ScienceDaily: Top News

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• High-energy X-rays give industry affordable way to optimize cast iron
• Particle smashups find that shape matters
• Greenland glaciers retreating at record pace
• New genus of plant bug, plus four new species from Australia
• Warm nights could flood the atmosphere with carbon under climate change
• Seeing viruses in a new light
• Could hippos be meat eaters?
• Contaminants in New York City’s community gardens
• Cities support a greater number of threatened species than non-urban areas
• How fresh is your maple syrup?
• Reducing pain in patients with osteoarthritis of the big toe
• Increased CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere have altered photosynthesis of plants over the 20th century
• Sex differences in Type 2 diabetes affect cardiovascular disease risk
• Unique anti-diabetes compound using powerful new drug-discovery method
• Fighting Prescription Painkiller Abuse Among Baby Boomers
• Sperm crane their neck to turn right
• Dinosaur relatives and first dinosaurs more closely connected than previously thought
• Loss of enzyme promotes tumor progression in endometrial cancer
• Most crowded U.S. hospitals did not adopt proven interventions, study finds
• Cancer patient symptom surveys linked to reduced ER visits, improved survival and quality of life
• Electric assistance for stroke recovery
• Nanoscale ribbons of a new phase of gold have been produced with a different crystalline structure
• Endangered foxes on Catalina Island get promising treatment to reduce ear tumors
• New molecular structure reveals how bluetongue virus enters host cells
• Breaking bread with colleagues boosts productivity
• Green tea impairs development, reproduction in fruit flies, study finds
• Study of environmental attitudes finds nine distinct segments of American population
• Including plant acclimation to temperature change improves climate models
• Enzyme involved in cell division also plays a role in inflammation
• Negative beliefs about aging predict Alzheimer's disease in study
• New findings reveal the interplay between epilepsy and aging
• Pharmaceutical CBD (cannabidiol) shows promise for children with severe epilepsy
• What makes a celebrity look like a celebrity?
• Study links Facebook connections, alcohol use in college-aged females
• Chasing invasive cancer cells with a laser
• Tiny drug-laden 'popping bubbles' lead triple attack treatment for liver cancer
• Older adults live independently longer when monitored by care team, technology
• Climate change governs a crop pest, even when populations are far-flung
• New approaches for hybrid solar cells
• Difference between facial growth of Neanderthals and modern humans
• Huge organs defy austerity for tiny cave snails in the subterranean realm
• Physical activity may leave the brain more open to change
• Belugas blow bubbles based on mood
• Can your childhood pet make you depressed?
• Closing a malware security loophole
• New personal monitoring devices for epilepsy may offer alternatives to inpatient video EEG
• In social movements, 'slactivists' matter
• New untraceable messaging system comes with statistical guarantees
• Men's interest in babies linked with hormonal responses to sexual stimuli
• Experimental drug is first targeted therapy to improve survival in high-risk AML patients
• Stretchy hydrogel 'Band-Aid' senses, lights up, delivers medicine
• Home-delivered meals reduce loneliness, study finds
• Engineers invent process to accelerate protein evolution
• Satellite observations show global plant growth is not keeping up with CO2 emissions
• Modified mosquitoes could help fight against malaria
• Risky sexual behavior by young men with HIV who have sex with men
• Skin cells play 'dice games'
• Global fossil-fuel emissions predicted to decline for 2015
• Chomsky was right: We do have a 'grammar' in our head
• Unraveling the genetic basis of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy

High-energy X-rays give industry affordable way to optimize cast iron Posted: 07 Dec 2015 02:12 PM PST Researchers have conducted a proof of principle study that shows that high-energy synchrotron X-rays from the Advanced Photon Source can provide a new, affordable way for industry to optimize the mechanical and physical properties of cast iron in the manufacturing process.

Particle smashups find that shape matters Posted: 07 Dec 2015 02:12 PM PST Peering into the seething soup of primordial matter created in particle collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) -- an "atom smasher" dedicated to nuclear physics research -- scientists have come to a new understanding of how particles are produced in these collisions.

Greenland glaciers retreating at record pace Posted: 07 Dec 2015 01:57 PM PST Greenland's glaciers are retreating quickly, and a new study shows in historical terms just how quickly: over the past century, at least twice as fast as any other time in the past 9,500 years. The study also provides new evidence for just how sensitive glaciers are to temperature, showing that they responded to past abrupt cooling and warming periods, some of which might have lasted only decades.

New genus of plant bug, plus four new species from Australia Posted: 07 Dec 2015 01:57 PM PST A new genus of plant bug and four new species have been discovered in Australia. The newly discovered insects, which belong to the family Miridae and the subfamily Phylinae, are described in a new article.

Warm nights could flood the atmosphere with carbon under climate change Posted: 07 Dec 2015 01:57 PM PST A new study suggests that hotter nights may wield more influence than previously thought over the planet's atmosphere as global temperatures rise -- and could eventually lead to more carbon flooding the atmosphere.

Seeing viruses in a new light Posted: 07 Dec 2015 01:57 PM PST If researchers can understand how viruses assemble, they may be able to design drugs that prevent viruses from forming in the first place. Unfortunately, how exactly viruses self-assemble has long remained a mystery because it happens very quickly and at such small length-scales. Now, there is a system to track nanometer-sized viruses at sub-millisecond time scales. The method is the first step towards tracking individual proteins and genomic molecules at high speeds as they assemble to create a virus.

Could hippos be meat eaters? Posted: 07 Dec 2015 01:43 PM PST People often think hippos are herbivores with big smiling faces. Every now and then, reports of a hippo of hunting down prey, eating a carcass, or stealing prey from a crocodile are heard, but they're typically considered 'aberrant' or 'unusual' behavior. Now, however, researchers demonstrate that carnivory, or eating meat, is not uncommon among hippos at all, and that this behavior may increase their susceptibility to mass mortality during anthrax outbreaks.

Contaminants in New York City’s community gardens Posted: 07 Dec 2015 01:43 PM PST While community gardens provide benefits including urban green space, opportunities for recreation, art expression, social gathering, and improved diets, urban gardening may also increase the opportunity for exposure to common urban soil contaminants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

Cities support a greater number of threatened species than non-urban areas Posted: 07 Dec 2015 01:43 PM PST The earth is facing a catastrophic species extinction crisis. The dominant approach to conservation has been to focus on protecting pristine environments, but new research from Australia demonstrates that on average, urban environments contain disproportionately more threatened protected species in a given area than non-urban environments. Investigators looked at the distributions of 1,643 protected species in Australia, and counted up the number of these species that occurred in square-kilometer units across the continent.

How fresh is your maple syrup? Posted: 07 Dec 2015 01:43 PM PST The maple syrup that's tapped from the tree may not be as fresh as you think it is.

Reducing pain in patients with osteoarthritis of the big toe Posted: 07 Dec 2015 01:43 PM PST Prefabricated foot orthoses and rocker-sole footwear (in which the sole of the shoe is curved) are effective at reducing peak pressure under the big toe in people with a condition called first metatarsophalangeal joint osteoarthritis, but new research shows that they achieve this through different mechanisms. Also, rocker-sole shoes exhibited lower peak pressure under the lesser toes and midfoot, while orthoses increased peak pressure in these areas.

Increased CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere have altered photosynthesis of plants over the 20th century Posted: 07 Dec 2015 01:43 PM PST Researchers have discovered that increasing levels of CO2 in the atmosphere have shifted photosynthetic metabolism in plants over the 20th century. This is the first study worldwide that deduces biochemical regulation of plant metabolism from historical specimens. The findings will have an impact on new models of future CO2 concentration in the atmosphere.

Sex differences in Type 2 diabetes affect cardiovascular disease risk Posted: 07 Dec 2015 01:43 PM PST Women with Type 2 diabetes are twice as likely to have coronary heart disease compared to men, and may also need more frequent and intense physical activity to lower their risk of having a heart attack or stroke, according to a new scientific statement.

Unique anti-diabetes compound using powerful new drug-discovery method Posted: 07 Dec 2015 01:40 PM PST A powerful new drug discovery technique has been developed to identify an anti-diabetes compound with a novel mechanism of action, a technique with significant potential to quickly find drug candidates.

Fighting Prescription Painkiller Abuse Among Baby Boomers Posted: 07 Dec 2015 01:40 PM PST Prescription opioid abuse has reached epidemic proportions, but new research has found motivational interviewing, a form of behavioral counseling, is an effective tool at curbing misuse.

Sperm crane their neck to turn right Posted: 07 Dec 2015 01:40 PM PST Spermatozoa need to crane their necks to turn right to counteract a left-turning drive caused by the rotation of their tails, new research has found. The researchers discovered that all sperm tails (flagella) rotate in a counter-clockwise motion as they beat to enable them to move through and against the motion of a fluid.

Dinosaur relatives and first dinosaurs more closely connected than previously thought Posted: 07 Dec 2015 01:40 PM PST A new study has determined that the time elapsed between the emergence of early dinosaur relatives and the origin of the first dinosaurs is much shorter than previously believed.

Loss of enzyme promotes tumor progression in endometrial cancer Posted: 07 Dec 2015 01:39 PM PST Scientists have shown for the first time why loss of the enzyme CD73 in human cancer promotes tumor progression. CD73 is the crucial enzyme for generating adenosine, a signaling molecule important for regulation of normal tissue function and stability or homeostasis.

Most crowded U.S. hospitals did not adopt proven interventions, study finds Posted: 07 Dec 2015 01:39 PM PST Researchers looked at crowding in U.S. hospitals from 2007-10 and found that while the adoption of strategies to reduce emergency department crowding has increased, many of the nation's most crowded emergency departments have not adopted effective interventions.

Cancer patient symptom surveys linked to reduced ER visits, improved survival and quality of life Posted: 07 Dec 2015 01:39 PM PST An Internet-based system for symptom collection benefited patients while giving them a clearer voice in their own care.

Electric assistance for stroke recovery Posted: 07 Dec 2015 01:37 PM PST Robotic therapy works better if stroke patients' brains are stimulated by electricity.

Nanoscale ribbons of a new phase of gold have been produced with a different crystalline structure Posted: 07 Dec 2015 01:37 PM PST A new and stable phase of gold with different physical and optical properties from those of conventional gold has been synthesized and promises to be useful for a wide range of applications, including plasmonics and catalysis.

Endangered foxes on Catalina Island get promising treatment to reduce ear tumors Posted: 07 Dec 2015 12:12 PM PST Roughly half of Santa Catalina Island foxes were found to have ear canal tumors, but an ear mite treatment appears to be greatly helping the problem, according to two new studies.

New molecular structure reveals how bluetongue virus enters host cells Posted: 07 Dec 2015 12:12 PM PST The atomic-level structure of the bluetongue virus, a disease that has killed an estimated two million cattle in Europe over the past two decades, has been revealed by a new study.

Breaking bread with colleagues boosts productivity Posted: 07 Dec 2015 12:12 PM PST Plenty of companies invest big money to provide their employees with upscale workplace eateries or at least catered meals. But are those companies getting a good return on their investment? According to a new study, the answer is yes.

Green tea impairs development, reproduction in fruit flies, study finds Posted: 07 Dec 2015 12:12 PM PST Although green tea is enjoyed by millions for its numerous health benefits, researchers have discovered that excessive consumption adversely affected development and reproduction in fruit fly populations.

Study of environmental attitudes finds nine distinct segments of American population Posted: 07 Dec 2015 12:12 PM PST Americans' attitudes about environmental issues aren't simply polarized into pro- and anti-environment, but rather are spread across a diverse spectrum. A new study finds that attitudes about environmental issues are influenced by a combination of experience, interaction with natural environments, and religious and political views about the responsibilities of humankind as a whole, and government in particular.

Including plant acclimation to temperature change improves climate models Posted: 07 Dec 2015 12:12 PM PST Including plants' acclimation to changes in temperature could significantly improve the accuracy of climate models, a new study shows.

Enzyme involved in cell division also plays a role in inflammation Posted: 07 Dec 2015 11:59 AM PST The first report that an enzyme previously known solely for its role in cell division also acts as an on-off switch in the innate immune system -- the body's first defense against infection -- has been released by scientists.

Negative beliefs about aging predict Alzheimer's disease in study Posted: 07 Dec 2015 11:59 AM PST Individuals who hold negative beliefs about aging are more likely to have brain changes associated with Alzheimer's disease, newly published research demonstrates.

New findings reveal the interplay between epilepsy and aging Posted: 07 Dec 2015 11:58 AM PST The largest and fastest-growing segment of people with epilepsy are those age 60 and older. People with epilepsy face a number of related health challenges, including cognitive, physical and psychological disorders. But new research suggests other, less expected consequences on the aging process. Four studies presented at the American Epilepsy Society's 69th Annual Meeting explore the effects of epilepsy on the brain, providing insights that shed light on the long-term implications of life with epilepsy.

Pharmaceutical CBD (cannabidiol) shows promise for children with severe epilepsy Posted: 07 Dec 2015 11:58 AM PST Around the globe there is high interest in the use of cannabidiol, for the treatment of people with epilepsy, especially children who have treatment-resistant forms of the disorder. Three studies presented at the American Epilepsy Society's 69th Annual Meeting in Philadelphia highlight emerging efficacy and safety data of Epidiolex, a pharmaceutical liquid formulation of cannabidiol. A fourth study highlights possible interactions of CBD with existing anti-epileptic drugs in animal models of seizures.

What makes a celebrity look like a celebrity? Posted: 07 Dec 2015 10:19 AM PST Researchers have reconstructed 3-D models of celebrities such as Tom Hanks from large Internet photo collections. The models can deliver speeches that the real actor never performed - one step toward developing fully interactive digital models of people from family or historic photo collections.

Study links Facebook connections, alcohol use in college-aged females Posted: 07 Dec 2015 10:17 AM PST Researchers have found links between certain patterns of connections among Facebook friends and drug and alcohol use among college-aged females.

Chasing invasive cancer cells with a laser Posted: 07 Dec 2015 10:17 AM PST What makes invasive cancer cells behave differently than the other cells in the tumor from which they arise? Let's turn them red with a laser and find out, suggest scientists.

Tiny drug-laden 'popping bubbles' lead triple attack treatment for liver cancer Posted: 07 Dec 2015 10:17 AM PST A novel method for repositioning an FDA-approved anti-cancer compound has been discovered, which allows it to specifically target liver cancer tumors. A 'triple attack' technique combining chemotherapy, thermal ablation, and hyperthermia provided a highly targeted, yet minimally invasive approach.

Older adults live independently longer when monitored by care team, technology Posted: 07 Dec 2015 10:17 AM PST Older adults who lived in an independent living community that uses sensor technology and onsite care coordination to maintain residents' health stayed longer at the community than seniors who live in other senior housing across the nation. Length of stay is important because it indicates that residents' health remains stable enough for them to continue living independently. The technologically enhanced care coordination could serve as a cost-effective care model for improving the health and function of older adults.

Climate change governs a crop pest, even when populations are far-flung Posted: 07 Dec 2015 10:17 AM PST New research shows how large-scale climatic changes drive a coordinated rise and fall of numbers of aphids across Great Britain, even when individual aphid populations in that nation are separated by great distance.

New approaches for hybrid solar cells Posted: 07 Dec 2015 10:15 AM PST Using a new procedure researchers can now produce extremely thin and robust, yet highly porous semiconductor layers. A very promising material -- for small, lightweight, flexible solar cells, for example, or electrodes improving the performance of rechargeable batteries.

Difference between facial growth of Neanderthals and modern humans Posted: 07 Dec 2015 10:15 AM PST A new study describes for the first time the developmental processes that differentiate Neanderthal facial skeletons from those of modern humans.

Huge organs defy austerity for tiny cave snails in the subterranean realm Posted: 07 Dec 2015 10:15 AM PST While most of the knowledge about tiny snails comes from studying deserted shells sifted out from piles of dust and sand, the present research is the first contemporary microscopic exploration of organs in cave snails tinier than 2 mm. The paper reveals that underneath their seemingly fragile shells, there are strikingly huge organs.

Physical activity may leave the brain more open to change Posted: 07 Dec 2015 10:15 AM PST Learning, memory, and brain repair depend on the ability of our neurons to change with experience. Now, researchers have evidence from a small study in people that exercise may enhance this essential plasticity of the adult brain.

Belugas blow bubbles based on mood Posted: 07 Dec 2015 08:53 AM PST A newly-released study is providing insight into why Beluga whales blow bubbles underwater and how their different shaped bubbles may be indicative of a Beluga's mood.

Can your childhood pet make you depressed? Posted: 07 Dec 2015 08:45 AM PST Having a pet offers companionship, comfort and emotional security to millions; many love and cherish them like family members. This can in turn have positive effects on mental health.

Closing a malware security loophole Posted: 07 Dec 2015 08:40 AM PST An add-on for antivirus software that can scan across a computer network and trap malicious activity missed by the system firewall is being developed by an international team. The research raises the issue that the developers of both operating systems and antivirus software must work more closely together to reduce the burden of malware on computer systems the world over.

New personal monitoring devices for epilepsy may offer alternatives to inpatient video EEG Posted: 07 Dec 2015 08:40 AM PST Uncontrolled epilepsy often requires a series of trials and errors to identify effective drug combinations. Continuous, long-term EEG data could streamline this process by revealing the full picture of a patient's seizure activity. Three new personal monitoring devices offer biometric recording technology that could allow patients to monitor clinical and subclinical seizure activity in the everyday home environment and get advance warning before a seizure strikes.

In social movements, 'slactivists' matter Posted: 07 Dec 2015 08:39 AM PST People who casually like or retweet activist content on social media are often criticized as 'slacktivists.' But in analyzing millions of tweets surrounding social protests, researchers find that in fact, these peripheral users serve to double the reach of the core protesters' message.

New untraceable messaging system comes with statistical guarantees Posted: 07 Dec 2015 08:39 AM PST A new, untraceable text-messaging system has been designed to thwart even the most powerful of adversaries. The system provides a strong mathematical guarantee of user anonymity, while, according to experimental results, permitting the exchange of text messages once a minute or so.

Men's interest in babies linked with hormonal responses to sexual stimuli Posted: 07 Dec 2015 08:39 AM PST Young men's interest in babies is associated with their physiological reactivity to sexually explicit material, according to new research. The study showed that young men who reported more interest in babies showed a lower increase in testosterone in response to sexually explicit material than men who weren't as interested in babies.

Experimental drug is first targeted therapy to improve survival in high-risk AML patients Posted: 07 Dec 2015 08:38 AM PST Midostaurin added to standard chemotherapy is the first targeted treatment to improve survival of a high-risk, genetically defined subgroup of patients with acute myeloid leukemia according to new research.

Stretchy hydrogel 'Band-Aid' senses, lights up, delivers medicine Posted: 07 Dec 2015 08:38 AM PST Engineers have designed what may be the Band-Aid of the future: a sticky, stretchy, gel-like material that can incorporate temperature sensors, LED lights, and other electronics, as well as tiny, drug-delivering reservoirs and channels. The 'smart wound dressing' releases medicine in response to changes in skin temperature and can be designed to light up if, say, medicine is running low.

Home-delivered meals reduce loneliness, study finds Posted: 07 Dec 2015 08:38 AM PST Seniors who receive meal deliveries at home report significantly less loneliness than those who do not, show results of a randomized, controlled trial.

Engineers invent process to accelerate protein evolution Posted: 07 Dec 2015 08:38 AM PST Through evolution, DNA mutations generate more effective proteins. Humans have found many uses for these molecules -- as foods, industrial enzymes, anti-cancer drugs -- and scientists want to understand how to engineer better protein variants. Now engineers have invented a technology that accelerates protein evolution for this purpose. It allows researchers to test millions of variants of a protein, choose the best one and determine the DNA sequence that creates it.

Satellite observations show global plant growth is not keeping up with CO2 emissions Posted: 07 Dec 2015 08:38 AM PST Because plants need carbon dioxide to grow, scientists have expected rising atmospheric CO2 to substantially enhance plant growth, offsetting a portion of human CO2 emissions and, in turn, slowing climate change. However, new research adds to a growing body of research challenging this expectation.

Modified mosquitoes could help fight against malaria Posted: 07 Dec 2015 08:38 AM PST For the first time, malarial mosquitoes have been modified to be infertile and pass on the trait rapidly -- raising the possibility of reducing the spread of disease.

Risky sexual behavior by young men with HIV who have sex with men Posted: 07 Dec 2015 08:37 AM PST Young men who have sex with men and have detectable levels of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were more likely to report condomless anal sex, including with a partner not infected with HIV, than virologically suppressed young men who have sex with men, according to an article.

Skin cells play 'dice games' Posted: 07 Dec 2015 08:37 AM PST How to maintain healthy skin and heal wounds is an intricate problem. Latest research shows all dividing skin cells can flip between two probability games to either maintain or heal skin, challenging the view that only rare stem cells matter. Understanding the rules of the games not only explains how skin maintains itself and heals wounds, but also shows how skin grafts work and suggests how changes to the rules could lead to cancer.

Global fossil-fuel emissions predicted to decline for 2015 Posted: 07 Dec 2015 08:37 AM PST An international research team reports that the rapid increase in global carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels has slowed in the past two years, underlining the need for action to permanently lower emissions.

Chomsky was right: We do have a 'grammar' in our head Posted: 07 Dec 2015 08:37 AM PST A team of neuroscientists has found new support linguist Noam Chomsky's decades-old theory that we possess an 'internal grammar' that allows us to comprehend even nonsensical phrases.

Unraveling the genetic basis of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy Posted: 07 Dec 2015 08:37 AM PST The leading cause of epilepsy-related death is a poorly understood phenomenon known as sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). The risk factors and causes of SUDEP remain unclear but researchers have proposed explanations ranging from irregular heart rhythm to genetic predisposition to accidental suffocation during sleep.

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