ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Hunting secrets of the Venus flytrap (hint: They can count)
• Zebra stripes not for camouflage, new study finds
• Coexisting with dangerous carnivores
• Newly discovered star offers opportunity to explore origins of first stars sprung to life in early universe
• Melting Greenland ice sheet may affect global ocean circulation, future climate
• Self-stacking nanogrids
• The neurons in our gut help the immune system keep inflammation in check
• Microwaved nanotubes come up clean
• Call of the wild: Male geladas captivate females with moans, yawns
• The hideout of the Black Death
• Malaria parasite is dependent on heavy metals
• Storms, ozone may play pivotal role in rainforest cloud creation
• How to detect and preserve human stem cells in the lab
• 60 genetic disorders affect skin, nervous system
• Robotic arm developed for Duchenne patients
• Intensive instrument playing can lead to movement disorders
• New gravity dataset will help unveil the Antarctic continent
• Fertility experts identify genetic pattern in womb linked to IVF failure
• Looking to lose weight in 2016? Step on the weighing scales
• Remote care for cochlear implant users
• Protein found that improves mobility after spinal cord injuries
• The five bird species that Darwin couldn’t discover in Madeira and the Azores
• Should India's 'quacks' be trained to deliver basic patient care?
• Evolutionary clock ticks for snowshoe hares facing climate change
• Survey: Most Americans support smart guns
• No evidence that water birth poses harm to newborns
• Mitochondrial DNA Levels in the Blood May Predict Risk of Developing Chronic Kidney Disease
• Botanist discovers new ground-flowering plant in Panama
• Antibodies may provide 'silver bullet' for Ebola viruses
• Seeing the big picture in photosynthetic light harvesting
• Removal of derelict fishing gear has major economic impact
• Mitochondrial troublemakers unmasked in lupus
• Clot buster treatment safe, effective for patients who required living assistance pre-stroke, study finds
• NYC pedestrian traffic makes for safer street crossings: Google Street View study
• When it comes to newborns, age matters
• Moms, you think babies are tough? Wait until middle school
• College students' internet overuse leads families to connect and conflict, new study finds
• Teen pregnancy is not an isolated issue
• Low reflective ability is risk for professionalism lapses during medical school and beyond
• Mystery surrounding non-platinum catalysts for fuel cell technologies solved
• New study zeros in on plate tectonics' start date
• Empathy more common in animals than thought
• Role model stem cells: How immune cells can self-renew
• Regulating IV infusion with innovative blind cave fish-inspired sensor
• Simple artificial material can influence the properties of visible light
• Nanoscale sieves snare would-be thieves
• Harnessing the power of light to fight cancer
• How the economy affects traffic fatalities
• New standards for children's surgery verification released
• Study assesses long-term impact of post-surgical pain in children
• ‘Homing’ molecule discovery could help speed-up fight against flu
• New experiments challenge economic game assumptions

Hunting secrets of the Venus flytrap (hint: They can count) Posted: 22 Jan 2016 02:10 PM PST Carnivorous plants such as the Venus flytrap depend on meals of insects to survive in nutrient-poor soil. They sense the arrival of juicy insects, lured by the plants' fruity scent, with the aid of sensitive trigger hairs on the inner surfaces of their traps. Now, researchers have looked more closely at exactly how the plants decide when to keep their traps shut and begin producing their acidic, prey-decomposing cocktail of enzymes. The short answer is: they count.

Zebra stripes not for camouflage, new study finds Posted: 22 Jan 2016 02:08 PM PST Looking through the eyes of zebra predators, researchers found no evidence supporting the notion that zebras' black and white stripes are for protective camouflage or that they provide a social advantage.

Coexisting with dangerous carnivores Posted: 22 Jan 2016 11:54 AM PST A new study measures the psychological predictors of tolerance for tigers in the Bangladesh Sundarbans, where the large carnivores have a rocky and sometimes violent relationship with local communities.

Newly discovered star offers opportunity to explore origins of first stars sprung to life in early universe Posted: 22 Jan 2016 11:47 AM PST A team of researchers has observed the brightest ultra metal-poor star ever discovered. The star is a rare relic from the Milky Way's formative years. As such, it offers astronomers a precious opportunity to explore the origin of the first stars that sprung to life within our galaxy and the universe.

Melting Greenland ice sheet may affect global ocean circulation, future climate Posted: 22 Jan 2016 09:26 AM PST Scientists have determined that the influx of fresh water from the Greenland ice sheet is 'freshening' the North Atlantic Ocean and could disrupt the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, an important component of global ocean circulation that could have a global effect. Researchers say the it could impact the future climate in places such as portions of Europe and North America.

Self-stacking nanogrids Posted: 22 Jan 2016 09:26 AM PST Researchers have described the first technique for stacking layers of block-copolymer wires such that the wires in one layer naturally orient themselves perpendicularly to those in the layer below.

The neurons in our gut help the immune system keep inflammation in check Posted: 22 Jan 2016 09:25 AM PST The immune system must protect against potential infections, but over-vigilant reactions can cause problems. New research shows that neurons in the intestine send signals to immune cells to curb inflammation.

Microwaved nanotubes come up clean Posted: 22 Jan 2016 09:25 AM PST Researchers use a household microwave oven to enhance the purification of carbon nanotubes. The work could help in the preparation of nanotubes for drug delivery or photovoltaic applications.

Call of the wild: Male geladas captivate females with moans, yawns Posted: 22 Jan 2016 09:25 AM PST For female gelada monkeys, a grunt from a male primate won't suffice to get her attention. The call of the wild must involve moans, wobbles or yawns to entice these females, according to a new study involving the Ethiopian mammals.

The hideout of the Black Death Posted: 22 Jan 2016 09:25 AM PST Black Death, mid-fourteenth century plague, is undoubtedly the most famous historical pandemic. Within only five years it killed 30-50% of the European population. Unfortunately it didn't stop there. Plague resurged throughout Europe leading to continued high mortality and social unrest over the next three centuries.

Malaria parasite is dependent on heavy metals Posted: 22 Jan 2016 07:42 AM PST The malaria parasite is rendered barren when the transport of heavy metals such as copper and iron is blocked. In addition, researchers identified six proteins that are essential to the life stages of the parasite in which it sickens its host. They also discovered a gene that is essential for the parasite to settle in its host. This study provides clues for new malaria drugs and vaccines.

Storms, ozone may play pivotal role in rainforest cloud creation Posted: 22 Jan 2016 07:38 AM PST Some storms transport ozone molecules to the canopy of the rainforest, influencing chemical processes that ultimately affect cloud formation, according to researchers. The team conducted a nine-month study in the central Amazon rainforest of Brazil and their findings could be used to improve climate prediction models to more accurately gauge the Amazon's impact on future global weather patterns.

How to detect and preserve human stem cells in the lab Posted: 22 Jan 2016 07:38 AM PST Human stem cells that are capable of becoming any other kind of cell in the body have previously only been acquired and cultivated with difficulty. Scientists have now presented details of a method to detect such pluripotent cells in a cell culture and preserve them in the laboratory.

60 genetic disorders affect skin, nervous system Posted: 22 Jan 2016 05:46 AM PST At least 60 genetic diseases called neurocutaneous disorders involve the skin, central nervous system, and/or peripheral nervous system, neurologists report.

Robotic arm developed for Duchenne patients Posted: 22 Jan 2016 05:38 AM PST Researchers have developed the A-Gear: a robotic arm that can support the daily activities of people suffering the muscular disease Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. They recently put the final touches to the first prototype for a discreet, body-connected support aid that can be worn under the clothing and that can support independent operation of the arm during important daily activities. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy occurs in approximately 1 in 5000 live born boys. The muscles of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy patients become weaker during their life. As a result, boys with Duchenne lose the ability to use their arms until, eventually, they are unable to use them at all.

Intensive instrument playing can lead to movement disorders Posted: 22 Jan 2016 05:38 AM PST A musician takes up his/her violin and starts to play, but rather than gripping the strings, the fingers seize up—and this happens every time he/she takes up the instrument. Such a movement disorder—the so-called focal dystonia— is a dramatic disease for those affected, which has thus far barely been studied. In total, one in 6,600 persons will develop the disorder, whereas an estimated one in 100 musicians will succumb.

New gravity dataset will help unveil the Antarctic continent Posted: 22 Jan 2016 05:37 AM PST A unique dataset of gravity anomalies has been released for Antarctica representing a significant step forward in the investigation of the largest ice-covered continent on Earth.

Fertility experts identify genetic pattern in womb linked to IVF failure Posted: 22 Jan 2016 05:37 AM PST A specific genetic pattern has been discovered in the womb that could predict whether or not IVF treatment is likely to be successful. Experts say that the discovery would help clinicians understand why IVF fails repeatedly in some women.

Looking to lose weight in 2016? Step on the weighing scales Posted: 22 Jan 2016 05:36 AM PST Using the latest connected-health technology, research indicates that the more often people engage with digital weighing scales, the more weight they lose.

Remote care for cochlear implant users Posted: 22 Jan 2016 05:36 AM PST Audiologists are investigating how a new patient-centered approach can help cochlear implant users manage their own care program. A cochlear implant is a surgically implanted electronic device that can improve a person's ability to hear and understand speech if they can't benefit from a hearing aid.

Protein found that improves mobility after spinal cord injuries Posted: 22 Jan 2016 05:36 AM PST Spinal cord injuries cause severe functional disabilities in those who sustain them, including paraplegia or tetraplegia, depending on the scale of the injury. This is due to the degeneration of the spinal pathways that carry nerve signals from the brain to the different parts of the body and vice versa, resulting in loss of mobility and sensitivity underneath the injured area. Over the past few years, different studies have shown that the inflammatory response that develops after an injury contributes to the degeneration of these pathways, thus increasing the functional deficits brought by the injury. However, clinical trials using anti-inflammatory drugs like methylprednisolone have not proven their efficacy.

The five bird species that Darwin couldn’t discover in Madeira and the Azores Posted: 22 Jan 2016 05:35 AM PST When Charles Darwin visited the Azores islands in the 19th Century, the birds he observed were familiar to him. However, if he had travelled there 500 years before, he would have found an ornithofauna as particular as that of the Galápagos. The recent discovery in these Portuguese islands and in Madeira of five extinct species of rail, which lost the ability to fly due to having evolved on islands, confirms how fragile they are in the face of changes to their habitat like the ones that must have occurred after the first visits by humans over 500 years ago.

Should India's 'quacks' be trained to deliver basic patient care? Posted: 22 Jan 2016 05:34 AM PST Should unqualified practitioners be trained to deliver basic patient care to alleviate India's doctor shortage, asks a special report.

Evolutionary clock ticks for snowshoe hares facing climate change Posted: 22 Jan 2016 05:34 AM PST Snowshoe hare populations could decline steeply by mid-century unless the hares are able to adapt to winters with less snowfall, when their white coats make them easy prey. The good news: A wide range of molt times could enable snowshoe hares to evolve through natural selection.

Survey: Most Americans support smart guns Posted: 21 Jan 2016 04:10 PM PST Nearly 60 percent of Americans, if they buy a new handgun, are willing to purchase a smart or childproof gun – a weapon that is only operable in the hands of an authorized user – new research suggests.

No evidence that water birth poses harm to newborns Posted: 21 Jan 2016 04:09 PM PST There is no evidence that water births, where a baby is intentionally born under water in a tub or pool, poses any increased harm to the child, researchers have found.

Mitochondrial DNA Levels in the Blood May Predict Risk of Developing Chronic Kidney Disease Posted: 21 Jan 2016 04:09 PM PST High levels of mitochondrial DNA in the blood was linked with a 25% reduced risk of developing chronic kidney disease compared with low levels, report researchers at the conclusion of a study.

Botanist discovers new ground-flowering plant in Panama Posted: 21 Jan 2016 04:08 PM PST A young botanist and seasoned plant expert named a new plant species for a Smithsonian herbarium assistant.

Antibodies may provide 'silver bullet' for Ebola viruses Posted: 21 Jan 2016 04:08 PM PST Researchers have isolated human monoclonal antibodies from Ebola survivors which can neutralize multiple species of the virus.

Seeing the big picture in photosynthetic light harvesting Posted: 21 Jan 2016 03:56 PM PST Scientists have created the first computational model that simulates the light-harvesting activity of thousands of antenna proteins that would interact in the chloroplast of an actual leaf. The results point the way to improving the yields of food and fuel crops, and developing artificial photosynthesis technologies for next generation solar energy systems.

Removal of derelict fishing gear has major economic impact Posted: 21 Jan 2016 03:56 PM PST A new study shows that removal of derelict fishing gear could generate millions of dollars in extra harvest value for commercial fisheries worldwide.

Mitochondrial troublemakers unmasked in lupus Posted: 21 Jan 2016 03:56 PM PST Mitochondria could provoke the inflammation characteristic of lupus, an autoimmune disorder affecting the joints, skin, heart and brain. Byproducts of cells' power stations goad certain white blood cells into making mesh traps as a precursor to cell death. Mitochondrial DNA is spewed out, triggering a warning and a response that can damage various organ tissues. Mouse studies suggest this disease mechanism might respond to potential drug therapies.

Clot buster treatment safe, effective for patients who required living assistance pre-stroke, study finds Posted: 21 Jan 2016 03:56 PM PST Intravenous clot busting may be safe and effective in patients who required daily living assistance prior to their stroke, research shows.

NYC pedestrian traffic makes for safer street crossings: Google Street View study Posted: 21 Jan 2016 03:56 PM PST Researchers have developed a novel method to assess how the streetscape affects the chances pedestrians will be injured by drivers. Using Google Street View the researchers assessed the pedestrian environment at more than 500 New York City street intersections. Findings show that using Google's images instead of visiting collision sites in person resulted in substantial efficiency gains in conducting research on pedestrian safety.

When it comes to newborns, age matters Posted: 21 Jan 2016 12:05 PM PST Knowing how many weeks a mother has carried her baby is important information when determining medical care for that child. Now, researchers have found they can estimate an infant's gestation age through a metabolic profile derived from routine newborn screenings.

Moms, you think babies are tough? Wait until middle school Posted: 21 Jan 2016 12:01 PM PST Mothers are deeply invested in the well being of their children, so when children go through trying times so do their moms, according to a new study. Many assume that the most taxing years for mothers are during their children's infancies, but the new research shows that far more challenging is the middle school period.

College students' internet overuse leads families to connect and conflict, new study finds Posted: 21 Jan 2016 12:01 PM PST College students who are addicted to the Internet report positive and negative effects on their family relationships, according to new research. The study is the first to show how college students in the United States diagnosed with Problematic Internet Use (PIU) perceive its role in their families.

Teen pregnancy is not an isolated issue Posted: 21 Jan 2016 12:01 PM PST Researchers made a telling discovery: Young motherhood has different consequences for different women, depending on socioeconomic and other factors.

Low reflective ability is risk for professionalism lapses during medical school and beyond Posted: 21 Jan 2016 12:01 PM PST A new study is one of the first to provide quantitative evidence to support anecdotal claims linking reflective ability of medical students and professional behaviors of future physicians.

Mystery surrounding non-platinum catalysts for fuel cell technologies solved Posted: 21 Jan 2016 12:01 PM PST A persistent mystery surrounding the structure of nitrogen-doped carbon catalysts has been solved, say researchers, with potential for a range of fuel cell technologies. Constructing and testing a number of model catalysts allowed the researchers to clarify the active site as being the carbon atom attached to pyridinic nitrogens in the material. These developments open the door for optimization studies looking to accelerate gains in catalyst performance.

New study zeros in on plate tectonics' start date Posted: 21 Jan 2016 12:01 PM PST A new study suggests that plate tectonics -- the dynamic processes that formed Earth's mountains, volcanoes and continents -- began about 3 billion years ago. By analyzing trace element ratios that correlate to magnesium content in ancient Earth's crust, the researchers provide first-order geochemical evidence for when plate tectonics first got underway.

Empathy more common in animals than thought Posted: 21 Jan 2016 11:51 AM PST A new study reveals that prairie voles console loved ones who are feeling stressed -- and it appears that the infamous 'love hormone,' oxytocin, is the underlying mechanism.

Role model stem cells: How immune cells can self-renew Posted: 21 Jan 2016 11:51 AM PST A research team has now discovered how human macrophages can divide and self-renew almost indefinitely. As the researchers show in their new report, the macrophages achieve this by activating a gene network similar to one found in embryonic stem cells. The findings could provide new directions in regenerative medicine and therapies.

Regulating IV infusion with innovative blind cave fish-inspired sensor Posted: 21 Jan 2016 10:31 AM PST Nurses' workload reduced with the use of this low-cost sensor, while increasing their productivity by 30%; also significantly decreasing the complications of drug infusion via IV therapy.

Simple artificial material can influence the properties of visible light Posted: 21 Jan 2016 10:31 AM PST Artificially engineered materials called metamaterials can be used to manipulate light for a range of applications, but often require complicated three-dimensional structures with features as small as a few tens of nanometers. Now, researchers have constructed a simpler, two-dimensional 'metasurface' for state-of-the-art high-transmission light manipulation.

Nanoscale sieves snare would-be thieves Posted: 21 Jan 2016 10:31 AM PST Bio-inspired algorithms enable a pattern of thousands of nanoscale holes into metal films for high-tech optical security.

Harnessing the power of light to fight cancer Posted: 21 Jan 2016 10:25 AM PST Immunotherapy is one of the hottest emerging areas of cancer research. After all, using the body's own cells to fight cancer can be more effective and less invasive than flooding the entire system with toxic chemicals. Researchers are now studying how to use light to control the immune system and induce it to fight cancer.

How the economy affects traffic fatalities Posted: 21 Jan 2016 10:25 AM PST With the recent fall in gas prices, most drivers might be thinking that now they can afford to take that road trip, take a quick jaunt to the outlet mall, or just drive to work instead of taking public transportation. The trouble is that millions of other drivers are thinking the same thing—which can lead to a jump in traffic fatalities.

New standards for children's surgery verification released Posted: 21 Jan 2016 10:25 AM PST The Children's Surgery Verification Quality Improvement Program has released its latest standards document, Optimal Resources for Children's Surgical Care. The standards set forth in this document are the nation's first and only multispecialty standards for children's surgical care.

Study assesses long-term impact of post-surgical pain in children Posted: 21 Jan 2016 10:20 AM PST Children who still have moderate to severe post-operative pain one month after a surgical procedure are at risk for deterioration of their health-related quality of life, according to new research.

‘Homing’ molecule discovery could help speed-up fight against flu Posted: 21 Jan 2016 10:09 AM PST Scientists have discovered a new molecule which could help better target and kick-start the body's natural fight against common infections like influenza.

New experiments challenge economic game assumptions Posted: 21 Jan 2016 10:07 AM PST Too much confidence is placed in economic games, according to new research.

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