ScienceDaily: Top News

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• In pandemic, parents who get reminders more likely to get kids vaccinated
• Renal stenting does not improve outcomes for renal artery stenosis patients
• Statin use not linked to a decline in cognitive function
• Pressure cooking to improve electric car batteries
• The big male nose: Why men's noses are bigger than women's
• Optimizing electronic correlations for superconductivity
• Researchers use simple scaling theory to better predict gas production in barnett shale wells
• Bacteria recycle broken DNA: Modern bacteria can add DNA from creatures long-dead to its own
• Promiscuous mouse moms bear sexier sons
• A superconductor-surrogate earns its stripes
• SlipChip counts molecules with chemistry and a cell phone
• Consistent bed, wake time linked to healthier weight
• Low-fat fish oil changes cancer tissue in prostate cancer, study shows
• Deep-space radiation hazards documented and quantified
• After 84 years, von Neumann-Day math problem finally solved
• New approach to identify possible ecological effects of releasing genetically engineered insects
• Refined materials provide booster shot for solar energy conversion
• New 5-D method to understand big data
• 'Respiratory disorder' in the ocean
• Graphene nanoribbons with nanopores created for fast DNA sequencing
• Preventing antibiotic resistance in hospital textiles
• Graphene: Minor rotation of 'chicken wire' has major consequences
• DIY and save: A scientist's guide to making your own lab equipment
• Structure of key part of deadly nipah virus captured
• Evidence found for granite on Mars: Red Planet more more geologically complex than thought
• World's smallest FM radio transmitter
• Canadians' foreign policy priority: Climate change
• Study reveals potential breakthrough in hearing technology
• Long-term oral contraceptive users twice as likely to have serious eye disease
• Depression in pregnancy: New study shows preferences for therapy over medication
• With board games, it's how children count that counts
• Ancient, modern DNA tell story of first humans in the Americas
• Influence of pro-smoking media messages lasts 7 days, study finds
• Amber provides new insights into the evolution of Earth's atmosphere: Low oxygen levels for dinosaurs
• More than 600 ancient seals and amulets found in Turkey
• Together alone: Sportive lemurs stay individualists in relationships
• Digital radio requires high data rate
• Untreated HIV carriers transmit resistant viruses
• Human error most common cause of birth asphyxia: Poor fetal monitoring in 50% of cases, Norwegian study shows
• Bitter melon extract may have potential to fight head, neck cancer
• Comparing outcomes of device for chest compressions vs manual CPR
• Rate of aortic valve replacement for elderly patients increased; outcomes improved
• Researchers develop formula to more accurately calculate 'bad' cholesterol
• Novel gene variant discovered in severe childhood asthma

In pandemic, parents who get reminders more likely to get kids vaccinated Posted: 18 Nov 2013 04:32 PM PST A new study found that the state immunization registry -- the public health database that tracks vaccinations -- can be an effective tool to encourage influenza vaccinations during a pandemic.

Renal stenting does not improve outcomes for renal artery stenosis patients Posted: 18 Nov 2013 04:32 PM PST According to the findings from an American national research trial, people who suffer from a narrowing of the arteries that lead to the kidneys, or renal artery stenosis, do not experience better outcomes when renal stenting is used. Instead, a comprehensive regimen of drug and medical therapies works just as well.

Statin use not linked to a decline in cognitive function Posted: 18 Nov 2013 04:32 PM PST Based on the largest comprehensive systematic review to date, researchers concluded that available evidence does not support an association between statins and memory loss or dementia.

Pressure cooking to improve electric car batteries Posted: 18 Nov 2013 01:00 PM PST Researchers have redesigned the component materials of the battery in an environmentally friendly way to solve some of the problems associated with electric car batteries. By creating nanoparticles with a controlled shape, they believe smaller, more powerful and energy efficient batteries can be built.

The big male nose: Why men's noses are bigger than women's Posted: 18 Nov 2013 01:00 PM PST Why are men's noses bigger than women's? The answer, according to a new study lies in our physiology. Men's noses are about 10 percent larger than female noses, on average, because males have more lean muscle mass, which requires more oxygen for muscle tissue growth and maintenance. It also explains why we have smaller noses than our ancestors.

Optimizing electronic correlations for superconductivity Posted: 18 Nov 2013 01:00 PM PST Researchers find that electrons teetering on the edge of free motion or stuck in place yield optimal superconductivity. Their work explains common characteristics between two different superconducting iron compounds and may help in the search for better "high-temperature" superconductors.

Researchers use simple scaling theory to better predict gas production in barnett shale wells Posted: 18 Nov 2013 01:00 PM PST Researchers have developed a simple scaling theory to estimate gas production from hydraulically fractured wells in the Barnett Shale. The method is intended to help the energy industry accurately identify low- and high-producing horizontal wells, as well as accurately predict how long it will take for gas reserves to deplete in the wells.

Bacteria recycle broken DNA: Modern bacteria can add DNA from creatures long-dead to its own Posted: 18 Nov 2013 12:58 PM PST From a bacteria's perspective the environment is one big DNA waste yard. Researchers have now shown that bacteria can take up small as well as large pieces of old DNA from this scrapheap and include it in their own genome. This discovery may have major consequences – both in connection with resistance to antibiotics in hospitals and in our perception of the evolution of life itself.

Promiscuous mouse moms bear sexier sons Posted: 18 Nov 2013 12:29 PM PST Biologists found that when mother mice compete socially for mates in a promiscuous environment, their sons play hard and die young. They attract more females by making more urinary pheromones, but smelling sexier shortens their lives.

A superconductor-surrogate earns its stripes Posted: 18 Nov 2013 11:18 AM PST Understanding superconductivity -- whereby certain materials can conduct electricity without any loss of energy -- has proved to be one of the most persistent problems in modern physics. Now scientists have teased out another important tangle from this giant ball of string, bringing us a significant step closer to understanding how high-temperature superconductors work their magic.

SlipChip counts molecules with chemistry and a cell phone Posted: 18 Nov 2013 10:30 AM PST Limited access to expensive equipment and trained professionals can impede the diagnosis and treatment of disease. Qualitative tests that provide a "yes" or "no" answer (like at-home pregnancy tests) have been optimized for resource-limited settings, but most quantitative tests -- needed to determine precise concentrations, like viral loads -- are still done in a laboratory. Using a lab-on-a-chip device and a smartphone, researchers developed a method to determine the concentration of HIV RNA in a sample.

Consistent bed, wake time linked to healthier weight Posted: 18 Nov 2013 10:30 AM PST Prior research has shown not getting enough sleep can impact your weight, but new research finds the consistency of your bed time and wake time can also influence body fat.

Low-fat fish oil changes cancer tissue in prostate cancer, study shows Posted: 18 Nov 2013 10:30 AM PST Men with prostate cancer who ate a low-fat diet and took fish oil supplements had lower levels of pro-inflammatory substances in their blood and a lower cell cycle progression score, a measure used to predict cancer recurrence, than men who ate a typical Western diet, researchers found.

Deep-space radiation hazards documented and quantified Posted: 18 Nov 2013 10:30 AM PST Scientists have published comprehensive findings on space-based radiation as measured by a detector aboard NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. The data provide critical information on the radiation hazards that will be faced by astronauts on extended missions to deep space such as those to Mars.

After 84 years, von Neumann-Day math problem finally solved Posted: 18 Nov 2013 10:30 AM PST A famous math problem that has vexed mathematicians for decades has finally met an elegant solution. Mathematicians have now described a geometric solution for the von Neumann-Day problem, first described by mathematician John von Neumann in 1929.

New approach to identify possible ecological effects of releasing genetically engineered insects Posted: 18 Nov 2013 10:30 AM PST Researchers have developed a new approach for identifying potential environmental effects of deliberate releases of genetically engineered insects.

Refined materials provide booster shot for solar energy conversion Posted: 18 Nov 2013 10:29 AM PST Researchers have set their sights on improving the materials that make solar energy conversion/photocatalysis possible. Together, they have developed a new form of high-performance solar photocatalyst based on the combination of the titanium dioxide and other "metallic" oxides that greatly enhance the visible light absorption and promote more efficient utilization of the solar spectrum for energy applications.

New 5-D method to understand big data Posted: 18 Nov 2013 10:24 AM PST Scientists have developed a new method to display large amounts of data in a color-coded, easy-to-read graph. Neuroscientists originally designed the method to interpret enormous amounts of data derived from their research on the human brain. The method, called a five dimensional (5D) colorimetric technique, is able to graph spatiotemporal data (data that includes both space and time), which has not previously been achieved. Until now, spatiotemporal problems were analyzed either from a spatial perspective or from a time-based approach.

'Respiratory disorder' in the ocean Posted: 18 Nov 2013 08:19 AM PST For more than four months, ocean scientists investigated the oxygen-poor upwelling regions in the tropical Pacific off Peru. First results show how eddies in the ocean influence the oxygen and nutrient distribution in the oxygen-poor regions.

Graphene nanoribbons with nanopores created for fast DNA sequencing Posted: 18 Nov 2013 08:19 AM PST Researchers have made an advance towards realizing a new gene sequencing technique based on threading DNA through a tiny hole in a layer of graphene. Earlier versions of the technique only made use of graphene's unbeatable thinness, but scientists now show how the material's unique electrical properties may be employed to make faster and more sensitive sequencing devices.

Preventing antibiotic resistance in hospital textiles Posted: 18 Nov 2013 07:24 AM PST "Antibiotic resistance threatens a return to the pre-antibiotic era". The World Health Organization uses this strong expression when referring to a phenomenon that is rapidly spreading: the increasing resistance of microorganisms to antimicrobial medicines, such as antibiotics. WHO estimates indicate that the excess mortality due to resistant bacterial hospital infections exceeds 25,000 every year, in Europe.

Graphene: Minor rotation of 'chicken wire' has major consequences Posted: 18 Nov 2013 07:24 AM PST Since the discovery of graphene, a great future has been predicted for the material, which is strong and highly conductive. The just one atom layer thick carbon can lead to new electronics. Examples include printable and flexible electronics, touch screens and OLEDs. For this, interaction with other materials is necessary, however. Researchers have now examined what happens at the interface with other materials and have thus brought graphene electronics a step closer.

DIY and save: A scientist's guide to making your own lab equipment Posted: 18 Nov 2013 07:22 AM PST Joshua Pearce has penned a how-to book on the open-source 3-D printing technology that could revolutionize how science is done all over the world.

Structure of key part of deadly nipah virus captured Posted: 18 Nov 2013 06:15 AM PST Researchers have solved the structure of a key protein in the Nipah virus, which could pave the way for the development of a much-needed antiviral drug.

Evidence found for granite on Mars: Red Planet more more geologically complex than thought Posted: 18 Nov 2013 06:15 AM PST Researchers now have stronger evidence of granite on Mars and a new theory for how the granite -- an igneous rock common on Earth -- could have formed there, according to a new study. The findings suggest a much more geologically complex Mars than previously believed.

World's smallest FM radio transmitter Posted: 18 Nov 2013 06:15 AM PST Scientists have taken advantage of graphene's special properties —- its mechanical strength and electrical conduction —- and created a nano-mechanical system that can create FM signals, in effect the world's smallest FM radio transmitter.

Canadians' foreign policy priority: Climate change Posted: 18 Nov 2013 06:14 AM PST Canadians do not share the federal government's opinion when it comes to the fight against climate change. Canada should work more closely with other countries to address this issue, according to 63% of the participants in a new survey.

Study reveals potential breakthrough in hearing technology Posted: 18 Nov 2013 06:14 AM PST Computer engineers and hearing scientists have made a potential breakthrough in solving a 50-year-old problem in hearing technology: how to help the hearing-impaired understand speech in the midst of background noise.

Long-term oral contraceptive users twice as likely to have serious eye disease Posted: 18 Nov 2013 06:14 AM PST Research has found that women who have taken oral contraceptives for three or more years are twice as likely to suffer from glaucoma, one of the leading causes of blindness which affects nearly 60 million worldwide. The researchers caution gynecologists and ophthalmologists to be aware of the fact that oral contraceptives might play a role in glaucomatous diseases, and inform patients to have their eyes screened for glaucoma if they also have other risk factors.

Depression in pregnancy: New study shows preferences for therapy over medication Posted: 18 Nov 2013 06:14 AM PST Women with depression in the perinatal period experience a high degree of conflict in deciding whether and how to treat their depression, but strongly prefer treatments other than antidepressant medications, reports a study.

With board games, it's how children count that counts Posted: 18 Nov 2013 05:12 AM PST Researchers have examined whether playing board games can help children improve math skills. It turns out the method children use to count as they move their tokens on a board game is directly linked to their gains in numeracy. The new study suggests parents and teachers need to direct children's attention to the numbers on the board game in order to realize math gains.

Ancient, modern DNA tell story of first humans in the Americas Posted: 18 Nov 2013 05:12 AM PST An anthropology professor has looked to DNA to tell the story of how ancient humans first came to the Americas and what happened to them once they were here.

Influence of pro-smoking media messages lasts 7 days, study finds Posted: 18 Nov 2013 05:12 AM PST A first-of-its-kind study finds that an exposure to a single pro-smoking media message increases college-aged students' risk of using tobacco for seven days. The project is the first to attempt to quantify the persistence that cigarette advertising and other pro-smoking media messages have on consumers and has implications for policies that limit tobacco advertising and other efforts aimed at curbing youth tobacco use.

Amber provides new insights into the evolution of Earth's atmosphere: Low oxygen levels for dinosaurs Posted: 18 Nov 2013 05:10 AM PST Scientists have reconstructed the composition of the Earth's atmosphere of the last 220 million years by analyzing modern and fossil plant resins. The results suggest that atmospheric oxygen was considerably lower in the Earth's geological past than previously assumed. This new study questions some of the current theories about the evolution of climate and life, including the causes for the gigantism of dinosaurs.

More than 600 ancient seals and amulets found in Turkey Posted: 18 Nov 2013 05:10 AM PST Archaeologists have made an unusually large find in Turkey which has provided surprisingly vivid insights into the piety of the time. They discovered more than 600 stamp seals and cylinder seals at the sacred site of the storm and weather god Jupiter Dolichenus.

Together alone: Sportive lemurs stay individualists in relationships Posted: 18 Nov 2013 05:09 AM PST During a one-year field study in Southern Madagascar scientists discovered that nocturnal white-footed sportive lemurs share a common territory with a pair partner of the opposite sex. This result clarified conflicting earlier reports on the social organization of this species.

Digital radio requires high data rate Posted: 18 Nov 2013 05:09 AM PST The digital radio DAB+ (Digital Audio Broadcast) must be assigned the capacity to broadcast with a high data rate, otherwise there is a risk for an inferior audio quality.

Untreated HIV carriers transmit resistant viruses Posted: 18 Nov 2013 05:09 AM PST Human-Immunodeficiency Viruses that resist AIDS medicines are primarily transmitted by people who are not actually undergoing treatment. In order to prevent a spread of the resistant viruses increased efforts in prevention and early diagnosis of new infections are needed, as concluded by the Swiss HIV Cohort Study.

Human error most common cause of birth asphyxia: Poor fetal monitoring in 50% of cases, Norwegian study shows Posted: 18 Nov 2013 05:09 AM PST Human error is the most common cause of infant asphyxiation at birth, new research shows. Inadequate fetal monitoring, lack of clinical skills, and failure to obtain senior medical staff assistance are most often cited in Norwegian compensation claims following birth asphyxia.

Bitter melon extract may have potential to fight head, neck cancer Posted: 18 Nov 2013 05:08 AM PST Preliminary findings show bitter melon reduces cancer cell growth in animal model.

Comparing outcomes of device for chest compressions vs manual CPR Posted: 17 Nov 2013 12:57 PM PST Researchers assessed whether cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in which chest compressions are delivered with a mechanical device would result in superior 4-hour survival in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest compared to CPR with manual chest compression.

Rate of aortic valve replacement for elderly patients increased; outcomes improved Posted: 17 Nov 2013 12:57 PM PST Researchers have assessed procedure rates and outcomes of surgical aortic valve replacement among 82,755,924 Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries between 1999 and 2011.

Researchers develop formula to more accurately calculate 'bad' cholesterol Posted: 17 Nov 2013 12:54 PM PST Researchers have developed a more accurate way to calculate low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the so-called "bad" form of blood fat that can lead to hardening of the arteries and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. If confirmed and adopted by medical laboratories that routinely calculate blood cholesterol for patients, the researchers say their formula would give patients and their doctors a much more accurate assessment of LDL cholesterol.

Novel gene variant discovered in severe childhood asthma Posted: 17 Nov 2013 12:54 PM PST An international scientific team has discovered a gene associated with a high risk of severe childhood asthma. The specific gene variant may be an actual cause of this form of asthma, a leading cause of hospitalization in young children.

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