ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Peptoid nanosheets at the oil-water interface
• Newly identified galactic supercluster is home to the Milky Way
• Carbon stored in worlds soils more vulnerable to climate change than expected
• Tree frogs speed up their life cycle when becoming lunch
• Insights into severe form of dwarfism
• Exposure of pregnant women to parabens and triclosan may disrupt the growth of boys
• 'Clear' choice for clearing 3-D cell cultures
• Changing temperature powers sensors in hard-to-reach places
• New discovery could help turn antibiotic into antimalarial drug
• Breakthrough for carbon nanotube solar cells: Twice as efficient as current models
• Wide gap in compensation from '07 South Korean oil spill
• Nature or nurture? It's all about the message
• Direct brain-to-brain communication demonstrated in human subjects
• 'Family meal' ideal is stressful, impossible for many families
• 'Brightpoints': New clues to determining the solar cycle
• Global snapshot of infectious canine cancer shows how to control disease
• Scientists discover how to 'switch off' autoimmune diseases
• Estrogen increases cannabis sensitivity, study shows
• How much may German beers be contaminated by microplastics?
• Why HIV patients develop dementia
• Ethanol fireplaces: The underestimated risk
• On the way to a safe and secure Smart Home
• Cosmic forecast: Dark clouds will give way to sunshine
• Allergic reaction to antibiotic residues in foods? You may have to watch what your fruits and veggies eat
• For kids with both asthma and obesity, which came first?
• Cockatoos go to carpentry school
• Protein in plasma may one day change transfusions
• Household air pollution puts more than one in three people worldwide at risk of ill health, early death
• Economic success drives language extinction
• Sex hormone levels in blood linked to risk of sudden cardiac arrest
• New treatment options for staph infections, inflammatory diseases
• An hour of moderate exercise a day may decrease heart failure risk
• Uphill climb for mountain species?
• Researchers examine effectiveness of blocking nerve to help with weight loss
• Increase seen in use of double mastectomy, although not associated with reduced death
• Comparison of named diet programs finds little difference in weight loss outcomes
• Cool calculations for cold atoms: New theory of universal three-body encounters
• Sabotage as therapy: Aiming lupus antibodies at vulnerable cancer cells
• New synthesis method may shape future of nanostructures, clean energy
• Teens, young adults who abuse prescription at high risk for overdose: NYC study
• Oceans apart: Study reveals insights into evolution of languages
• Oil spills and marine snow: Changing microbial dynamics in the wake of the Macondo blowout
• Potential for 'in body' muscle regeneration, rodent study suggests
• Scientists make diseased cells synthesize their own drug
• Ocean Mappers Discover Seamount in Pacific Ocean
• Key to first cell differentiation in mammals found
• Renewable fossil fuel alternative created using bacteria
• Family conflicts, other non-physical worries before cancer surgery raise patients' complication risk

Peptoid nanosheets at the oil-water interface Posted: 03 Sep 2014 10:33 AM PDT Researchers have developed peptoid nanosheets that form at the interface between oil and water, opening the door to increased structural complexity and chemical functionality for a broad range of applications.

Newly identified galactic supercluster is home to the Milky Way Posted: 03 Sep 2014 10:33 AM PDT Astronomers using the Green Bank Telescope -- among other telescopes -- have determined that our own Milky Way galaxy is part of a newly identified ginormous supercluster of galaxies, which they have dubbed 'Laniakea,' which means 'immense heaven' in Hawaiian.

Carbon stored in worlds soils more vulnerable to climate change than expected Posted: 03 Sep 2014 10:33 AM PDT The response of soil microbial communities to changes in temperature increases the potential for more carbon dioxide to be released from the world's soils as global temperatures rise, scientists have revealed.

Tree frogs speed up their life cycle when becoming lunch Posted: 03 Sep 2014 09:19 AM PDT Think again if you've always believed that events in the life cycle of animals happen consistently, almost rigidly, as part of the natural rhythm of nature. Studies show that Mother Nature is much more flexible than you might think.

Insights into severe form of dwarfism Posted: 03 Sep 2014 09:19 AM PDT A better understanding of the pathology of a severe form of dwarfism as well as a possible window of treatment have been discovered by researchers. Pseudoachondroplasia (PSACH) is a disorder that affects the cells in the growth plate, resulting in dwarfism, limb deformities, joint pain and early onset osteoarthritis. Children with PSACH show no signs of it at birth. Slowing of the long bone growth begins around age 2 and the cellular damage becomes extensive by age 4.

Exposure of pregnant women to parabens and triclosan may disrupt the growth of boys Posted: 03 Sep 2014 09:18 AM PDT Medical researchers have found that exposure to certain common phenols during pregnancy, especially parabens and triclosan, may disrupt growth of boys during fetal growth and the first years of life. Parabens are commonly used as preservatives in cosmetics and healthcare products and triclosan are an antibacterial agent and pesticide found in some toothpastes and soaps.

'Clear' choice for clearing 3-D cell cultures Posted: 03 Sep 2014 09:18 AM PDT Scientists have hailed recent demonstrations of chemical technologies for making animal tissues see-through, but a new study is the first to evaluate three such technologies side-by-side for use with engineered 3-D tissue cultures.

Changing temperature powers sensors in hard-to-reach places Posted: 03 Sep 2014 09:17 AM PDT Researchers have taken inspiration from a centuries-old clock design and created a power harvester that uses natural fluctuations in temperature and pressure as its power source.

New discovery could help turn antibiotic into antimalarial drug Posted: 03 Sep 2014 07:58 AM PDT Researchers are making progress towards new antimalarial drugs, after revealing how an antibiotic called emetine blocks the molecular machinery that produces the proteins required for malaria parasite survival.

Breakthrough for carbon nanotube solar cells: Twice as efficient as current models Posted: 03 Sep 2014 07:58 AM PDT Lighter, more flexible, and cheaper than conventional solar-cell materials, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have long shown promise for photovoltaics. But research stalled when CNTs proved to be inefficient, converting far less sunlight into power than other methods. Scientists have now developed a carbon nanotube solar cell that is twice as efficient as its predecessors.

Wide gap in compensation from '07 South Korean oil spill Posted: 03 Sep 2014 07:58 AM PDT Scholars have found a considerable gap between the economic loss claimed by residents and the compensation they received after the Hebei Spirit oil spill. Only 11 percent of the claims were approved for compensation.

Nature or nurture? It's all about the message Posted: 03 Sep 2014 07:57 AM PDT Simply telling people that hard work is more important than genetics causes positive changes in the brain and may make them willing to try harder, a study shows. "Giving people messages that encourage learning and motivation may promote more efficient performance," said the lead investigator. "In contrast, telling people that intelligence is genetically fixed may inadvertently hamper learning."

Direct brain-to-brain communication demonstrated in human subjects Posted: 03 Sep 2014 07:56 AM PDT In a first-of-its-kind study, an international team of neuroscientists and robotics engineers has demonstrated the viability of direct brain-to-brain communication in humans.

'Family meal' ideal is stressful, impossible for many families Posted: 03 Sep 2014 07:56 AM PDT Magazines, television and other popular media increasingly urge families to return to the kitchen, stressing the importance of home-cooked meals and family dinners to physical health and family well-being. But new research shows that home cooking and family meals place significant stresses on many families -- and are simply impossible for others.

'Brightpoints': New clues to determining the solar cycle Posted: 03 Sep 2014 07:47 AM PDT Approximately every 11 years, the sun undergoes a complete personality change from quiet and calm to violently active. However, the timing of the solar cycle is far from precise. Now, researchers have discovered a new marker to track the course of the solar cycle -- brightpoints, little bright spots in the solar atmosphere that allow us to observe the constant roiling of material inside the sun.

Global snapshot of infectious canine cancer shows how to control disease Posted: 03 Sep 2014 06:22 AM PDT While countries with dog control policies have curbed an infectious and gruesome canine cancer, the disease is continuing to lurk in the majority of dog populations around the world, particularly in areas with many free-roaming dogs, researchers report.

Scientists discover how to 'switch off' autoimmune diseases Posted: 03 Sep 2014 06:21 AM PDT Scientists have made an important breakthrough in the fight against debilitating autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis by revealing how to stop cells attacking healthy body tissue. Rather than the body's immune system destroying its own tissue by mistake, researchers have discovered how cells convert from being aggressive to actually protecting against disease.

Estrogen increases cannabis sensitivity, study shows Posted: 03 Sep 2014 06:21 AM PDT Smoking today's concentrated pot might be risky business for women, according to new research. Thanks to their estrogen levels, female rats are at least 30 percent more sensitive than males to the pain-relieving qualities of THC -- the key active ingredient in cannabis, research shows. Females also develop tolerance to THC more quickly. These sensitivities could increase vulnerability to negative side effects like anxiety, paranoia and addiction.

How much may German beers be contaminated by microplastics? Posted: 03 Sep 2014 06:19 AM PDT If you're going to Oktoberfest next month to enjoy the delights of German beer, you might get more than you bargained for. New research has revealed the extent to which German beers may be contaminated by foreign substances, most notably, microplastics.

Why HIV patients develop dementia Posted: 03 Sep 2014 06:19 AM PDT Since the introduction of the combination anti-retroviral therapy (cART) in the mid-90s, the life expectancy of HIV patients has significantly improved. As a result, long-term complications are becoming more relevant: almost every second HIV patient is affected by neurocognitive disorders, which can lead to dementia. Researchers have now successfully identified mechanisms how infected cells can activate brain-specific immune cells which subsequently display harmful behaviour and lead to the destruction of neurons.

Ethanol fireplaces: The underestimated risk Posted: 03 Sep 2014 06:17 AM PDT Ethanol fireplaces are becoming more and more popular. However, they are not only  highly combustible -- in the past, severe accents have occurred repeatedly with decorative fireplaces. The devices also pollute the air in the rooms.

On the way to a safe and secure Smart Home Posted: 03 Sep 2014 06:17 AM PDT A growing number of household operations can be managed via the Internet. Today's "Smart Home" promises efficient building management. But often the systems are not secure and can only be retrofitted at great expense. Scientists are working on a software product that defends against hacker attacks before they reach the building.

Cosmic forecast: Dark clouds will give way to sunshine Posted: 03 Sep 2014 06:17 AM PDT Lupus 4, a spider-shaped blob of gas and dust, blots out background stars like a dark cloud on a moonless night in this intriguing new image. Although gloomy for now, dense pockets of material within clouds such as Lupus 4 are where new stars form and where they will later burst into radiant life.

Allergic reaction to antibiotic residues in foods? You may have to watch what your fruits and veggies eat Posted: 03 Sep 2014 06:14 AM PDT People with food allergies always have to watch what they eat. Now, they may have to watch what their fruits and vegetables eat, as it seems it's possible to have an allergic reaction to antibiotic residues in food.

For kids with both asthma and obesity, which came first? Posted: 03 Sep 2014 06:14 AM PDT The premise that obesity contributes to childhood asthma -- rather than the other way around -- is the focus of a new study.

Cockatoos go to carpentry school Posted: 02 Sep 2014 05:53 PM PDT Goffin's cockatoos can learn how to make and use wooden tools from each other, a new study has found. The discovery is thought to be the first controlled experimental evidence for the social transmission of tool use in any bird species.

Protein in plasma may one day change transfusions Posted: 02 Sep 2014 05:53 PM PDT When someone is bleeding, a blood clot is a positive response -- the body forms the clot as a plug to stop bleeding. But when blood clots form in the absence of an injury, those clots can be life-threatening. Excessive blood clots in arteries and the brain are the main cause of heart attack and stroke. Researchers found that fibronectin can actually switch its function from stopping bleeding to stopping overactive blood clots.

Household air pollution puts more than one in three people worldwide at risk of ill health, early death Posted: 02 Sep 2014 05:52 PM PDT Household air pollution, caused by the use of plant-based or coal fuel for cooking, heating, and lighting, is putting nearly three billion people worldwide at risk of ill health and early death, according to a new article.

Economic success drives language extinction Posted: 02 Sep 2014 05:52 PM PDT Thriving economies are the biggest factor in the disappearance of minority languages and conservation should focus on the most developed countries where languages are vanishing the fastest, finds a new study.

Sex hormone levels in blood linked to risk of sudden cardiac arrest Posted: 02 Sep 2014 05:51 PM PDT Measuring the levels of sex hormones in patients' blood may identify patients likely to suffer a sudden cardiac arrest, a heart rhythm disorder that is fatal in 95 percent of patients.

New treatment options for staph infections, inflammatory diseases Posted: 02 Sep 2014 05:51 PM PDT Biochemists have discovered a family of proteins that could lead to better treatments for Staphylococcus aureus, a pathogenic bacterium that can cause more than 60,000 potentially life-threatening infections each year.

An hour of moderate exercise a day may decrease heart failure risk Posted: 02 Sep 2014 02:14 PM PDT Being physically active every day may lower your risk of developing heart failure. The more active you are, the greater your protection from heart failure, studies show.

Uphill climb for mountain species? Posted: 02 Sep 2014 02:11 PM PDT A history of scientific research on mountain ecosystems has been provided in a new article, whic looks at the issues threatening wildlife in these systems, and sets an agenda for biodiversity conservation throughout the world's mountain regions.

Researchers examine effectiveness of blocking nerve to help with weight loss Posted: 02 Sep 2014 02:11 PM PDT Among patients with morbid obesity, blocking the vagus nerve, which plays a role with appetite and metabolism, did not meet pre-specified efficacy objectives compared to a control group, although the intervention did result in greater weight loss, according to a study.

Increase seen in use of double mastectomy, although not associated with reduced death Posted: 02 Sep 2014 02:11 PM PDT Among women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer in California, the percentage undergoing a double mastectomy increased substantially between 1998 and 2011, although this procedure was not associated with a lower risk of death than breast-conserving surgery plus radiation, according to a study. The authors did find that surgery for the removal of one breast was associated with a higher risk of death than the other options examined in the study.

Comparison of named diet programs finds little difference in weight loss outcomes Posted: 02 Sep 2014 02:11 PM PDT In an analysis of data from nearly 50 trials including about 7,300 individuals, significant weight loss was observed with any low-carbohydrate or low-fat diet, with weight loss differences between diet programs small, findings that support the practice of recommending any diet that a patient will adhere to in order to lose weight.

Cool calculations for cold atoms: New theory of universal three-body encounters Posted: 02 Sep 2014 12:13 PM PDT Chemical reactions drive the mechanisms of life as well as a million other natural processes on earth. These reactions occur at a wide spectrum of temperatures, from those prevailing at the chilly polar icecaps to those at work churning near earth's core. At nanokelvin temperatures, by contrast, nothing was supposed to happen. Chemistry was expected to freeze up. Experiments and theoretical work have now show that this is not true. Even at conditions close to absolute zero atoms can interact and manage to form chemical bonds. Now the first full theory that accounts for interactions at nano-kelvin temperatures -- in those situations where 3-atom states can form even while all 2-atom states are unstable has been developed.

Sabotage as therapy: Aiming lupus antibodies at vulnerable cancer cells Posted: 02 Sep 2014 12:13 PM PDT Researchers may have discovered a new way of harnessing lupus antibodies to sabotage cancer cells made vulnerable by deficient DNA repair. The study found that cancer cells with deficient DNA repair mechanisms (or the inability to repair their own genetic damage) were significantly more vulnerable to attack by lupus antibodies.

New synthesis method may shape future of nanostructures, clean energy Posted: 02 Sep 2014 12:12 PM PDT A team of physicists has published new nanoscience advances that they and other scientists say make possible new nanostructures and nanotechnologies with huge potential applications ranging from clean energy and quantum computing advances to new sensor development.

Teens, young adults who abuse prescription at high risk for overdose: NYC study Posted: 02 Sep 2014 12:12 PM PDT Overdose-related knowledge and experiences of young adult nonmedical prescription opioid users has been studied for the first time to better understand how prescription opioid use relates to the likelihood and experience of overdose.

Oceans apart: Study reveals insights into evolution of languages Posted: 02 Sep 2014 11:42 AM PDT A new study provides evidence that physical barriers formed by oceans can influence language diversification. "Charles Darwin would have been amused by a study like this, because it confirms his hypothesis that languages, like species, are the product of evolution," said the study's lead author.

Oil spills and marine snow: Changing microbial dynamics in the wake of the Macondo blowout Posted: 02 Sep 2014 11:42 AM PDT Following the oil spill caused by the blowout at the Macondo wellhead in 2010, Gulf of Mexico microbial population dynamics shifted rapidly as numbers of oil degraders quickly increased. In addition, the spill provided an opportunity to study the newly described phenomenon of microbe-derived marine snow.

Potential for 'in body' muscle regeneration, rodent study suggests Posted: 02 Sep 2014 11:32 AM PDT What if repairing large segments of damaged muscle tissue was as simple as mobilizing the body's stem cells to the site of the injury? New research in mice and rats suggests that "in body" regeneration of muscle tissue might be possible by harnessing the body's natural healing powers.

Scientists make diseased cells synthesize their own drug Posted: 02 Sep 2014 11:32 AM PDT In a new study that could lead to many new medicines, scientists have adapted a chemical approach to turn diseased cells into unique manufacturing sites for molecules that can treat a form of muscular dystrophy.

Ocean Mappers Discover Seamount in Pacific Ocean Posted: 02 Sep 2014 11:32 AM PDT Scientists on a seafloor mapping mission have discovered a new seamount near the Johnson Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. The summit of the seamount rises 1,100 meters from the 5,100-meter-deep ocean floor. The seamount's impact remains unknown -- for now. It's too deep (its summit lies nearly 4,000 meters beneath the surface of the ocean) to be a navigation hazard or to provide rich fisheries. "It's probably 100 million years old," Gardner says, "and it might have something in it we may be interested in 100 years from now."

Key to first cell differentiation in mammals found Posted: 02 Sep 2014 08:49 AM PDT The key to the appearance of the first differentiated cell types in mammalian embryos has been uncovered by researchers. This differentiation event occurs even before the formation of the embryo proper, during the developmental stage known as the blastocyst.

Renewable fossil fuel alternative created using bacteria Posted: 02 Sep 2014 08:46 AM PDT Researchers have engineered the harmless gut bacteria E. coli to generate renewable propane. Propane is an appealing source of cleaner fuel because it has an existing global market. used Escherichia coli to interrupt the biological process that turns fatty acids into cell membranes. The researchers used enzymes to channel the fatty acids along a different biological pathway, so that the bacteria made engine-ready renewable propane instead of cell membranes. Their ultimate goal is to insert this engineered system into photosynthetic bacteria, so as to one day directly convert solar energy into chemical fuel.

Family conflicts, other non-physical worries before cancer surgery raise patients' complication risk Posted: 02 Sep 2014 08:44 AM PDT Meeting non-medical needs and improving quality of life ahead of operations can aid recovery and cut health care costs, a new study suggests. Quality of life as measured in the study is about more than happiness and how well people feel physically, a researcher says. It also includes the financial, spiritual, emotional, mental and social aspects of their lives and whether their needs are being met.

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