counselors are playing a greater role in areas of medicine in the wake of advancement in genomic technology. In the last decade, genetic testing has improved dramatically, enabling medical professionals the ability to screen for common genetic conditions like Down syndrome more accurately beginning at 10 weeks gestation.

Regional sea-level scenarios: Helping US Northeast plan for faster-than-global rise Posted: 19 Jan 2017 08:10 AM PST Sea level in the Northeast and in some other US regions will rise significantly faster than the global average, according to a new report. In a worst-case scenario, global sea level could rise by about 8 feet by 2100, according to the report, which lays out six scenarios intended to inform national and regional planning.

One percent of Cambodian children live in orphanages yet have a living parent Posted: 19 Jan 2017 08:09 AM PST Nearly 80 percent of adolescents living in Cambodia's orphanages have one or more living parents, according to a study. This is the first research of its kind to assess the literacy and health of children living outside of family care in Cambodia.

Theorists propose new class of topological metals with exotic electronic properties Posted: 19 Jan 2017 08:09 AM PST Researchers have proposed a theory-based approach to characterize a class of metals that possess exotic electronic properties that could help scientists find other, similarly-endowed materials.

Making AI systems that see the world as humans do Posted: 19 Jan 2017 08:09 AM PST An artificial intelligence system has been developed that performs at human levels on a standard intelligence test.

Research team develops new diagnostic tool to identify tinnitus in animals Posted: 19 Jan 2017 08:09 AM PST A behavioral tool has been developed that may significantly aid in understanding the underlying mechanisms of tinnitus, ultimately leading to new drugs and treatment methods, report scientists.

One in five adults secretly access their friends' Facebook accounts Posted: 19 Jan 2017 07:02 AM PST Most people are concerned about the prospect of their social media accounts being hacked, but a new study finds that it's actually people we know who frequently access our accounts without our permission.

Meeting the challenges of nanotechnology: Nanoscale catalytic effects for nanotechnology Posted: 19 Jan 2017 07:02 AM PST Scientists show nanoscale modifications to the edge region of nanocontacts to nanowires can be used to engineer the electrical function of the interfaces.

Teenagers who access mental health services see significant improvements, study shows Posted: 19 Jan 2017 07:02 AM PST Young people with mental health problems who have contact with mental health services are significantly less likely to suffer from clinical depression later in their adolescence than those with equivalent difficulties who do not receive treatment, according to new research.

Rabies viruses reveal wiring in transparent brains Posted: 19 Jan 2017 07:02 AM PST Scientists have harnessed rabies viruses for assessing the connectivity of nerve cell transplants: coupled with a green fluorescent protein, the viruses show where replacement cells engrafted into mouse brains have connected to the host neural network. A clearing procedure which turns the brain into a 'glass-like state' and light sheet fluorescence microscopy are used to visualize host-graft connections in a whole-brain preparation.

Statins could halt vein blood clots, research suggests Posted: 19 Jan 2017 07:02 AM PST Statins could hold the key to eradicating one of the most preventable causes of hospital deaths after researchers uncovered a new role for the cholesterol-lowering pill.

'Marine repairmen': Limpets are construction workers of the seashore Posted: 19 Jan 2017 07:02 AM PST New research shows that limpets can repair their damaged shells with biological material so that they are as strong as the originals. However, they are still vulnerable to multiple impacts and 'spalling' -- a well-known cause of failure in engineering materials such as concrete.

Quality control inside the cell: How rescue proteins dispose of harmful messages Posted: 19 Jan 2017 07:02 AM PST The ability to dispose of proteins that are either aberrant or (in the worst case) toxic is fundamental to a cell's survival. Researchers have been able to demonstrate the manner in which two specific proteins recognize defective messenger RNAs (molecules that carry the 'assembly instructions' for protein synthesis) and trigger their destruction.

Insects also migrate, study shows Posted: 19 Jan 2017 06:58 AM PST Insects engage in the largest continental migration on Earth, new research indicates. Some 3.5 trillion insects in Southern Britain alone migrate each year – a biomass eight times that of bird migration. The researchers fear that global warming may significantly increase the number of insects, potentially affecting various ecosystems in different parts of the world

Telecommuting extends the work week, at little extra pay Posted: 19 Jan 2017 06:58 AM PST Telecommuting may not be as advantageous as employees think. A new study shows working from home adds extra hours to the work week, at little additional pay. The findings may change workers' perceptions of the value of telecommuting and could spur employers to better define the work-at-home workday.

Magnetic moment of a single antiproton determined with greatest precision ever Posted: 19 Jan 2017 06:57 AM PST Physicists have published the most accurate measurement of a fundamental property of the antiproton to date. This research represents a contribution to the matter-antimatter debate.

Harvests in US to suffer from climate change Posted: 19 Jan 2017 05:46 AM PST Some of the most important crops risk substantial damage from rising temperatures. To better assess how climate change caused by human greenhouse gas emissions will likely impact wheat, maize and soybean, an international team of scientists now ran an unprecedentedly comprehensive set of computer simulations of US crop yields. Importantly, the scientists find that increased irrigation can help to reduce the negative effects of global warming on crops -- but this is possible only in regions where sufficient water is available.

Graphene's sleeping superconductivity awakens Posted: 19 Jan 2017 05:46 AM PST The intrinsic ability of graphene to superconduct (or carry an electrical current with no resistance) has been activated for the first time. This further widens the potential of graphene as a material that could be used in fields such as energy storage, high-speed computing, and molecular electronics.

Precision medicine advances pediatric brain tumor diagnosis and treatment Posted: 19 Jan 2017 05:46 AM PST In the largest clinical study to date of genetic abnormalities in pediatric brain tumors, researchers performed clinical testing on more than 200 tumor samples and found that a majority had genetic irregularities that could influence how the disease was diagnosed and/or treated with approved drugs or agents being evaluated in clinical trials.

Climate change prompts Alaska fish to change breeding behavior Posted: 19 Jan 2017 05:41 AM PST One of Alaska's most abundant freshwater fish species is altering its breeding patterns in response to climate change, which could impact the ecology of northern lakes that already acutely feel the effects of a changing climate, research suggests.

Lap band surgery benefits very obese adolescents Posted: 19 Jan 2017 05:41 AM PST Lap band surgery has significant benefits for severely obese teenagers and, despite its controversial nature, should still be considered as a first option to manage obesity during adolescence, a new study has found.

Public reporting of lung cancer surgery outcomes provides valuable information about quality of patient care Posted: 19 Jan 2017 05:40 AM PST The first publicly accessible national report of outcomes from lobectomy has now been released by experts.

Chip-sized, high-speed terahertz modulator raises possibility of faster data transmission Posted: 19 Jan 2017 05:40 AM PST Engineers have invented a chip-sized, high-speed modulator that operates at terahertz (THz) frequencies and at room temperature at low voltages without consuming DC power. The discovery could help fill the "THz gap" that is limiting development of new and more powerful wireless devices that could transmit data at significantly higher speeds than currently possible.

Trapped by the game: Why professional soccer players don't talk about their mental health Posted: 19 Jan 2017 05:39 AM PST Professional soccer players do not feel it is safe to show vulnerability or admit to experiencing emotional struggles, suggests a new report.

Mars and Venus on the therapist's couch Posted: 19 Jan 2017 05:39 AM PST Generally speaking, men want a quick fix from psychological therapy and women want to talk about their feelings, concludes a new study.

Great differences in the view of withdrawing futile intensive care Posted: 19 Jan 2017 05:38 AM PST The views among physicians and the general public when it comes to deciding whether to withhold or withdraw treatment of terminally ill patients differ greatly. However, in a hypothetical case study of a clearly hopeless medical case, great unanimity among physicians' and the public's assessments could be seen with regards to cancelling treatment or offering relief at the final stages of life.

New study will help find the best locations for thermal power stations in Iceland Posted: 19 Jan 2017 05:38 AM PST A new research article gives indications of the best places in Iceland to build thermal power stations.

Employee wages not just linked to skills, but quality of co-workers Posted: 19 Jan 2017 05:38 AM PST The presence of high-performing co-workers can improve an individual's earnings, research has shown.

Major Viking Age manor discovered at Birka, Sweden Posted: 19 Jan 2017 05:38 AM PST For centuries it has been speculated where the manor of the royal bailiff of Birka, Herigar, might have been located. New geophysical results provide evidence of its location at Korshamn, outside the town rampart of the Viking Age proto-town Birka in Sweden.

New theory may explain mystery of Fairy Circles of Namibia Posted: 19 Jan 2017 05:38 AM PST One of nature's greatest mysteries -- the 'Fairy Circles' of Namibia -- may have been unraveled by researchers. The study suggests that the interaction between termite engineering and the self-organization of vegetation could be jointly responsible for the phenomenon.

Eco-HAB: New quality in research on neuronal basis of social behavior Posted: 19 Jan 2017 05:35 AM PST How the brain controls social behaviors and what exactly the neuronal impairments causing its pathologies are, is yet to be determined. To better understand mechanisms in play, scientists perform thousands of tests of social interactions, usually conducted in mice. However, such assays are highly irreproducible, which significantly impedes making new discoveries. To address this issue scientists have built a murine "Big Brother": a computerized system called Eco-HAB, designed to screen mice for impairments of social behavior.

More than half of atrial fibrillation patients become asymptomatic after catheter ablation Posted: 19 Jan 2017 05:35 AM PST More than half of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) become asymptomatic after catheter ablation, reports the largest study of the procedure.

School curricula are a reflection of society's expectations Posted: 19 Jan 2017 05:35 AM PST In a pioneering project, researchers studied the development of school curricula in Switzerland's three main language regions. This project clearly showed that ever since the Swiss school system was created in 1830 the importance and content of every subject in the curriculum, whether language, history, handicraft or physical education, has been in flux.

Protein complex prevents genome instability Posted: 19 Jan 2017 05:35 AM PST An international research collaboration is investigating the repair process of a serious form of DNA damage that can lead to instability of genetic material and tumor formation. The researchers are studying the roles of groups of proteins that control the repair of double-stranded breaks (DSBs) in DNA that occur from internal or external sources, such as UV irradiation.

Raw materials for meatballs, falafel from mealworms and crickets Posted: 19 Jan 2017 05:35 AM PST A research team has developed food ingredients from mealworms and crickets which, due to their promising structure and flavor, have the potential to be used in the manufacture of foods such as meatballs and falafel. EU legislation will change in the coming years, and the farming of insects and their processing for consumption will become a business activity also in Europe, they say.

Molecule flash mob Posted: 19 Jan 2017 05:35 AM PST Neurotransmitter transporters are some of the most popular transport proteins in research as they play a major role in the processing of signals in the brain. A new study has now successfully demonstrated for the first time the structural impact of membrane lipids on medically relevant serotonin transporters.

Structure of atypical cancer protein paves way for drug development Posted: 18 Jan 2017 03:20 PM PST The elusive structure of a cancer cell receptor protein has been uncovered by researchers. This protein can be leveraged to fight disease progression, say investigators.

Mapping brain in preemies may predict later disability Posted: 18 Jan 2017 03:19 PM PST Scanning a premature infant's brain shortly after birth to map the location and volume of lesions, small areas of injury in the brain's white matter, may help doctors better predict whether the baby will have disabilities later, according to a new study.

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