ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Microscopic view of coughed-up mucus may be new biomarker for cystic fibrosis progression
• Low physical activity responsible for 17 percent of cardiovascular deaths in Argentina
• Developing Saurolophus dino found at 'Dragon's Tomb'
• Sticky situation: Magnetic audiotape's potentially catastrophic degradation in storage
• Rising seas will drown mangrove forests
• Extra brain cells make males remember sex
• Biodiversity stabilizes ecosystems during climate extremes
• 125-million-year-old mammal fossil reveals the early evolution of hair and spines
• New research could revolutionize flexible electronics, solar cells
• Mathematicians find 'magic key' to drive Ramanujan's taxi-cab number
• Bubble plumes off Washington, Oregon suggest warmer ocean may be releasing frozen methane
• Rapid formation of new stars in distant galaxies
• The dilemma of screening for prostate cancer
• Changing climate in the polar regions can affect rest of world far quicker than previously thought
• Larger brains do not lead to high IQs, new meta-analysis finds
• Different types of child abuse: Similar consequences
• Scientists convert skin cells into placenta-generating cells
• Latest experiment at Large Hadron Collider reports first results
• What smacks into Ceres stays on Ceres, research suggests
• Four biological kingdoms influence disease transmission in monarch butterflies
• Shedding light on the growth of stars and black holes
• Spring to come three weeks earlier to the United States
• 'The Dress': Explanation of optical illusion of colors of the striped dress
• Exoskeleton to ensure an active old age
• New microscopy technique is shining new light on biological questions
• One step closer to a new drug for alcohol dependence
• A breakthrough on the mathematical understanding of Einstein’s equations
• How perfect is too perfect? Research reveals robot flaws are key to interacting with humans
• The gaze that hinders expression
• Neutrophils starve fungal invaders
• A molecular switch to stop inflammation
• Fragile hydrological equilibrium in the Western Amazon threatened by climate change
• School absenteeism and early behavioral problems in kindergarten
• The road to longer battery life
• What does it take to escape the water? Plankton have clues
• Lack of referrals for suspected cancer leads to more deaths
• Sleep deprivation affects stem cells, reducing transplant efficiency, study finds
• Redefining temperature with precision lasers
• Most teen mood swings decline with age
• Stress during pregnancy related to children's later movement, coordination
• Drop off feared in the number of physicians conducting research
• Nanocircuitry grown with semiconducting graphene nanoribbons
• Inhalant use linked to head injuries, traumatic experiences and mental illness
• A comet's tail may shed light on solar wind heating
• Hubble's planetary portrait captures changes in Jupiter's Great Red Spot
• In dryland African regions, limiting wildlife water access can reduce water quality
• Retail clinics best used as backup to a patient's primary care physician

Microscopic view of coughed-up mucus may be new biomarker for cystic fibrosis progression Posted: 14 Oct 2015 05:45 PM PDT Researchers have been studying mucus in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients, and their primary goal was to design inhalable therapeutic nanoparticles that cross the cystic fibrosis mucus barrier in the lung. But the work recently led the researchers to the unexpected discovery that mucus appears to change as the disease progresses; the mobility of these nanoparticles could vary widely in mucus from different patients.

Low physical activity responsible for 17 percent of cardiovascular deaths in Argentina Posted: 14 Oct 2015 05:39 PM PDT Low levels of physical activity are responsible for 17 percent of cardiovascular deaths in Argentina, reveals new research.

Developing Saurolophus dino found at 'Dragon's Tomb' Posted: 14 Oct 2015 11:47 AM PDT Scientists describe a perinatal group of Saurolophus angustirostris, a giant hadrosaur dinosaur, all likely from the same nest, found at 'Dragon's Tomb' in Mongolia, according to a new study.

Sticky situation: Magnetic audiotape's potentially catastrophic degradation in storage Posted: 14 Oct 2015 11:22 AM PDT Many of the more than 46 million sound recordings archived throughout the US carry the risk of being destroyed during an attempt to digitize them, because magnetic audiotape can deteriorate over time. A team of researchers is developing a means to readily assess the structural condition of magnetic tape, using non-destructive infrared spectroscopy to identify tapes that suffer from 'sticky-shed syndrome' and will fall apart on playback.

Rising seas will drown mangrove forests Posted: 14 Oct 2015 11:21 AM PDT Mangrove forests around the Indo-Pacific region could be submerged by 2070, international research says. Even with relatively low sea-level rises, many mangrove forests had a poor outlook according to an ecologist.

Extra brain cells make males remember sex Posted: 14 Oct 2015 11:21 AM PDT A pair of neurons have been found in the brain of male nematode worms that allow them to remember and seek sex even at the expense of food. These neurons, which are male-specific, are required for sex-based differences in learning, suggesting that sex differences in cognitive abilities can be genetically hardwired. This is important as very little is known about how brains vary to give the two sexes different preferences, aptitudes and judgments.

Biodiversity stabilizes ecosystems during climate extremes Posted: 14 Oct 2015 11:21 AM PDT Can biodiversity help protect ecosystems from extreme conditions? A study of 46 grasslands in North America and Europe points to a promising answer: increasing plant diversity decreases the extent to which extremely wet or dry conditions disrupt grassland productivity.

125-million-year-old mammal fossil reveals the early evolution of hair and spines Posted: 14 Oct 2015 10:45 AM PDT Discovered in Spain, the fossil of the newly described, 125-million-year old Spinolestes xenarthrosus is remarkably well-preserved, containing fur, hair follicles, hedgehog-like spines, organs and even a fungal skin infection. It pushes back the record of preserved mammalian hair and soft tissue by more than 60 million years.

New research could revolutionize flexible electronics, solar cells Posted: 14 Oct 2015 10:24 AM PDT Researchers have demonstrated an eco-friendly process that enables unprecedented spatial control over the electrical properties of graphene oxide. This two-dimensional nanomaterial has the potential to revolutionize flexible electronics, solar cells and biomedical instruments.

Mathematicians find 'magic key' to drive Ramanujan's taxi-cab number Posted: 14 Oct 2015 10:24 AM PDT Taxi-cab numbers, among the most beloved integers in math, trace their origins to 1918 and what seemed like a casual insight by the Indian genius Srinivasa Ramanujan. Now mathematicians have discovered that Ramanujan did not just identify the first taxi-cab number -- 1729 -- and its quirky properties. He showed how the number relates to elliptic curves and K3 surfaces -- objects important today in string theory and quantum physics.

Bubble plumes off Washington, Oregon suggest warmer ocean may be releasing frozen methane Posted: 14 Oct 2015 10:24 AM PDT The location of bubble plumes off the Pacific Northwest supports the idea that gradual ocean warming at about a third of a mile down may be releasing frozen methane in the seafloor.

Rapid formation of new stars in distant galaxies Posted: 14 Oct 2015 10:24 AM PDT Galaxies forming stars at extreme rates nine billion years ago were more efficient than average galaxies today, researchers find.

The dilemma of screening for prostate cancer Posted: 14 Oct 2015 10:24 AM PDT Primary care providers are put in a difficult position when screening their male patients for prostate cancer -- some guidelines suggest that testing the general population lacks evidence whereas others state that it is appropriate in certain patients. Now a new perspective piece offers some guidance on when to screen patients and how to involve them in decisions about screening and treatment.

Changing climate in the polar regions can affect rest of world far quicker than previously thought Posted: 14 Oct 2015 09:11 AM PDT A new study of the relationship between ocean currents and climate change has found that they are tightly linked, and that changes in the polar regions can affect the ocean and climate on the opposite side of the world within one to two hundred years, far quicker than previously thought.

Larger brains do not lead to high IQs, new meta-analysis finds Posted: 14 Oct 2015 09:11 AM PDT Is brain size related to cognitive ability of humans? This question has captured the attention of scientists for more than a century. An international team of researchers provides no evidence for a causal role of brain size for IQ test performance. In a meta-analysis of data from more than 8000 participants, they show that associations between in vivo brain volume and IQ are small.

Different types of child abuse: Similar consequences Posted: 14 Oct 2015 09:10 AM PDT Emotional abuse may be as harmful as physical abuse and neglect. This finding complements previous imaging research showing that emotional and physical pain both activate the same parts of the brain.

Scientists convert skin cells into placenta-generating cells Posted: 14 Oct 2015 08:04 AM PDT Regenerative medicine is a new and expanding area that aims to replace lost or damaged cells, tissues or organs in the human body through cellular transplantation. Now, researchers have succeeded in converting skin cells into stable and fully functional placenta-generating cells.

Latest experiment at Large Hadron Collider reports first results Posted: 14 Oct 2015 08:00 AM PDT After a two-year hiatus, the Large Hadron Collider, the largest and most powerful particle accelerator in the world, began its second run of experiments in June, smashing together subatomic particles at 13 teraelectronvolts (TeV) -- the highest energy ever achieved in a laboratory. Physicists hope that such high-energy collisions may produce completely new particles, and potentially simulate the conditions that were seen in the early universe.

What smacks into Ceres stays on Ceres, research suggests Posted: 14 Oct 2015 07:59 AM PDT A new set of high-velocity impact experiments suggests that the dwarf planet Ceres may be something of a cosmic dartboard: projectiles that slam into it tend to stick. The findings could help explain characteristics of Ceres' surface.

Four biological kingdoms influence disease transmission in monarch butterflies Posted: 14 Oct 2015 06:03 AM PDT Experiments with monarch butterfly caterpillars and the milkweed plants on which they feed have shown for the first time that interactions across four biological kingdoms can influence disease transmission.

Shedding light on the growth of stars and black holes Posted: 14 Oct 2015 06:03 AM PDT Astronomers have revealed a surprising similarity between the way in which astronomical objects grow including black holes, white dwarfs and young stars.

Spring to come three weeks earlier to the United States Posted: 14 Oct 2015 05:54 AM PDT Scientists have projected that the onset of spring plant growth will shift by a median of three weeks earlier over the next century, as a result of rising global temperatures.

'The Dress': Explanation of optical illusion of colors of the striped dress Posted: 14 Oct 2015 05:54 AM PDT In February 2015, the photo of a striped dress stirred a worldwide internet debate ; now, neuroscientists have further decoded the phenomenon, demonstrating that the optical illusion is linked to specific brain activation patterns.

Exoskeleton to ensure an active old age Posted: 14 Oct 2015 05:54 AM PDT Researchers are creating portable robot skeletons for the elderly so they can continue to be active longer. Think of it as a tool, not as a robot, says researcher.

New microscopy technique is shining new light on biological questions Posted: 14 Oct 2015 05:51 AM PDT A microscopy technique is poised to shine new light on biological questions: as sheets of light can scan everything from developing embryos to single cells or functioning brains, a technique called light-sheet microscopy is gaining traction. It enables scientists to observe living cells in three dimensions, for extended periods of time.

One step closer to a new drug for alcohol dependence Posted: 14 Oct 2015 05:51 AM PDT Researchers might be one step closer to finding an effective drug for alcohol dependence. In two separate studies, they show that the so-called dopamine stabilizer OSU6162 can reduce the craving for alcohol in alcohol dependent people and normalizes the level of dopamine in the brain reward system of rats that have consumed alcohol over a long period of time. However, thorough clinical studies are needed to determine if the OSU6162 also can help alcohol dependent people drink less alcohol.

A breakthrough on the mathematical understanding of Einstein’s equations Posted: 14 Oct 2015 05:51 AM PDT Proposed 15 years ago, the bounded L2 curvature conjecture has finally been proven by a group of researchers. It provides a potentially minimal framework in which it is possible to solve the Einstein equations, which in turn could be a critical step toward the proof of major conjectures, such as Penrose's cosmic censorship conjectures.

How perfect is too perfect? Research reveals robot flaws are key to interacting with humans Posted: 14 Oct 2015 05:51 AM PDT Humans are less likely to form successful working relationships with interactive robots if they are programmed to be too perfect, new research reveals.

The gaze that hinders expression Posted: 14 Oct 2015 05:51 AM PDT It is not enough to observe what abilities are altered in autistic subjects, we also need to understand how each function interacts with the others. In fact, whereas in normal subjects joint attention appears to facilitate facial mimicry (both are skills relevant for human social interaction), the opposite holds true for autistic subjects, a new study suggests.

Neutrophils starve fungal invaders Posted: 14 Oct 2015 05:51 AM PDT The most frequent immune cells in the human blood, so-called neutrophils, efficiently kill invading microorganisms and slowly starve microbes to death by removing crucial trace elements, report researchers.

A molecular switch to stop inflammation Posted: 14 Oct 2015 05:50 AM PDT Our immune system is vital to us and can sometimes overreact causing chronic illnesses, such as for instance rheumatism and allergy. Now, researchers have identified a molecular switch – MYSM1 – that can suppress such an overreaction and avoid inflammation.

Fragile hydrological equilibrium in the Western Amazon threatened by climate change Posted: 14 Oct 2015 05:50 AM PDT Deforestation is often seen as the main enemy of the Amazon rainforest. A recent study, however, shows evidence of an even more imminent threat: climate change. The researchers fear that, if climate scenarios are proven right, a permanent change in the western Amazon may start to take place within 10 years.

School absenteeism and early behavioral problems in kindergarten Posted: 14 Oct 2015 05:50 AM PDT At least 5% of children and adolescents in Germany are in need of psychiatric treatment. Diagnostic investigation for behavioral problems is indicated in another 10% to 18%. Two recent articles explore the questions of what interventions help children who are avoiding school, and whether providing support for social and emotional skills can improve prosocial behavior in preschool children.

The road to longer battery life Posted: 14 Oct 2015 05:50 AM PDT Are you sick of your phone's battery dying after only a few hours?  Researchers are hard at work on improving something called the solid electrolyte interphase as a way to boost battery life.

What does it take to escape the water? Plankton have clues Posted: 14 Oct 2015 05:48 AM PDT Dolphins and whales may attract a lot of attention when they leap dramatically out of the water. But aquatic animals thousands of times smaller are accomplished jumpers, too.Their acrobatics often go unnoticed, but understanding them could help improve engineering processes, like oil refining and wastewater treatment, that rely on controlling the interaction of small particles with air-water interfaces.

Lack of referrals for suspected cancer leads to more deaths Posted: 14 Oct 2015 05:48 AM PDT Deaths are higher in cancer patients whose GPs do not regularly send patients through the two-week urgent referral route for suspected cancer, suggests a British study.

Sleep deprivation affects stem cells, reducing transplant efficiency, study finds Posted: 14 Oct 2015 05:48 AM PDT Drowsy mice make poor stem cell donors, according to a new study. Although the research was done in mice, the findings have possible implications for bone marrow transplants, more properly called hematopoietic stem cell transplants, in humans.

Redefining temperature with precision lasers Posted: 14 Oct 2015 05:48 AM PDT A team of scientists has produced a precision laser device that creates an accurate international standard for temperature.

Most teen mood swings decline with age Posted: 14 Oct 2015 05:48 AM PDT A new longitudinal study of adolescents looked at the development of teens' emotional stability. It found that mood swings gradually decline as teens age. Additionally, the study identifies when instability could require intervention.

Stress during pregnancy related to children's later movement, coordination Posted: 14 Oct 2015 05:48 AM PDT Stress experienced during pregnancy is related to a child's motor development, found a longitudinal study of 2,900 mothers. Stress experienced by mothers during pregnancy is also related to their children's behavior, as well as mental and cognitive outcomes in middle childhood and into adolescence, previous work has demonstrated.

Drop off feared in the number of physicians conducting research Posted: 13 Oct 2015 03:27 PM PDT Physician-scientists are responsible for many lifesaving medical discoveries but their ranks could be thinning in coming years, warn experts.

Nanocircuitry grown with semiconducting graphene nanoribbons Posted: 13 Oct 2015 03:27 PM PDT Researchers are the first to grow self-directed graphene nanoribbons on the surface of the semiconducting material germanium. This allows the semiconducting industry to tailor specific paths for nanocircuitry in their technologies.

Inhalant use linked to head injuries, traumatic experiences and mental illness Posted: 13 Oct 2015 03:27 PM PDT Incarcerated youth who have suffered head injuries, traumatic experiences and mental illness diagnoses are more likely to abuse multiple inhalants, according to researchers.

A comet's tail may shed light on solar wind heating Posted: 13 Oct 2015 03:27 PM PDT We can't see the wind, but we can learn about it by observing things that are being blown about. And by studying changes in a comet's bright tail of gas and ions, scientists are on the trail to solving two big mysteries about the solar wind, the supersonic outflow of electrically charged gas from the Sun's million-degree upper atmosphere or corona.

Hubble's planetary portrait captures changes in Jupiter's Great Red Spot Posted: 13 Oct 2015 03:00 PM PDT Scientists using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have produced new maps of Jupiter that show the continuing changes in its famous Great Red Spot. The images also reveal a rare wave structure in the planet's atmosphere that has not been seen for decades. The new image is the first in a series of annual portraits of the Solar System's outer planets, which will give us new glimpses of these remote worlds, and help scientists to study how they change over time.

In dryland African regions, limiting wildlife water access can reduce water quality Posted: 13 Oct 2015 02:59 PM PDT Water-dependent wildlife populations in sensitive African dryland regions need continued access to limited surface water resources -- even as human development increases in these areas -- because restricting access and concentrating wildlife populations along riparian regions can impact water quality and, potentially, human health.

Retail clinics best used as backup to a patient's primary care physician Posted: 13 Oct 2015 02:59 PM PDT Retail health clinics -- now commonly present in drugstores and/or big box retailers -- are best used as a backup alternative to a patient's primary care physician for the diagnosis and treatment of episodic minor illnesses, according to The American College of Physicians.

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