ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Giant sea lizards in the age of dinosaurs: A new beginning for baby mosasaurs
• New clinical platform may accelerate discovery of diagnostic and therapeutic agents
• New material could boost batteries' power, help power plants
• Researchers create tool to predict avian flu outbreaks
• Enzalutamide: Indication of major added benefit for over 75-year-olds
• Cardiac tissue grown on 'spider silk' substrate
• Mapping energy metabolism of growing nerve cells to better understand neuronal disorders
• Multifunctional materials created able to respond to thermal stimuli, change color
• Researcher creates software that locates real-time leaks in water, oil or gas pipes
• Heat's role in the Madden-Julian Oscillation
• Women are more likely to be physically assaulted in developed countries, study shows
• Combined sewer systems lead to risk of illness after heavy rains
• Make your home a home for the birds
• Platform adoption in network markets
• An exoplanet with an infernal atmosphere: 1000 kph winds; 3000 degree temps
• Cost-effective production of magnetic sensors
• Erupting electrodes: How recharging leaves behind microscopic debris inside batteries
• Advocate uses genetic history to increase knowledge of hereditary cancer risk
• Microbes disprove long-held assumption that all organisms share a common vocabulary
• Molecular and functional basis established for nitric oxide joining oxygen and carbon dioxide in respiratory cycle
• Research could usher in next generation of batteries, fuel cells
• Kindergartners who shared iPads in class scored higher on achievement tests
• New insights into graphene and organic composites in electronics
• How many gold atoms make gold metal?
• Plastic parts for internal combustion engines
• Scientists a step closer to developing renewable propane
• Reliable systems for recharging electric vehicles
• Patient-Therapist relationship most important issue when it comes to psychosis patients, experts say
• New study challenges current thinking on how attention changes with social context
• Plant cell structure discovery could lead to improved renewable materials
• Versatile switch for light-controlled cells: The structure of the light-driven ion pump KR2 may provide a blueprint for new optogenetic tools
• Enzyme in cosmetic products can act as allergen via the skin
• Stars with the chemical clock on hold
• Graphene looking promising for future spintronic devices
• Cosmic debris: Study looks inside the universe’s most powerful explosions
• Spending cuts in India will hurt already inadequate health services, experts say
• Being underweight in middle age associated with increased dementia risk
• First report of a new crop virus in North America
• Serious life events in childhood can triple risk of developing type 1 diabetes
• New high-throughput screening method may uncover novel treatments for kidney disease
• Dynamic dead zones alter fish catches in Lake Erie
• Specific cells in female reproductive tract display susceptibility to HIV infection
• Synthetic muscle ready for launch
• When you land, can you stand? One-Year Mission video miniseries: Functional performance
• Scientists tackle our addiction to salt and fat by altering foods' pore size, number
• Mental practice, physical therapy effective treatment for stroke, research shows
• Golgi trafficking controlled by G-proteins
• Mother's genes can influence bacteria in her baby's gut

Giant sea lizards in the age of dinosaurs: A new beginning for baby mosasaurs Posted: 10 Apr 2015 01:53 PM PDT They weren't in the delivery room, but researchers have discovered a new birth story for a gigantic marine lizard that once roamed the oceans. Thanks to recently identified specimens, paleontologists now believe that mighty mosasaurs -- which could grow to 50 feet long -- gave birth to their young in the open ocean, not on or near shore.

New clinical platform may accelerate discovery of diagnostic and therapeutic agents Posted: 10 Apr 2015 08:48 AM PDT Researchers have developed a new technology that enables rapid discovery of aptamers, one of the fastest growing classes of diagnostic and therapeutic agents. Aptamers are short sequences of genetic material that fold into precise 3-D structures that bind target molecules and inhibit their biological functions.

New material could boost batteries' power, help power plants Posted: 10 Apr 2015 08:36 AM PDT You're going to have to think very small to understand something that has the potential to be very big. A team of researchers has developed a material that acts as a superhighway for ions. The material could make batteries more powerful, change how gaseous fuel is turned into liquid fuel and help power plants burn coal and natural gas more efficiently.

Researchers create tool to predict avian flu outbreaks Posted: 10 Apr 2015 08:36 AM PDT A simple and effective portable tool to predict avian flu outbreaks on farms has been created . The researchers devised a real-time way to analyze chickens and other farm birds for avian flu. The tool uses a small blood sample and relies on a simple chemical color change to see not only whether a chicken has avian flu but also what viral strain is involved.

Enzalutamide: Indication of major added benefit for over 75-year-olds Posted: 10 Apr 2015 08:35 AM PDT In comparison with watchful waiting, the new drug Enzalutamide can prolong survival in certain patients with prostate cancer and delay the occurrence of disease complications, a new study concludes.

Cardiac tissue grown on 'spider silk' substrate Posted: 10 Apr 2015 08:35 AM PDT Genetically engineered fibers of the protein spidroin, which is the construction material for spider webs, has proven to be a perfect substrate for cultivating heart tissue cells, a group of researchers has found. The cultivation of organs and tissues from a patient's cells is the bleeding edge of medical research – regenerative methods can solve the problem of transplant rejection. However,it's quite a challenge to find a suitable frame, or substrate, to grow cells on, researchers say.

Mapping energy metabolism of growing nerve cells to better understand neuronal disorders Posted: 10 Apr 2015 08:35 AM PDT A group of scientists has discovered how nerve cells adjust to low energy environments during the brain's growth process. Their study may one day help find treatments for nerve cell damage and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

Multifunctional materials created able to respond to thermal stimuli, change color Posted: 10 Apr 2015 08:34 AM PDT New research has made it possible to generate multifunctional materials with different capacities such as responding to thermal stimuli, changing color, being magnetic and presenting movement at the microscale as a result of a variation in their molecular structure.

Researcher creates software that locates real-time leaks in water, oil or gas pipes Posted: 10 Apr 2015 08:34 AM PDT Through the laws of physics and application of a mathematical model of fluid mechanics, a new software calculates when an irregularity occurs on site of a gas, oil or water pipe. The software is called VIVIUNAM and performs logical deductions in real time, allowing to identify the type of failure and get to the root of the problem, thus avoiding a waste of time, by digging or manually searching for the problem throughout the pipeline, said the researcher.

Heat's role in the Madden-Julian Oscillation Posted: 10 Apr 2015 08:33 AM PDT Tropical monsoons in Indonesia and floods in the United States are both provoked by the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), yet, despite its importance, global models often struggle to simulate it accurately. Scientists showed that MJO simulations are most sensitive to lower level heating in the atmosphere.

Women are more likely to be physically assaulted in developed countries, study shows Posted: 10 Apr 2015 08:33 AM PDT Women in developed countries -- like the United States -- are actually more likely to be physically assaulted than women in developing countries, a new study suggests. Using data from the International Crime Victimization Survey from 45 countries, researchers reviewed physical and sexual assault victimization statistics at the national level to determine whether the societal structures around victims played a part in the frequency of attacks.

Combined sewer systems lead to risk of illness after heavy rains Posted: 10 Apr 2015 06:56 AM PDT Consumers whose drinking water can be contaminated by the release of untreated wastewater after heavy rains face increased risk for gastrointestinal illness, according to a report. Many older cities such as Chicago have combined sewer systems -- along with 772 other communities, primarily in the Northeast, Great Lakes and Pacific Northwest, serving a total of 40 million people. While some cities are building infrastructure to handle sewage and runoff separately, other regions with combined systems depend on reservoirs to provide extra capacity during extreme rainfalls.

Make your home a home for the birds Posted: 10 Apr 2015 06:56 AM PDT The landscaping plants chosen by residents for their yards plays a much greater role in the diversity of native birds in suburban neighborhoods than do the surrounding parks, forest preserves, or streetside trees, say biologists.

Platform adoption in network markets Posted: 10 Apr 2015 06:56 AM PDT Strategic partnering has become commonplace when introducing innovations to systems markets. In standards battles, network affiliation has been used as a market signal to create confidence in a format's success. This paper's authors thus develop and test a model aimed at finding the right partners to sponsor an innovative technology.

An exoplanet with an infernal atmosphere: 1000 kph winds; 3000 degree temps Posted: 10 Apr 2015 06:55 AM PDT Astronomers have come to measure the temperature of the atmosphere of an exoplanet with unequaled precision, by crossing two approaches. The first approach is based on the HARPS spectrometer and the second consists of a new way of interpreting sodium lines. From these two additional analyses, researchers have been able to conclude that the HD189733b exoplanet is showing infernal atmospheric conditions: wind speeds of more than 1000 kilometers per hour, and the temperature being 3000 degrees. These results open up perspectives to approach the study of exoplanet atmospheres.

Cost-effective production of magnetic sensors Posted: 10 Apr 2015 06:55 AM PDT They are found wherever other measurement methods fail: magnetic sensors. They defy harsh environmental conditions and also function in fluids. A new procedure is now revolutionizing the production of two-dimensional magnetic sensors: They now only cost half, and production time is reduced by 50 percent.

Erupting electrodes: How recharging leaves behind microscopic debris inside batteries Posted: 10 Apr 2015 06:55 AM PDT Using a powerful microscope to watch multiple cycles of charging and discharging under real battery conditions, researchers have gained insight into the chemistry that clogs rechargeable lithium batteries.

Advocate uses genetic history to increase knowledge of hereditary cancer risk Posted: 10 Apr 2015 06:55 AM PDT A mother who has tested positive for the BRCA2 cancer gene is one of 12 people in her family over three generations linked to the gene or diagnosed with cancer. Now she is using her family's genetic history to contribute to cancer research, prevention and treatment – with the aim of improving the quality of life for those facing hereditary risk.

Microbes disprove long-held assumption that all organisms share a common vocabulary Posted: 10 Apr 2015 06:55 AM PDT Some microorganisms found in nature and not grown in the laboratory reinterpret the instructions coded into their DNA. Short segments of DNA that signal other organisms to stop adding building blocks or amino acids to a protein are instead interpreted as "add another amino acid," scientists report.

Molecular and functional basis established for nitric oxide joining oxygen and carbon dioxide in respiratory cycle Posted: 10 Apr 2015 06:55 AM PDT Latest findings regarding nitric oxide have the potential to reshape fundamentally the way we think about the respiratory system – and offer new avenues to save lives. Scientific dogma has the respiration process involving only two elements -- oxygen and carbon dioxide. Specifically, the delivery of oxygen from lungs to tissues, and the removal of the waste product, carbon dioxide, through exhaling. Recently published information demonstrates that nitric oxide is essential for the delivery of oxygen to the cells and tissues that need it.

Research could usher in next generation of batteries, fuel cells Posted: 10 Apr 2015 05:35 AM PDT Scientists have made a discovery that could dramatically improve the efficiency of batteries and fuel cells. The research involves improving the transport of oxygen ions, a key component in converting chemical reactions into electricity.

Kindergartners who shared iPads in class scored higher on achievement tests Posted: 10 Apr 2015 05:35 AM PDT A promising study found that kindergartners in classes with shared iPads significantly outscored their peers on achievement tests who were in classes that had no iPads or classes with iPads for each student (1:1).

New insights into graphene and organic composites in electronics Posted: 10 Apr 2015 05:35 AM PDT Chemists have reviewed the potential for graphene-organic composite materials in electronics. The researchers show how organic semiconductors can be used to better process graphene, and to tune its properties for particular applications.

How many gold atoms make gold metal? Posted: 10 Apr 2015 05:35 AM PDT Researchers have shown that dramatic changes in the electronic properties of nanometer-sized chunks of gold occur in well-defined size range. Small gold nanoclusters could be used, for instance, in short-term storage of energy or electric charge in the field of molecular electronics. The researchers have been able to obtain new information which is important, among other things, in developing bioimaging and sensing based on metal-like clusters.

Plastic parts for internal combustion engines Posted: 10 Apr 2015 05:35 AM PDT Efforts to produce lighter vehicles necessarily include engine parts, such as the cylinder casing, which could shed up to 20 percent of its weight if it were made of fiber-reinforced plastic rather than aluminum – without added costs. Such injection-molded parts are even suitable for mass production.

Scientists a step closer to developing renewable propane Posted: 10 Apr 2015 05:35 AM PDT Researchers have made a significant breakthrough in the development of synthetic pathways that will enable renewable biosynthesis of the gas propane. This research is part of a program of work aimed at developing the next generation of biofuels.

Reliable systems for recharging electric vehicles Posted: 10 Apr 2015 05:35 AM PDT The success of electric vehicle networks depends on economical vehicles – and efficient power grids. Existing power lines were not designed for the loads generated by electric vehicles. Researchers have developed prototype software to show grid operators how many electric vehicles can be connected to their local grid.

Patient-Therapist relationship most important issue when it comes to psychosis patients, experts say Posted: 10 Apr 2015 05:35 AM PDT The psychological treatment of more than 300 people suffering from psychosis has been examined by researchers, showing that, whatever the therapy, it is the relationship between the patient and therapist which either improves or damages wellbeing.

New study challenges current thinking on how attention changes with social context Posted: 10 Apr 2015 05:35 AM PDT Conventional thinking -- that people's attention is readily captured by other people's faces above all other objects -- is being challenged by new research. "Perhaps what we think we know about the way we view other people is wrong. As soon as viewing behavior is measured within a genuinely social context, the way we look at people changes, and rather than having our attention drawn towards them, we actually seem to avoid looking at those people's faces," explains one researcher.

Plant cell structure discovery could lead to improved renewable materials Posted: 10 Apr 2015 05:33 AM PDT Major steps forward in the use of plants for renewable materials, energy and for building construction could soon arise, thanks to a key advance in understanding the structure of wood. The step forward follows the unexpected discovery of a previously unknown arrangement of molecules in plant cell walls.

Versatile switch for light-controlled cells: The structure of the light-driven ion pump KR2 may provide a blueprint for new optogenetic tools Posted: 10 Apr 2015 05:33 AM PDT Scientists have uncovered the atomic structure of KR2, a light-driven transporter for sodium ions which had only recently been discovered. Based on the structural information the team then identified a simple way to turn KR2 from a sodium- into a potassium pump using simple means. Integrated into neurons, this could make KR2 a valuable tool for optogenetics, a new field of research that uses light-sensitive proteins as molecular switches to precisely control the activity of neurons and other electrically excitable cells using light impulses.

Enzyme in cosmetic products can act as allergen via the skin Posted: 10 Apr 2015 05:33 AM PDT Papain is an important industrial protein-degrading enzyme that is used, for example, in the food and cosmetic industries. When humans or animals come in contact with papain, strong allergic reactions of the skin can be the result, as scientists have found out.

Stars with the chemical clock on hold Posted: 10 Apr 2015 05:33 AM PDT Astrophysicists have discovered a group of red giant stars for which the 'chemical clock' does not work: according to their chemical signature, these stars should be old. Instead, they appear to be young when their ages are inferred using asteroseismology. Their existence cannot be explained by standard chemical evolution models of the Milky Way, suggesting that the chemical enrichment history of the Galactic disc is more complex than originally assumed.

Graphene looking promising for future spintronic devices Posted: 10 Apr 2015 05:33 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that large area graphene is able to preserve electron spin over an extended period, and communicate it over greater distances than had previously been known. This has opened the door for the development of spintronics, with an aim to manufacturing faster and more energy-efficient memory and processors in computers.

Cosmic debris: Study looks inside the universe’s most powerful explosions Posted: 10 Apr 2015 05:31 AM PDT A new study provides an inside look at the most powerful explosions in the universe: gamma-ray bursts. These rare explosions happen when extremely massive stars go supernova. The stars' strong magnetic fields channel most of the explosion's energy into two powerful plasma jets, one at each magnetic pole. The jets spray energetic particles for light-years in both directions, at close to light speed.

Spending cuts in India will hurt already inadequate health services, experts say Posted: 09 Apr 2015 07:18 PM PDT Deep cuts in health spending by the Indian government will lead to continued inadequate health services and delays in achieving universal access to healthcare, argue experts. The Bharatiya Janata Party, elected to power in 2014, promised to increase access to health, improve quality and lower costs. But in 2014-2015, the central government spent much less than it had budgeted for - 20% less in current spending and as much as 50% less in capital spending.

Being underweight in middle age associated with increased dementia risk Posted: 09 Apr 2015 07:18 PM PDT Middle-aged people who are underweight (with a Body Mass Index [BMI] less than 20 kg/m2) are a third more likely to develop dementia than people of similar age with a healthy BMI, according to new research.

First report of a new crop virus in North America Posted: 09 Apr 2015 03:29 PM PDT Evidence of the new mastrevirus, tentatively named switchgrass mosaic-associated virus 1, has been discovered by researchers. Other members of the mastrevirus genus, a group of DNA viruses, are known to be responsible for decimating yields in staple food crops -- including corn, wheat and sugarcane -- throughout Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia. It has never been reported in North America.

Serious life events in childhood can triple risk of developing type 1 diabetes Posted: 09 Apr 2015 03:29 PM PDT Serious life events in childhood, such as death or illness in the family, divorce/separation, a new child or adult in the family, and conflicts in the family, can triple the risk of subsequently developing type 1 diabetes, new research suggests.

New high-throughput screening method may uncover novel treatments for kidney disease Posted: 09 Apr 2015 03:26 PM PDT Researchers have developed a system that could be used to identify novel drug candidates that protect the function of the kidney cells that are damaged in patients with chronic kidney disease. One drug identified through the system effectively protected the kidney cells of rodents exposed to kidney damaging agents.

Dynamic dead zones alter fish catches in Lake Erie Posted: 09 Apr 2015 01:24 PM PDT Lake Erie's dead zones are actually quite active, greatly affecting fish distributions, catch rates and the effectiveness of fishing gear, scientists report. "Our study shows that Lake Erie contains a patchwork of low and high-density fish populations," said a researcher. "This understanding of fish distributions can inform policy decisions, such as how many walleye, yellow perch and others can be fished from the lake."

Specific cells in female reproductive tract display susceptibility to HIV infection Posted: 09 Apr 2015 01:22 PM PDT Some portions of the female reproductive tract are more likely to be infected by HIV, particularly the ectocervix compared to the endometrium, researchers have discovered. "We now want to understand how sex hormones play a role in regulating HIV-target cells in the FRT and the mechanisms through which FRT cells protect against infection," researchers explained.

Synthetic muscle ready for launch Posted: 09 Apr 2015 01:22 PM PDT NASA plans to send advanced material into space on Monday, April 13. The Synthetic Muscle™ has been developed to adhere to metal, and could be used in robotics in deep space travel such as travel to Mars because of its radiation resistance, scientists say. "Based on the good results we had on planet Earth, the next step is to see how it behaves in a space environment," said an engineer who worked on the project.

When you land, can you stand? One-Year Mission video miniseries: Functional performance Posted: 09 Apr 2015 12:08 PM PDT You always want to be the last man standing, especially at NASA. Optimal functional performance, such as standing, is taken even more seriously when preparing for future missions to Mars and beyond. Learn why functional performance is important for astronauts and patients recuperating from long-term bed rest.

Scientists tackle our addiction to salt and fat by altering foods' pore size, number Posted: 09 Apr 2015 12:08 PM PDT Food scientists have learned that understanding and manipulating porosity during food manufacturing can affect a food's health benefits. They report that controlling the number and size of pores in processed foods allows manufacturers to use less salt while satisfying consumers' taste buds. Meticulously managing pore pressure in foods during frying reduces oil uptake, which results in lower-fat snacks without sacrificing our predilection for fried foods' texture and taste, they say.

Mental practice, physical therapy effective treatment for stroke, research shows Posted: 09 Apr 2015 12:08 PM PDT A combination of mental practice and physical therapy is an effective treatment for people recovering from a stroke, according to researchers. Mental practice and physical therapy are interventions used to improve impaired motor movement, coordination and balance following stroke. Mental practice, also known as motor imagery, is the mental rehearsal of a motor action without an overt action. Physical therapy consists of repetitive, task-oriented training of the impaired extremity.

Golgi trafficking controlled by G-proteins Posted: 09 Apr 2015 12:08 PM PDT A family of proteins called G proteins are a recognized component of the communication system the human body uses to sense hormones and other chemicals in the bloodstream and to send messages to cells. In work that further illuminates how cells work, researchers have discovered a new role for G proteins that may have relevance to halting solid tumor cancer metastasis.

Mother's genes can influence bacteria in her baby's gut Posted: 09 Apr 2015 11:30 AM PDT A gene, which is not active in some mothers, produces a breast milk sugar that influences the development of the community of gut bacteria in her infant, researchers have discovered. The researchers emphasized that the finding does not suggest that breast milk from mothers without an active copy of the gene is less nourishing or healthy. Rather, it conveys the subtle and elegant choreography of one part of the human microbiome: The relationships between the mothers' genetics, the composition of her breast milk and the development of her infant's gut microbiota. It also reveals clues for enriching desirable bacteria in populations at risk of intestinal diseases -- such as preemies.

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