ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Simple drug regimen cures hepatitis C virus in patients after 12 weeks
• New target for immuno-oncology therapies
• Team refrigerates liquids with a laser for the first time
• Emergency response system for blood formation identified inside body
• Impact of high-fat diet on red blood cells may cause cardiovascular disease
• Yoga may lessen side effects in men undergoing prostate cancer treatment
• Researchers sequence genomes of parasite that is actually a 'micro jellyfish'
• High-tech analysis of proto-mammal fossil clarifies the mammalian family tree
• Lowering body temperature increases survival, brain function in cardiac arrest patients with non-shockable heart rhythms
• Moderate coffee drinking may be linked to reduced risk of death
• New fat cell metabolism research could lead to new ways to treat diabetes, obesity
• Marginalized groups use the Internet to broaden their networks, rather than reinforce ties
• Safe spaces play important role in community-based HIV prevention, research finds
• Bats use weighty wings to land upside down
• See! I was right
• Student led a team that built a prosthesis for little girl's hand
• Microbes that are key indicators of Puget Sound's health in decline
• Flowers that point to the sky may attract more moth pollinators
• How students of different backgrounds use strategies to strengthen college applications
• 'Tuning in' to a fast and optimized internet
• Brain scans illuminate emotional response to sound
• Brushing up peptides boosts their potential as drugs
• Half the world's natural history specimens may have the wrong name
• New guideline for treating acne in children and adults
• Antibiotic prescriptions increased in study to promote better prescribing for UTIs
• Mistaken identities of tropical plants raise questions on biodiversity data
• Discovery measures 'heartbeats' of distant galaxy's stars
• China continues to lag in effective tobacco control, studies show
• Population health promotion: Stratified approach for cardiovascular health
• Changes in metabolites can regulate earliest stages of development
• Discovery of hidden earthquake presents challenge to earthquake early-warning systems
• Valley current control shows way to ultra-low-power devices
• Gene drive reversibility introduces new layer of biosafety
• Researchers decode patterns that make our brains human
• Kids with Medicaid, CHIP get more preventive care than those with private insurance
• Effect of pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV infection integrated with community health services
• Earth's hidden groundwater mapped: Less than six per cent renewable within a human lifetime
• How depleting the gut microbiota protects from obesity
• Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a stem cell disease
• New method may help detect avocado pathogen earlier
• Public health leaders urge far-reaching reforms to curb prescription opioid epidemic
• High plains aquifer peak use by state, overall usage decline, study finds
• Traditional calendar schools increase property values by nearly two percent in Wake County, North Carolina
• Lung transplant criteria biased against shorter patients
• Earth's climate more sensitive to carbon dioxide than previously thought
• Programmable plants: Synthetic biologists pave way for genetic circuits
• Former smokers who quit within the past year are four times more likely to be daily users of e-cigarettes
• For the birds: Whether you're territorial, a girlfriend stealer or a cross dresser, it's in your genes
• 'Supergene' underlies genetic differences, sexual behavior in male ruff
• New microscopy technology may help surgeons save more lives
• Most extensive face transplant to date
• Earwigs raised without parents demonstrate limited maternal care of their own offspring
• Responding to C. diff: Concerted action needed to control health care-related infection
• Scientists build nanoscale submarines powered by light
• New tech helps handlers monitor health, well-being of guide dogs
• Empathy is key to political persuasion, shows new research
• Surprising links between bullying and eating disorders
• Ophthalmology's data science initiative yields important clinical post-surgery insights
• Treating epilepsy, brain traumas by neurotransmitters
• High yield crops a step closer in light of photosynthesis discovery

Simple drug regimen cures hepatitis C virus in patients after 12 weeks Posted: 16 Nov 2015 03:17 PM PST Researchers have found that a simple drug regimen delivered over 12 weeks achieved sustained eradication of several genotypes of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) in 99 per cent of the trial's patients.

New target for immuno-oncology therapies Posted: 16 Nov 2015 03:13 PM PST By studying a type of immune cells, a team of researchers identified the mechanism of action for a new target for novel immune-oncology treatments.

Team refrigerates liquids with a laser for the first time Posted: 16 Nov 2015 03:13 PM PST Since the first laser was invented in 1960, they've always given off heat, either as a useful tool, a byproduct or a fictional way to vanquish intergalactic enemies. Researchers are the first to solve a decades-old puzzle -- figuring out how to make a laser refrigerate water and other liquids.

Emergency response system for blood formation identified inside body Posted: 16 Nov 2015 03:12 PM PST Scientists have determined how the body responds during times of emergency when it needs more blood cells. When tissue damage occurs, in times of excessive bleeding, or during pregnancy, a secondary, emergency blood-formation system is activated in the spleen.

Impact of high-fat diet on red blood cells may cause cardiovascular disease Posted: 16 Nov 2015 03:12 PM PST Researchers have discovered the negative impact a high fat diet has on red blood cells and how these cells, in turn, promote the development of cardiovascular disease.

Yoga may lessen side effects in men undergoing prostate cancer treatment Posted: 16 Nov 2015 03:12 PM PST Men with prostate cancer who are undergoing radiation therapy can benefit from yoga, researchers reported.

Researchers sequence genomes of parasite that is actually a 'micro jellyfish' Posted: 16 Nov 2015 03:10 PM PST Researchers have revealed how a jellyfish -- those commonplace sea pests with stinging tentacles -- have evolved over time into 'really weird' microscopic organisms, made of only a few cells, that live inside other animals.

High-tech analysis of proto-mammal fossil clarifies the mammalian family tree Posted: 16 Nov 2015 03:10 PM PST A new analysis of the jaw of one of the earliest known proto-mammals sheds light on efforts to accurately date the period when mammals first evolved and clarifies the mammalian family tree. The study suggests that the great explosion in mammal diversification occurred in the Jurassic around 175 million years ago -- more than 30 million years after the forerunners to mammals diversified in the Triassic.

Lowering body temperature increases survival, brain function in cardiac arrest patients with non-shockable heart rhythms Posted: 16 Nov 2015 03:10 PM PST Lowering the body's temperature in cardiac arrest patients with 'non-shockable' heart rhythms increases survival and brain function. Patients who received the treatment were about three times more likely to survive cardiac arrest and have better neurological function compared to those who did not receive it.

Moderate coffee drinking may be linked to reduced risk of death Posted: 16 Nov 2015 03:10 PM PST Drinking coffee daily was associated with a lower risk of deaths from Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and neurological diseases in nonsmokers. Regular consumption of coffee can be included as part of a healthy, balanced diet.

New fat cell metabolism research could lead to new ways to treat diabetes, obesity Posted: 16 Nov 2015 12:22 PM PST New insights into what nutrients fat cells metabolize to make fatty acids have been released by scientists. The findings pave the way for understanding potential irregularities in fat cell metabolism that occur in patients with diabetes and obesity and could lead to new treatments for these conditions.

Marginalized groups use the Internet to broaden their networks, rather than reinforce ties Posted: 16 Nov 2015 12:22 PM PST A new research study supports the commonly held view that people from disadvantaged groups are using the Internet to broaden their social networks. Those who are from racially or educationally advantaged groups depend more on face-to-face interactions and use the Internet to reinforce their connections with others.

Safe spaces play important role in community-based HIV prevention, research finds Posted: 16 Nov 2015 12:22 PM PST The creation and sustainment of 'safe spaces' may play a critical role in community-based HIV prevention efforts by providing social support and reducing environmental barriers for vulnerable populations, a new study has found.

Bats use weighty wings to land upside down Posted: 16 Nov 2015 12:22 PM PST In order to roost upside down on cave ceilings or tree limbs, bats need to perform an aerobatic feat unlike anything else in the animal world. Researchers have shown that it's the extra mass in bats' beefy wings that makes the maneuver possible.

See! I was right Posted: 16 Nov 2015 11:36 AM PST Once people reach a conclusion, they aren't likely to change their minds, even when new information shows their initial belief is likely wrong and clinging to that belief costs real money, new research shows.

Student led a team that built a prosthesis for little girl's hand Posted: 16 Nov 2015 11:34 AM PST A biomedical engineer used her know-how to help create a prosthesis for a 4-year-old girl using 3-D printing. An energetic and inquisitive little girl, the child was born with Poland syndrome, a birth defect marked by incomplete development of hand and chest muscles typically on a person's right side.

Microbes that are key indicators of Puget Sound's health in decline Posted: 16 Nov 2015 11:26 AM PST Paleontologists find that tiny organisms called foraminifera have a big story to tell about the health of Puget Sound. Two recent studies about the health of Bellingham Bay and inlets in the Bremerton area found the diversity and number of foraminifera -- single-celled marine organisms that live on the sea floor -- deteriorated significantly.

Flowers that point to the sky may attract more moth pollinators Posted: 16 Nov 2015 11:26 AM PST Plants that have flowers that point towards the sky may be better at attracting moth pollinators than plants that have 'shy' flowers that point sideways.

How students of different backgrounds use strategies to strengthen college applications Posted: 16 Nov 2015 11:26 AM PST Over the past 25 years, the higher education system in the United States has grown more competitive, with students trying to gain admissions to the most desirable institutions and institutions vying for the most desirable students. During this time period, high school students across the country - particularly those from families of higher socioeconomic status - have increasingly used multiple strategies to enhance their college applications, finds research.

'Tuning in' to a fast and optimized internet Posted: 16 Nov 2015 11:24 AM PST The path toward an even faster internet has been hindered by energy consumption and cost per optical component. Researchers have designed a tunable filter -- an important component of high-capacity optical networks -- that should save both money and energy because it can be readily integrated onto a photonic chip.

Brain scans illuminate emotional response to sound Posted: 16 Nov 2015 11:24 AM PST Noisy gymnasiums, restaurants where conversations are nearly impossible and concert halls less than perfect for the music are all acoustical problems. Now acoustical engineers are using functional MRI to better understand room acoustics and the emotions they can cause.

Brushing up peptides boosts their potential as drugs Posted: 16 Nov 2015 11:24 AM PST Peptides promise to be useful drugs, but they're too easily digested and can't get into cells without help. Chemists now show that peptides can be protected from digestion and delivered into cells without changing their biological function by rearranging them into dense brushes.

Half the world's natural history specimens may have the wrong name Posted: 16 Nov 2015 11:24 AM PST As many as 50 percent of all natural history specimens held in the world's museums could be wrongly named, according to a new study.

New guideline for treating acne in children and adults Posted: 16 Nov 2015 11:24 AM PST A new guideline aims to help Canadian physicians, nurses and pharmacists treat children and adults with acne, a disease that can severely affect quality of life. The guideline updates the previous guidance published 15 years ago.

Antibiotic prescriptions increased in study to promote better prescribing for UTIs Posted: 16 Nov 2015 11:24 AM PST An initiative to improve prescribing of antibiotics for urinary tract infections (UTIs) resulted in better-quality prescribing of first-line antibiotics, although the number of prescriptions also increased, according to new research.

Mistaken identities of tropical plants raise questions on biodiversity data Posted: 16 Nov 2015 11:24 AM PST The primary way that researchers know anything about the distribution of species in the natural world is via the specimen collections housed in museums all around the world. As a result, tremendous effort is being put into uploading data on those collections into free and accessible databases. But researcher have uncovered a big problem: mistaken identities in those collections are incredibly common, at least among tropical plants.

Discovery measures 'heartbeats' of distant galaxy's stars Posted: 16 Nov 2015 11:17 AM PST In many ways stars are like living beings. They're born; they live; they die. And they even have a heartbeat. Using a novel technique, astronomers have detected thousands of stellar 'pulses' in the galaxy Messier 87 (M87). Their measurements offer a new way of determining a galaxy's age.

China continues to lag in effective tobacco control, studies show Posted: 16 Nov 2015 09:08 AM PST Efforts over the past seven years to reduce tobacco use in China have been strikingly ineffective and leave tobacco use a top threat to the health and economic well-being of the world's largest country, according to research findings.

Population health promotion: Stratified approach for cardiovascular health Posted: 16 Nov 2015 09:08 AM PST Promoting cardiovascular health worldwide, experts discuss how the practice of medicine will change to reflect an increase in ambulatory care.

Changes in metabolites can regulate earliest stages of development Posted: 16 Nov 2015 09:08 AM PST Changes in cellular metabolites, the simple compounds generated during life-sustaining chemical activities in cells, have been shown to regulate embryonic stem cell development at the earliest stages of life. The recent findings should improve scientists' ability to use embryonic stem cells to grow new tissues and organs to replace those damaged by disease or injury. The findings also could lead to new treatments for common disorders ranging from infertility to cancer, say experts.

Discovery of hidden earthquake presents challenge to earthquake early-warning systems Posted: 16 Nov 2015 09:08 AM PST Seismologists studying the 2011 Chile earthquake have discovered a previously undetected earthquake that took place seconds after the initial rupture. This newly discovered phenomena, which they called a `closely-spaced doublet,' presents a challenge to earthquake and tsunami early warning systems as it increases the risk of larger-than-expected tsunamis in the aftermath of a typical subduction earthquake.

Valley current control shows way to ultra-low-power devices Posted: 16 Nov 2015 09:08 AM PST Researchers have demonstrated an electrically-controllable valley current device that may pave the way to ultra-low-power 'valleytronics' devices.

Gene drive reversibility introduces new layer of biosafety Posted: 16 Nov 2015 09:06 AM PST A research team demonstrates effective safeguarding mechanisms for working with gene drives and unveils a first-of-its-kind method for reversing the changes they spread.

Researchers decode patterns that make our brains human Posted: 16 Nov 2015 09:06 AM PST The human brain may be the most complex piece of organized matter in the known universe, but researchers have begun to unravel the genetic code underlying its function. Research has now identified a surprisingly small set of molecular patterns that dominate gene expression in the human brain and appear common to all individuals, providing key insights into the core of the genetic code that makes our brains distinctly human.

Kids with Medicaid, CHIP get more preventive care than those with private insurance Posted: 16 Nov 2015 09:06 AM PST Children insured by Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) were more likely to get preventive medical and dental care than privately insured children in a study that compared access and use of health care for children in households with low to moderate incomes, according to a new article.

Effect of pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV infection integrated with community health services Posted: 16 Nov 2015 09:06 AM PST The rate of acquiring human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was extremely low despite a high incidence of sexually transmitted infections in a study where pre-exposure antiretroviral medication to prevent HIV infection was dispensed at clinics in three metropolitan areas heavily affected by HIV, according to an article.

Earth's hidden groundwater mapped: Less than six per cent renewable within a human lifetime Posted: 16 Nov 2015 09:06 AM PST The first data-driven estimate of the Earth's total supply of groundwater shows that less than six per cent of groundwater in the upper two kilometers of the Earth's landmass is renewable within a human lifetime.

How depleting the gut microbiota protects from obesity Posted: 16 Nov 2015 09:06 AM PST By studying mice without microbiota, scientists were able to demonstrate how the absence of microbiota has a remarkable effect against obesity. Indeed, it triggers a surprising metabolic mechanism: white fat cells -- which in excess cause obesity and insulin resistance -- are transformed into cells similar to brown fat (they are called 'beige fat'), that protects the body against excess weight and its damaging consequences.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a stem cell disease Posted: 16 Nov 2015 09:06 AM PST For nearly 20 years, scientists have thought that the muscle weakness observed in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy is primarily due to problems in their muscle fibers, but new research shows that it is also due to intrinsic defects in muscle stem cells. Muscle stem cells that lack the dystrophin gene can't sense their orientation and produce ten-fold fewer muscle precursor cells, which in-turn generate fewer functional muscle fibers.

New method may help detect avocado pathogen earlier Posted: 16 Nov 2015 08:29 AM PST An algorithm has helped scientists to detect laurel wilt, the deadly pathogen that threatens Florida's $100 million-a-year avocado industry.

Public health leaders urge far-reaching reforms to curb prescription opioid epidemic Posted: 16 Nov 2015 08:29 AM PST A group of experts has issued recommendations aimed at stemming the prescription opioid epidemic, a crisis that kills an average of 44 people a day in the U.S.

High plains aquifer peak use by state, overall usage decline, study finds Posted: 16 Nov 2015 08:29 AM PST The over-tapping of the High Plains Aquifer's groundwater beyond the aquifer's recharge rate peaked in 2006, new research shows. Its use is projected to decrease by roughly 50 percent in the next 100 years.

Traditional calendar schools increase property values by nearly two percent in Wake County, North Carolina Posted: 16 Nov 2015 08:27 AM PST Prices for homes assigned to traditional calendars were up to 2 percent higher than similar homes that switched to multi-track year round calendars, a new analysis of more than 50,000 residential real estate transactions shows.

Lung transplant criteria biased against shorter patients Posted: 16 Nov 2015 08:27 AM PST Short people have several health advantages over tall people, including lower risk for cancer and heart disease, and longer life expectancy. But there's at least one health-related downside to being small: the odds of getting a lung transplant are considerably lower.

Earth's climate more sensitive to carbon dioxide than previously thought Posted: 16 Nov 2015 08:27 AM PST Ancient climates on Earth may have been more sensitive to carbon dioxide than was previously thought, according to new research. Scientists examined nahcolite crystals found in Colorado's Green River Formation, formed 50 million years old during a hothouse climate. They found that carbon dioxide levels during this time may have been as low as 680 parts per million (ppm), nearly half the 1,125 ppm predicted by previous experiments. The new data suggests that past predictions significantly underestimate the impact of greenhouse warming and that Earth's climate may be more sensitive to increased carbon dioxide than was once thought.

Programmable plants: Synthetic biologists pave way for genetic circuits Posted: 16 Nov 2015 08:27 AM PST Taking genetic engineering to the next level, researchers are creating modular, programmable genetic circuits that control specific plant functions.

Former smokers who quit within the past year are four times more likely to be daily users of e-cigarettes Posted: 16 Nov 2015 08:25 AM PST Analysis of a national survey of adult tobacco use points to use of e-cigarettes as a quitting aid. The researchers also found that while any e-cigarette use was higher among young adults, daily e-cigarette use was more common among adults over age 25 than among young adults aged 18-24.

For the birds: Whether you're territorial, a girlfriend stealer or a cross dresser, it's in your genes Posted: 16 Nov 2015 08:24 AM PST Whether you're territorial, a girlfriend stealer, or a cross dresser, when it comes to finding a partner, scientists have discovered that for some birds it's all in the genes.

'Supergene' underlies genetic differences, sexual behavior in male ruff Posted: 16 Nov 2015 08:24 AM PST The ruff is a Eurasian shorebird that has a spectacular lekking behavior where highly ornamented males compete for females. Now two groups report that males with alternative reproductive strategies carry a chromosomal rearrangement that has been maintained as a balanced genetic polymorphism for about 4 million years.

New microscopy technology may help surgeons save more lives Posted: 16 Nov 2015 08:23 AM PST Biomedical engineers and neurosurgeons have developed an augmented microscopy technology to help surgeons operate with greater precision and reduced risk of harming patients.

Most extensive face transplant to date Posted: 16 Nov 2015 08:23 AM PST Physicians have just announced the successful completion of the most extensive face transplant to date, setting new standards of care in this emerging field. Equally important, for the first time a face transplant has been performed on a first responder -- a volunteer firefighter who suffered a full face and scalp burn in the line of duty.

Earwigs raised without parents demonstrate limited maternal care of their own offspring Posted: 16 Nov 2015 08:23 AM PST The effect of the loss of parents among animals that could, in principle, survive without maternal care has been researched by scientists using the example of the earwig -- with surprising results.

Responding to C. diff: Concerted action needed to control health care-related infection Posted: 16 Nov 2015 08:23 AM PST Appropriate use of antibiotics is a critical step toward controlling the ongoing epidemic of health care-related Clostridium difficile infection, according to a special article from experts.

Scientists build nanoscale submarines powered by light Posted: 16 Nov 2015 08:23 AM PST Though they're not quite ready for boarding a lá "Fantastic Voyage," nanoscale submarines are proving themselves seaworthy.

New tech helps handlers monitor health, well-being of guide dogs Posted: 16 Nov 2015 08:22 AM PST A device has been developed that allows people who are blind to monitor their guide dogs, in order to keep tabs on the health and well-being of their canine companions.

Empathy is key to political persuasion, shows new research Posted: 16 Nov 2015 08:20 AM PST It's not news that liberals and conservatives are lousy at winning each other over. But if they really care about making even modest in-roads with each other, they'll pay attention to research showing that arguments based on a political opponent's moral principles, rather than one's own, have a much better chance of success.

Surprising links between bullying and eating disorders Posted: 16 Nov 2015 08:20 AM PST Being bullied in childhood has been associated with increased risk for anxiety, depression and even eating disorders. But according to new research, it's not only the victims who could be at risk psychologically, but also the bullies themselves.

Ophthalmology's data science initiative yields important clinical post-surgery insights Posted: 16 Nov 2015 08:20 AM PST Important clinical insights have been gleaned from new research on America's only comprehensive database of ophthalmic patient outcomes. These findings revealed new information on rare complications following common eye procedures. The results may have policy implications and influence clinical decisions.

Treating epilepsy, brain traumas by neurotransmitters Posted: 16 Nov 2015 08:20 AM PST Researchers conducted experiments on the hippocampus of neonatal rats and mice, quite similar to the one of a human fetus at the second half of pregnancy period. Hence it will be possible make precise identification of medicaments safe for a fetus and its brain development. The potential application of obtained results is to find its place in treating brain malfunctions, such as epilepsy, post-ischemic conditions, and brain traumas.

High yield crops a step closer in light of photosynthesis discovery Posted: 16 Nov 2015 08:20 AM PST Crops with improved yields could more easily become a reality, thanks to a development by scientists. Researchers studying a biological process that enables tiny green algae to grow efficiently have taken the first steps to recreating the mechanism in a more complex plant. Their findings could lead to the breeding of high yield varieties of common crops such as wheat, rice and barley.

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