ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider smashes record for polarized proton luminosity
• Girls with disabilities are vulnerable to abuse by carers and partners because of their isolation and incapacity, research says
• First signs of self-interacting dark matter? Dark matter may not be completely dark after all
• Experimental drug may repair nerve damage in multiple sclerosis
• Pain-free blood tests
• Planet spotted deep within our galaxy: One of the most distant planets known
• Typhoon Haiyan's storm surge may contaminate aquifer for years
• New 'cool roof time machine' will accelerate cool roof deployment
• New treatment for common digestive condition Barrett's esophagus
• Infectious ants become antisocial
• Healthcare professionals must recognize importance of human rights to improve healthcare for women, experts say
• Graphene pushes the speed limit of light-to-electricity conversion
• Childhood self-control linked to enhanced job prospects throughout life
• Intrauterine exposure to maternal gestational diabetes linked with risk of autism
• Taking aircraft manufacturing out of the oven
• How gum disease treatment can prevent heart disease
• Recruiting the entire immune system to attack cancer
• Wristband that measures rest, activity schedule may help predict response to antidepressants
• Detecting Cryptosporidium in China
• Glow in the dark tampons identify sewage pollution in rivers
• Search for advanced civilizations beyond Earth finds nothing obvious in 100,000 galaxies
• Ecological properties of nature reserve areas can now be analyzed by laser scanning from a plane
• Nuclear waste: Bury nuclear waste down a very deep hole, say scientists
• Inactive tumor suppressor gene discovered in lung cancer
• Seeing the unseen: PET/CT scans reveal worms' hidden life
• New Mesoamerican pine beetle described by scientists
• New insight into public interest in medicine research
• How does bench angle affect upper body muscle activation during bench press exercise?
• After lung transplantation: Go back to work and feel better
• Civic engagement may stave off brain atrophy, improve memory
• Personalized computer feedback can mitigate problem gambling behaviors
• Fast charging cycles make batteries age more quickly: X-ray study images damage in lithium-ion batteries
• Genetically engineered Salmonella promising as anti-cancer therapy
• Stem cell injection may soon reverse vision loss caused by age-related macular degeneration
• High fidelity: Researcher finds keys to genome
• New method relates Greenland ice sheet changes to sea-level rise
• New tool for understanding ALS: Patients' brain cells
• Extreme geohazards: Reducing the disaster risk, increasing resilience
• Quantum Hall effect: Quantization of 'surface Dirac states' could lead to exotic applications
• New WHO statement on public reporting of clinical trial results
• There is more to a Rembrandt than meets the eye, science shows
• Strange rituals or cannibalism? Neanderthals manipulated bodies of adults and children shortly after death
• Toward a gene expression atlas for an entire brain
• E-cigarette use is not risk-free
• Stronger muscles make for healthier bone development
• New biomarker for uterine cancer discovered
• People less focused on recurrent bad feelings when taking probiotics
• A bulky catalyst induces pinpoint targeting on benzene to create bioactive molecules
• Insecticide contamination of global surface waters substantially higher than expected
• Model for a perfect human pyramid, six tiers high
• Advancements in retinal detachment research pave the road to better visual recovery
• UK research cash for dementia, stroke still way too low, experts say
• Ebola analysis finds virus hasn't become deadlier, yet
• Mechanism outlined by which inadequate vitamin E can cause brain damage
• Gold by special delivery intensifies cancer-killing radiation
• Emergency departments may help address opioid overdose, education
• Cellular signals for pain fine tune neurons' sensitivity to opiods
• Improving work conditions increases parents' time with their children

Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider smashes record for polarized proton luminosity Posted: 14 Apr 2015 06:25 PM PDT Thanks to accelerator advances, the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, a powerful nuclear physics research facility has just shattered its own record for producing polarized proton collisions at 200-giga-electron-volt collision energy. The improvement will generate high volumes of data rapidly, giving physicists time to achieve several high-priority science goals in a single run at Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider.

Girls with disabilities are vulnerable to abuse by carers and partners because of their isolation and incapacity, research says Posted: 14 Apr 2015 06:21 PM PDT In some cases the abuse took place in special education institutions, the British Sociological Association's annual conference in Glasgow was told today [Wednesday 15 April 2015].

First signs of self-interacting dark matter? Dark matter may not be completely dark after all Posted: 14 Apr 2015 06:21 PM PDT For the first time dark matter may have been observed interacting with other dark matter in a way other than through the force of gravity. Observations of colliding galaxies have picked up the first intriguing hints about the nature of this mysterious component of the Universe.

Experimental drug may repair nerve damage in multiple sclerosis Posted: 14 Apr 2015 06:19 PM PDT A new study suggests that an investigational drug for multiple sclerosis (MS) may repair myelin, the fatty material that protects nerves and is damaged in MS, according to a new study.

Pain-free blood tests Posted: 14 Apr 2015 06:19 PM PDT Researchers want to make blood sampling less painful and more convenient. They are perfecting a device the size of a pingpong ball that extracts a small sample while held against the skin for two minutes.

Planet spotted deep within our galaxy: One of the most distant planets known Posted: 14 Apr 2015 01:07 PM PDT NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has teamed up with a telescope on the ground to find a remote gas planet about 13,000 light-years away, making it one of the most distant planets known.

Typhoon Haiyan's storm surge may contaminate aquifer for years Posted: 14 Apr 2015 01:07 PM PDT In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan devastated the Philippines, killing more than 6,000 people and destroying nearly $3 billion worth of property. While the country is still recovering from the storm, researchers have found that an aquifer on the island of Samar inundated with salt water by the storm surge could remain undrinkable for up to 10 years. But a second aquifer on the island that was also inundated has recovered much more quickly.

New 'cool roof time machine' will accelerate cool roof deployment Posted: 14 Apr 2015 11:43 AM PDT Scientists have established a method to simulate in the lab the soiling and weathering of roofing materials, reproducing in only a few days the solar reflectance of roofing products naturally aged for three years. Now this protocol has been approved by ASTM International, a widely referenced standards body, as a standard practice for the industry.

New treatment for common digestive condition Barrett's esophagus Posted: 14 Apr 2015 10:25 AM PDT New research could transform treatments and diagnosis for a common digestive condition which affects thousands of patients.

Infectious ants become antisocial Posted: 14 Apr 2015 10:05 AM PDT Combining experiments and epidemiological modeling, scientists explore how cleaning behavior affects disease spread in societies.

Healthcare professionals must recognize importance of human rights to improve healthcare for women, experts say Posted: 14 Apr 2015 10:05 AM PDT Women's human rights need to be addressed globally in order to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity, says an expert.

Graphene pushes the speed limit of light-to-electricity conversion Posted: 14 Apr 2015 10:04 AM PDT Researchers have developed a graphene-based photodetector capable of converting absorbed light into an electrical voltage at ultrafast timescales.

Childhood self-control linked to enhanced job prospects throughout life Posted: 14 Apr 2015 10:04 AM PDT Parents who work to instill self-control in their children will see them reap the benefits not only in the short-term but throughout their working life, according to new research.

Intrauterine exposure to maternal gestational diabetes linked with risk of autism Posted: 14 Apr 2015 09:57 AM PDT Among a group of more than 320,000 children, intrauterine exposure to gestational diabetes mellitus diagnosed by 26 weeks' gestation was associated with risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), according to a new study. Maternal pre-existing type 2 diabetes was not significantly associated with risk of ASD in offspring.

Taking aircraft manufacturing out of the oven Posted: 14 Apr 2015 08:04 AM PDT Aerospace engineers have now developed a carbon nanotube film that can heat and solidify a composite without the need for massive ovens. When connected to an electrical power source, and wrapped over a multilayer polymer composite, the heated film stimulates the polymer to solidify.

How gum disease treatment can prevent heart disease Posted: 14 Apr 2015 08:04 AM PDT A new study is helping to shed more light on the important connection between the mouth and heart. According to research, scientists have demonstrated that using an oral topical remedy to reduce inflammation associated with periodontitis, more commonly known as gum disease, also results in the prevention of vascular inflammation and can lower the risk of heart attack.

Recruiting the entire immune system to attack cancer Posted: 14 Apr 2015 08:04 AM PDT Stimulating both major branches of the immune system halts tumor growth more effectively, new research shows. Orchestrating a successful immune attack against tumors has proven difficult so far, but the new study suggests that such therapies could be improved by simultaneously activating both arms of the immune system. Until now, most researchers have focused on one of two strategies: attacking tumors with antibodies, which activate the innate immune system, or stimulating T cells, which form the backbone of the adaptive immune system.

Wristband that measures rest, activity schedule may help predict response to antidepressants Posted: 14 Apr 2015 08:04 AM PDT A wristband that records motion throughout a 24-hour cycle may be an inexpensive, safe way to determine which patients with major depressive disorder will respond best to commonly prescribed drugs such as Prozac, a researcher suggests.

Detecting Cryptosporidium in China Posted: 14 Apr 2015 08:03 AM PDT For a healthy individual, an infection of Cryptosporidium parvum may mean nothing more than a few days of bad diarrhea. For someone with a compromised immune system, it can mean death, following an excruciating, protracted bout of watery diarrhea. Recently, researchers developed a lab-on-a-chip device that can rapidly diagnose cryptosporidium infections from just a finger prick -- potentially bringing point-of-care diagnosis to at-risk areas in rural China in order to improve treatment outcomes.

Glow in the dark tampons identify sewage pollution in rivers Posted: 14 Apr 2015 07:25 AM PDT Tampons may not be an obvious scientific tool, but engineers have been using them to identify where waste water from baths, washing machines, sinks and showers is polluting our rivers and streams.

Search for advanced civilizations beyond Earth finds nothing obvious in 100,000 galaxies Posted: 14 Apr 2015 07:10 AM PDT After searching 100,000 galaxies for signs of highly advanced life, a team of scientists has found no evidence of advanced civilizations there. The idea behind the research is that, if an entire galaxy had been colonized by an advanced spacefaring civilization, the energy produced by that civilization's technologies would be detectable in mid-infrared wavelengths.

Ecological properties of nature reserve areas can now be analyzed by laser scanning from a plane Posted: 14 Apr 2015 07:09 AM PDT Monitoring Europe's vast nature protection areas used to be extremely difficult. Thanks to new computer algorithms this can now be done using aircraft and laser technology.

Nuclear waste: Bury nuclear waste down a very deep hole, say scientists Posted: 14 Apr 2015 07:09 AM PDT Technologies that will enable nuclear waste to be sealed 5 km below the Earth's surface could provide a safer, cheaper and more viable alternative for disposing of high level nuclear waste.

Inactive tumor suppressor gene discovered in lung cancer Posted: 14 Apr 2015 07:09 AM PDT The PARD3 gene has been identified by researchers as a tumor suppressor that is inactivated in lung cancer squamous type. PARD3 gene encodes a protein that regulates cell polarization and cell junctions. When the gene is inactivated, errors occur in this cell orientation and in contact with neighboring cells. "Any change affecting this structure promotes tumor development," said a researcher.

Seeing the unseen: PET/CT scans reveal worms' hidden life Posted: 14 Apr 2015 07:09 AM PDT What are lugworms and other small animals doing in the seabed? Until now scientists have not been able to study these animals without disturbing them, but thanks to modern PET/CT scans, now we can study their hidden life.

New Mesoamerican pine beetle described by scientists Posted: 14 Apr 2015 07:09 AM PDT A newly-discovered species of tree-killing bark beetle has been described in a new paper. The Mesoamerican adult beetle tends to be somewhat larger than the southern pine beetle, and the holes where they enter the tree's bark exude more resin, producing bigger "pitch tubes." Field observations suggest that the new species attacks trees shortly after southern pine beetle, colonizing the lower trunk and branches. The mesoamerican pine beetle also has a distinct pheromone chemistry and does not respond to traps baited with southern pine beetle lures.

New insight into public interest in medicine research Posted: 14 Apr 2015 07:09 AM PDT Data has been published for the first time about public knowledge of and interest in the process of medicines research and development. By providing an extensive insight into people's knowledge and interests, the researchers hope the data will help drive public involvement in medicines R&D.

How does bench angle affect upper body muscle activation during bench press exercise? Posted: 14 Apr 2015 07:08 AM PDT Muscular activation during exercise is the key to developing muscle mass and strength and the bench press exercise is a popular and widely used method of building upper body strength. In a new study, researchers set out to discover the effects on muscle activation during free weight barbell bench press at 0°, 30°, 45° and –15° bench angles. If greater or lesser angles enhance muscle activation, the results can be used to plan successful upper body exercise programs.

After lung transplantation: Go back to work and feel better Posted: 14 Apr 2015 07:08 AM PDT Returning to everyday life and resuming work in one's regular occupation are common goals of transplant patients, yet not all who undergo lung transplantation can go back to work. In a new article, researchers report the findings of the first study ever performed in Germany on the percentage of lung-transplant patients who resume employment after transplantation and the reasons that keep the others from going back to work.

Civic engagement may stave off brain atrophy, improve memory Posted: 14 Apr 2015 07:08 AM PDT Instead of shrinking as expected, as part of the normal aging process, the memory center in the brains of seniors maintained their size and, in men, grew modestly after two years in a program that engaged them in meaningful and social activities, new research suggests.

Personalized computer feedback can mitigate problem gambling behaviors Posted: 14 Apr 2015 06:41 AM PDT More than 1.6 million college-aged adults meet the criteria for problem gambling. This can lead to difficulties at work, school or home, and with relationships, personal finances, and mental and physical health. Counseling for problem gamblers can be expensive and time consuming; a new study has found that college-aged adults who were diagnosed as problem gamblers significantly changed their behaviors after receiving personalized feedback from computers.

Fast charging cycles make batteries age more quickly: X-ray study images damage in lithium-ion batteries Posted: 14 Apr 2015 06:41 AM PDT Charging lithium-ion batteries too quickly can permanently reduce the battery capacity. Portions of the energy storage structure are thereby destroyed and deactivated. These structural changes have been visualized for the first time. The fluorescence studies show that even after only a few charging cycles, damage to the inner structure of the battery material is clearly evident, damage which takes longer to arise during slower charging.

Genetically engineered Salmonella promising as anti-cancer therapy Posted: 14 Apr 2015 06:41 AM PDT Genetically modified Salmonella can be used to kill cancer cells, scientists report. For years, researchers have known that certain strains of bacteria, including Salmonella enterica, can kill cancer cells. Specifically Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium has been shown to not only colonize solid tumors, but also to exhibit an intrinsic antitumor effect. However, in order to use Salmonella as a weapon against cancer in humans, researchers must find a balance between allowing it to kill the cancer and be safe for the patient. This bacteria, commonly known for causing severe food poisoning, can lead to sepsis and death in humans.

Stem cell injection may soon reverse vision loss caused by age-related macular degeneration Posted: 14 Apr 2015 06:35 AM PDT An injection of stem cells into the eye may soon slow or reverse the effects of early-stage age-related macular degeneration, according to new research. Currently, there is no treatment that slows the progression of the disease, which is the leading cause of vision loss in people over 65.

High fidelity: Researcher finds keys to genome Posted: 14 Apr 2015 06:35 AM PDT Lesions in DNA can occur as often as 100,000 times per cell per day. They can be the result of normal metabolic activities, like free radicals, as well as exposure to environmental factors such as UV radiation, X-rays and chemical compounds. Researchers share a discovery that explains how cells use a process called replication fork reversal in order to deal with these roadblocks and transmit accurate genetic data.

New method relates Greenland ice sheet changes to sea-level rise Posted: 14 Apr 2015 06:35 AM PDT Early schemes to model the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets and their impact on sea levels failed to accurately account for changes caused by snowfall and snow melt. These changes depend on ice sheet elevation and region. Researchers developed a new method that includes the effects of elevation and region.

New tool for understanding ALS: Patients' brain cells Posted: 14 Apr 2015 06:35 AM PDT Researchers have transformed skin cells from patients with Lou Gehrig's disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), into brain cells affected by the progressive, fatal disease and deposited those human-made cells into the first public ALS cell library, enabling scientists to better study the disease.

Extreme geohazards: Reducing the disaster risk, increasing resilience Posted: 14 Apr 2015 05:53 AM PDT Extreme hazards -- rare, high-impact events -- pose a serious and underestimated threat to humanity. The extremes of the broad ensemble of natural and anthropogenic hazards can lead to global disasters and catastrophes. Because they are rare and modern society lacks experience with them, they tend to be ignored in disaster risk management.

Quantum Hall effect: Quantization of 'surface Dirac states' could lead to exotic applications Posted: 14 Apr 2015 05:53 AM PDT Researchers have uncovered the first evidence of an unusual quantum phenomenon -- the integer quantum Hall effect -- in a new type of film, called a 3-D topological insulator. This discovery could help move science forward toward the goal of dissipationless electronics -- electronic devices that can operate without producing the vast amounts of heat generated by current silicon-based semiconductors.

New WHO statement on public reporting of clinical trial results Posted: 14 Apr 2015 05:53 AM PDT The WHO have announced a new statement on the public disclosure of clinical trial results which updates and expands a previous statement that noted the 'the registration of all interventional trials is a scientific, ethical, and moral responsibility.' The new statement includes timelines by which researchers are expected to report clinical trials results.

There is more to a Rembrandt than meets the eye, science shows Posted: 14 Apr 2015 05:53 AM PDT Art historians and scientists use imaging methods to virtually "dig" under or scan various layers of paint and pencil. This is how they decipher how a painter went about producing a masterpiece - without harming the original. A comparative study with a Rembrandt van Rijn painting as its subject found that the combined use of three imaging techniques provides valuable complementary information about what lies behind this artwork's complex step-by-step creation.

Strange rituals or cannibalism? Neanderthals manipulated bodies of adults and children shortly after death Posted: 14 Apr 2015 05:53 AM PDT Neanderthals from the French region of Poitou-Charentes cut, beat and fractured the bones of their recently deceased companions, as revealed by the fossil remains of two adults and a child found at the Marillac site. These manipulations have been observed at other Neanderthal sites, but scientists still do not know whether they did this for food or ceremony. Scientists have discovered a large quantity of bone remains of these hominids.

Toward a gene expression atlas for an entire brain Posted: 14 Apr 2015 05:53 AM PDT Researchers who study how genes are expressed across a given tissue can now examine thousands of genes at once at cellular resolution, thanks to new methods. The new techniques can be applied to a broad range of organisms, and expand the resources available for evolution-and-development research.

E-cigarette use is not risk-free Posted: 14 Apr 2015 05:37 AM PDT E-cigarettes are not without health risks for people who vape or for bystanders, researchers report. The report has only considered e-cigarettes with nicotine since there has been very little research about e-cigarettes without nicotine, they note.

Stronger muscles make for healthier bone development Posted: 14 Apr 2015 05:37 AM PDT Higher muscle mass is strongly linked with healthier bone development in children, researchers report. Researchers also found no relationship between fat mass and bone development, indicating it is not an important factor in childhood skeletal strength.

New biomarker for uterine cancer discovered Posted: 14 Apr 2015 05:37 AM PDT A new biomarker has been discovered that makes it possible to identify women with uterine cancer who have a high risk of recurrence. Endometrial cancer of the uterus is the most common form of gynecologic cancer in Europe and North America. The treatment primarily consists of removing the uterus and in some cases offering chemotherapy if the risk of recurrence is deemed high.

People less focused on recurrent bad feelings when taking probiotics Posted: 14 Apr 2015 05:37 AM PDT People focus less on bad feelings and experiences from the past (i.e. rumination) after four weeks of probiotics administration.

A bulky catalyst induces pinpoint targeting on benzene to create bioactive molecules Posted: 14 Apr 2015 05:37 AM PDT Tuning the para position of benzene moieties is significant for creating biologically active compounds and optoelectronic materials. Yet, attaching a functional handle specifically at the para position of benzene has been challenging due to multiple reactive sites on the ring. Chemists have developed a novel iridium catalyst that enables highly para-selective borylation on benzene, leading to the rapid synthesis of drug derivatives for treating Parkinson's disease.

Insecticide contamination of global surface waters substantially higher than expected Posted: 14 Apr 2015 05:37 AM PDT A new study evaluated for the first time comprehensive global insecticide contamination data for agricultural surface waters using the legally-accepted regulatory threshold levels (RTLs) as defined during the official pesticide authorization procedures. The results are alarming: more than 40% of the water-phase samples with a detection of an insecticide concentration, exceeded respective RTLs. Concerning the exposure of sediments (i.e., deposits at the bottom of the surface water bodies), more than 80% of the insecticide concentrations exceeded RTLs, which, however, often are less binding from a regulatory perspective. Overall, the results of this study indicate that insecticides pose substantial threats to the biodiversity of global agricultural surface waters and that the current regulatory risk assessment schemes and pesticide authorzsation procedures fail to protect the aquatic environment.

Model for a perfect human pyramid, six tiers high Posted: 14 Apr 2015 05:37 AM PDT Student study suggests that the perfect human pyramid consists of men, women and children and could achieve six 'tiers' in height.

Advancements in retinal detachment research pave the road to better visual recovery Posted: 14 Apr 2015 05:35 AM PDT Age, disease and even playing certain sports like basketball can increase a person's risk of developing a detached retina. While surgery is typically used to treat the condition, subsequent scarring and damage to the retina can cause permanent vision problems or even blindness. New research is exploring the biochemical processes that lead to retinal scarring in the hopes of developing the first ever drug intervention to help improve the way retinas heal.

UK research cash for dementia, stroke still way too low, experts say Posted: 13 Apr 2015 06:32 PM PDT The amount of government money pumped into dementia and stroke research in the UK has risen significantly in recent years, but it is still way too low when compared with the economic and personal impact these conditions have, experts argue.

Ebola analysis finds virus hasn't become deadlier, yet Posted: 13 Apr 2015 06:31 PM PDT Research using cutting edge computer analysis reveals that despite mutating, Ebola hasn't evolved to become deadlier since the first outbreak 40 years ago. The surprising results demonstrate that whilst a high number of genetic changes have been recorded in the virus, it hasn't changed at a functional level to become more or less virulent.

Mechanism outlined by which inadequate vitamin E can cause brain damage Posted: 13 Apr 2015 03:42 PM PDT Researchers have discovered how vitamin E deficiency may cause neurological damage by interrupting a supply line of specific nutrients and robbing the brain of the 'building blocks' it needs to maintain neuronal health. They found that nutrients needed to build and maintain the brain can be cut by more than half, with possible implications for an elevated risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Gold by special delivery intensifies cancer-killing radiation Posted: 13 Apr 2015 03:42 PM PDT Researchers have demonstrated what could become a more precise method for targeting cancer cells for radiation. The method would use cancer-seeking peptides to ferry nanoparticles of gold to the site. The gold then helps focus radiation on the cancer cells.

Emergency departments may help address opioid overdose, education Posted: 13 Apr 2015 03:42 PM PDT Emergency departments provide a promising venue to address opioid deaths with education on both overdose prevention and appropriate actions in a witnessed overdose. In addition, emergency departments have the potential to equip patients with nasal naloxone rescue kits as part of this effort, authors of a new study suggest.

Cellular signals for pain fine tune neurons' sensitivity to opiods Posted: 13 Apr 2015 03:42 PM PDT At the cellular level, pain and pain relief are caused by two different signaling pathways. But the two pathways aren't necessarily independent of one another, according to a study. The researchers determined the mechanism by which cellular signals for pain fine-tunes neurons' sensitivity to opioids, medications that relieve pain. The finding could help researchers better understand pain and addiction.

Improving work conditions increases parents' time with their children Posted: 13 Apr 2015 03:42 PM PDT A workplace intervention designed to reduce work-family conflict gave employed parents more time with their children without reducing their work time. "The results show that we can change the way we work to improve family life," said one author. "Our study shows that the workplace intervention had an effect on families by increasing parents' time with their children."

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