ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Sore knees? Solving meniscus micro-structure could improve treatments
• Buildings wrapped in high-efficiency, flexible solar cells? It could happen
• Bacteria overgrowth could be major cause of stunting in children
• Ultrafast microscope used to make slow-motion electron movie
• Trail of eDNA helps uncover mysteries of alaska wildlife
• Sound of deep-water animal migration revealed
• Pinpointing the chromosomal creation of cancer
• Does sexual aggression alter the female brain?
• 'Magic wand' created to improve healthcare, cybersecurity
• 'Ice age blob' of warm ocean water discovered south of Greenland
• Best to sleep on it: Brain activity patterns during sleep consolidate memory
• Researchers work to decipher genetic data in hunt for new prostate cancer treatments
• Link made between genetics, aging
• New mathematical model explains variability in mutation rates across the human genome
• Gene therapy: T cells target mutations to fight solid tumors
• Exposure to air pollution increases risk of obesity
• Popular stem cell techniques deemed safe; unlikely to pass on cancer-causing mutations
• Immunity gene fusions uncovered in plants
• New plant species discovered on Yakushima
• Technology set to personalize tendon, tissue injury rehab
• Scientists discover secret to promising new cancer drug
• 3-D protein map offers new malaria vaccine hope
• Shape-shifting engineered nanoparticles for delivering cancer drugs to tumors
• Pluto’s ‘hulk-like’ moon Charon: A possible ancient ocean?
• No increase in major crimes after state’s 2011 prisoner release
• Nonverbal behavior may overshadow substance in presidential debates
• Navigation using music leaves the user's hands free
• Promising results obtained with new, simpler way to fabricate graphene component
• Apothecary cabinet under the skin
• Biochemical alteration responsible for brain tumor resistance identified
• Arctic opposite to North Atlantic
• The intestinal microbiota: A new ally for optimum growth
• Transport vehicles of the future
• Florida's monkey river
• Specific gene network found that promotes nervous system repair
• Key mechanism explored to treat autoimmune diseases
• Better survival of implanted cells improves healing of bone fractures
• Antibody provide a more exact Alzheimer's diagnosis radioactive tracers
• New device may speed up DNA insertion into bacteria
• The 'ugliest fossil reptiles' who roamed China
• How a waste product of exercise protects neurons from trauma damage
• Doctor calls on Australian government to lift threat of imprisonment from doctors
• Researchers find link between death of tumor-support cells and cancer metastasis
• Binge drinking dangerous for young adults
• Overdose deaths from common sedatives have surged, new study finds
• Sugar tax could prevent 3.7 million cases of obesity over next decade
• New nanoparticle with potential to treat ocular cancer developed
• New therapeutic target for spinal muscular atrophy
• FDA-approved Alzheimer's drug could help smokers quit
• Tunable peptide emulsifiers discovered
• Tyrosinase inhibitors from terrestrial and marine resources
• New charts to assess head circumference at birth will be valuable tool in Zika crisis
• Brain gives up more secrets
• Commercial weight loss system expands diabetes prevention access
• Giving GPs feedback on their prescribing habits can reduce excessive use of antibiotics
• Industry initiatives to prevent drinking and driving lack evidence of effectiveness

Sore knees? Solving meniscus micro-structure could improve treatments Posted: 19 Feb 2016 04:00 PM PST Knee injuries are among the top five reasons people visit an orthopedic surgeon for treatments. Now, new research reveals underlying biomechanics that may be involved in meniscus fibrocartilage function as well as dysfunction and could guide novel treatments for some of the most debilitating and costly orthopedic problems in the U.S., including meniscus tears and age-related joint degeneration.

Buildings wrapped in high-efficiency, flexible solar cells? It could happen Posted: 19 Feb 2016 04:00 PM PST Patented organic solar cell breakthrough could increase their efficiency to cost-effective levels. Buildings and rooftops could be wrapped in lightweight, flexible sheets of solar cells, say researchers, adding that this could also provide reliable power to isolated regions.

Bacteria overgrowth could be major cause of stunting in children Posted: 19 Feb 2016 11:15 AM PST Excessive growth of bacteria in the small intestine could be damaging the guts of young children, leading to stunting, scientists from the U.S. and Bangladesh have discovered.

Ultrafast microscope used to make slow-motion electron movie Posted: 19 Feb 2016 11:15 AM PST The use of the world's first ultrafast optical microscope allows researchers to probe and visualize matter at the atomic level with mind-bending speed.

Trail of eDNA helps uncover mysteries of alaska wildlife Posted: 19 Feb 2016 11:15 AM PST Imagine exploring a wooded site along an Alaska stream or lake for evidence of animals. Maybe you'll see moose prints in the soil or a bit of wolf fur in a berry bush. But some species don't leave footprints. They still leave a clue. It's their DNA.

Sound of deep-water animal migration revealed Posted: 19 Feb 2016 11:14 AM PST A vast number of animals, including fish, shrimp and squid, live in the ocean's mesopelagic zone -- the waters 200 to 1000 meters (660 to 3300 feet) below the surface. Taken together, these organisms weigh approximately 10 billion tons and are a major link in the food chain between microscopic plankton and top predators like tuna, birds and marine mammals. Because of their combined mass, these animals also play a major role in the global cycling of carbon from the atmosphere to the seafloor, researchers report. Their newest work reveals the sound of deep-water animal migration.

Pinpointing the chromosomal creation of cancer Posted: 19 Feb 2016 10:57 AM PST New research is analyzing the role of enzyme Topo II and how its functions may show how cancer mutations are born. Topo II is an essential protein necessary for normal cell division, but it is found to be over expressed in many types of cancers, including certain types of liver, breast, brain and skin cancers.

Does sexual aggression alter the female brain? Posted: 19 Feb 2016 10:49 AM PST Thirty percent of women worldwide experience some kind of physical or sexual assault during their lifetime. In a recent animal study, scientists -- who have developed a new model to determine how stress affects females -- discovered that prepubescent female rodents paired with sexually experienced males had elevated levels of stress hormones, could not learn as well, and expressed reduced maternal behaviors needed to care for offspring.

'Magic wand' created to improve healthcare, cybersecurity Posted: 19 Feb 2016 10:48 AM PST A digital 'magic wand' has been developed to improve home healthcare and to prevent hackers from stealing your personal data.

'Ice age blob' of warm ocean water discovered south of Greenland Posted: 19 Feb 2016 10:48 AM PST Greenland experienced several abrupt and brutal climate changes during the last ice age. But even during the coldest periods a blob of warm surface water existed nearby.

Best to sleep on it: Brain activity patterns during sleep consolidate memory Posted: 19 Feb 2016 10:48 AM PST Why does sleeping on it help? This is the question tackled by new research, which reveals how brain activity during sleep sorts through the huge number of experiences we encounter every day, filing only the important information in memory.

Researchers work to decipher genetic data in hunt for new prostate cancer treatments Posted: 19 Feb 2016 08:15 AM PST Researchers are working on new approaches to deciphering genetic data that may lead to new, more targeted prostate cancer treatments. Prostate cancer affects one in seven men in the United States.

Link made between genetics, aging Posted: 19 Feb 2016 08:15 AM PST A hormone instrumental in the aging process is under genetic control, introducing a new pathway by which genetics regulates aging and disease, new research confirms.

New mathematical model explains variability in mutation rates across the human genome Posted: 19 Feb 2016 08:15 AM PST Researchers developed a mathematical model to estimate the rates of mutation as a function of the nearby sequences of DNA 'letters' -- called nucleotides. This new model not only provides clues into the process of mutation, but also helps discover possible genetic risk factors that influence complex human diseases, such as autism spectrum disorder.

Gene therapy: T cells target mutations to fight solid tumors Posted: 19 Feb 2016 08:12 AM PST An international research team has successfully modified immune cells to recognize and specifically target tumor cells in mice. Cancer treatments based on the findings would likely have fewer side effects than standard therapies currently in use, say investigators.

Exposure to air pollution increases risk of obesity Posted: 19 Feb 2016 08:12 AM PST Laboratory rats who breathed Beijing's highly polluted air gained weight and experienced cardio-respiratory and metabolic dysfunctions. A study found pollution-breathing pregnant rats had heavier lungs and livers and increased tissue inflammation. These rats had higher LDL cholesterol; higher triglycerides; higher total cholesterol and more insulin resistance, a precursor of Type 2 diabetes.

Popular stem cell techniques deemed safe; unlikely to pass on cancer-causing mutations Posted: 19 Feb 2016 08:12 AM PST A new study shows that the act of creating pluripotent stem cells for clinical use is unlikely to pass on cancer-causing mutations to patients.

Immunity gene fusions uncovered in plants Posted: 19 Feb 2016 08:12 AM PST Researchers have surveyed immune genes across flowering plants to uncover the molecular 'traps' that plants use to detect pathogens.

New plant species discovered on Yakushima Posted: 19 Feb 2016 08:12 AM PST A new species of plant has been discovered on the subtropical Japanese island of Yakushima (located off the southern coast of Kyushu in Kagoshima prefecture) and named it Sciaphila yakushimensis.

Technology set to personalize tendon, tissue injury rehab Posted: 19 Feb 2016 07:03 AM PST A revolution in the treatment and rehabilitation of muscle/tendon injuries is on its way with the development of a ground-breaking new intelligent technology.

Scientists discover secret to promising new cancer drug Posted: 19 Feb 2016 07:03 AM PST A mystery about how a promising new class of anti-cancer drugs, called nutlins, work has been discovered by scientists, paving the way for improving the future of cancer treatment.

3-D protein map offers new malaria vaccine hope Posted: 19 Feb 2016 07:03 AM PST The first three-dimensional 'map' of a critical protein that malaria parasites use to invade human red blood cells has been created, offering clues for developing a vaccine countering the most widespread species of the parasite.

Shape-shifting engineered nanoparticles for delivering cancer drugs to tumors Posted: 19 Feb 2016 07:03 AM PST Over the last decade, one researcher has spent his time figuring out how to deliver chemotherapy drugs into cancerous tumors -- and nowhere else. Now his lab has designed a set of nanoparticles attached to strands of DNA that can change shape to gain access to diseased tissue.

Pluto’s ‘hulk-like’ moon Charon: A possible ancient ocean? Posted: 19 Feb 2016 06:56 AM PST Pluto's largest moon may have gotten too big for its own skin. Images from NASA's New Horizons mission suggest that Pluto's moon Charon once had a subsurface ocean that has long since frozen and expanded, pushing outward and causing the moon's surface to stretch and fracture on a massive scale.

No increase in major crimes after state’s 2011 prisoner release Posted: 19 Feb 2016 06:33 AM PST In 2011, California embarked on one of the biggest and most controversial criminal justice experiments in history. Following the Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Plata, the state passed the Public Safety Realignment Act – in legislative shorthand AB 109 – which required that California's 58 counties develop policies that best fit their local needs in anticipation of the transfer of 33,000 inmates from state prisons to county supervision. Their options included adding jail beds, putting the transferees on probation or under electronic monitoring, or providing drug/alcohol rehabilitation services.

Nonverbal behavior may overshadow substance in presidential debates Posted: 19 Feb 2016 06:33 AM PST Fair warning to presidential candidates participating in upcoming presidential debates: your inappropriate nonverbal behavior is noticed, and it could overshadow the substance of what you say.

Navigation using music leaves the user's hands free Posted: 19 Feb 2016 06:31 AM PST According to a new study most people are able to navigate easily by following audio guidance while walking or cycling. The study investigated two different guidance types: route guidance and beacon guidance.

Promising results obtained with new, simpler way to fabricate graphene component Posted: 19 Feb 2016 06:31 AM PST Graphene is a so-called 2D material, meaning that it is only one atom thick film. Graphite, which is a well-known material, consists of huge number of graphene layers on top of each other. Now researchers say that a 2D material device may prove useful in wearable electronics and sensors, among other things.

Apothecary cabinet under the skin Posted: 19 Feb 2016 06:31 AM PST A new method enables storage and controlled release of pharmaceutical substances in the body, just under the skin. The new molecular storage method could find its way into clinical practice in the foreseeable future, say researchers.

Biochemical alteration responsible for brain tumor resistance identified Posted: 19 Feb 2016 06:26 AM PST The biochemical and molecular alteration that causes resistance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy in the glioblastoma, the most aggressive of brain tumors, has now been identified by researchers. This finding could in future enable new, more effective therapies to be designed.

Arctic opposite to North Atlantic Posted: 19 Feb 2016 06:26 AM PST For long time freshwater has been seen as one potential cause for rapid climate change in the North Atlantic – Arctic region – probably most people have heard about the 'Gulf Stream is slowing down' scenarios with freshwater leading to sluggish currents and less heat being transported to northern high latitudes. In our two recent studies we were able to show that while such a scenario is plausible in the North Atlantic, the ocean response in the Arctic is quite the opposite.

The intestinal microbiota: A new ally for optimum growth Posted: 19 Feb 2016 06:26 AM PST The intestinal microbiota is necessary to ensure optimum postnatal growth and contributes to determining the size of adult individuals, notably in the event of undernutrition. The key element in this relationship is Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1), whose production and activity are in part controlled by the microbiota.

Transport vehicles of the future Posted: 19 Feb 2016 06:25 AM PST Emissions from the transport sector can be drastically reduced with more streamlined trucks. Researchers have calculated, and have had built an initial version of the transport vehicle of the future.

Florida's monkey river Posted: 19 Feb 2016 06:24 AM PST A colony of feral rhesus macaques calls the banks of the Silver River in Silver Springs State Park in central Florida its home. The monkeys are part of a larger feral population living throughout the Cross Florida Greenway. Many locals enjoy having the monkeys in the park, but wildlife officials are concerned about overpopulation caused by human feeding, the nonnative animals' ecological impact and the potential for interspecies disease transmission.

Specific gene network found that promotes nervous system repair Posted: 19 Feb 2016 06:24 AM PST Injured nerve cells in the limbs (the peripheral nervous system or PNS) can regrow and repair. Nerve cells in the central nervous system (CNS) -- brain and spinal cord -- cannot. Now a network of genes has been identified in a mouse study that promotes PNS repair. In addition, an existing drug that mimics that gene network has been repurposed to promote nerve regeneration in the CNS.

Key mechanism explored to treat autoimmune diseases Posted: 19 Feb 2016 06:24 AM PST A new study could change the way researchers understand and treat autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Better survival of implanted cells improves healing of bone fractures Posted: 19 Feb 2016 06:24 AM PST To treat a complicated, non-healing bone defect, surgeons often use an implant with living cells to promote bone repair, but the implanted cells have a small chance of surviving because they are not prepared for a lack of oxygen and nutrients at the fracture site. Scientists have now improved survival of these bone cells by preconditioning them to withstand the harmful environment before implantation.

Antibody provide a more exact Alzheimer's diagnosis radioactive tracers Posted: 19 Feb 2016 06:22 AM PST For the first time, researchers have succeeded in passing an antibody through the blood-brain barrier to act as a tracer for PET imaging of the brain. This resulted in more precise information being obtained than with regular radioactive tracers. The study provides hope for more effective diagnosis of early onset Alzheimer's disease and improvements in monitoring the effects of medication.

New device may speed up DNA insertion into bacteria Posted: 19 Feb 2016 06:22 AM PST A new microfluidic device may help scientists quickly home in on the electric field 'sweet spot' -- the range of electric potentials that will harmlessly and temporarily open up membrane pores to let DNA in. In principle, the simple device could be used on any microorganism or cell, significantly speeding up the first step in genetic engineering.

The 'ugliest fossil reptiles' who roamed China Posted: 19 Feb 2016 06:22 AM PST Long before the dinosaurs, hefty herbivores called pareiasaurs ruled Earth. Now, for the first time, a detailed investigation of all Chinese specimens of these creatures -- often described as the 'ugliest fossil reptiles' -- has been published by a palaeontologist.

How a waste product of exercise protects neurons from trauma damage Posted: 19 Feb 2016 06:22 AM PST Researchers have found how lactate, a waste product of glucose metabolism can protect neurons from damage following acute trauma such as stroke or spinal cord injury.

Doctor calls on Australian government to lift threat of imprisonment from doctors Posted: 19 Feb 2016 06:21 AM PST In a new article, a doctor is calling on the Australian government to stop constraining doctors in the care of asylum seekers and refugees, and to adopt a humane stance to people seeking asylum.

Researchers find link between death of tumor-support cells and cancer metastasis Posted: 19 Feb 2016 06:21 AM PST What causes cancer to grow and metastasize is not well understood by scientists. Now researchers have found a surprising link between the death of tumor-support cells and an increased risk of cancer metastasis in mice.

Binge drinking dangerous for young adults Posted: 19 Feb 2016 06:21 AM PST Having an occasional drink is fine, but 'binge' drinking is a known health hazard and now high blood pressure may need to be added to the list of possible consequences. Young adults in their twenties who regularly binge drink have higher blood pressure which may increase the risk of developing hypertension, concludes a study.

Overdose deaths from common sedatives have surged, new study finds Posted: 18 Feb 2016 05:47 PM PST Headlines about America's worsening drug epidemic have focused on deaths from opioids—heroin and prescription painkillers such as OxyContin. But overdose deaths have also soared among the millions of Americans using benzodiazepine drugs, a class of sedatives that includes Xanax, Valium, and Klonopin, according to a study.

Sugar tax could prevent 3.7 million cases of obesity over next decade Posted: 18 Feb 2016 05:45 PM PST A 20 per cent tax on sugary drinks could reduce obesity rates in the UK by five per cent by 2025 - equal to 3.7 million fewer obese people - according to a new report.

New nanoparticle with potential to treat ocular cancer developed Posted: 18 Feb 2016 05:02 PM PST Researchers are using nanoparticles to kill tumor cells inside the eye. This nanotechnology also has the potential to be used for multiple applications in ophthalmology and other disciplines, they say.

New therapeutic target for spinal muscular atrophy Posted: 18 Feb 2016 05:02 PM PST Neuroscientists have discovered a specific enzyme that plays a critical role in spinal muscular atrophy, and that suppressing this enzyme's activity, could markedly reduce the disease's severity and improve patients' lifestyles.

FDA-approved Alzheimer's drug could help smokers quit Posted: 18 Feb 2016 05:02 PM PST Clinical investigators are repurposing an FDA-approved Alzheimer's drug to test whether it helps smokers kick their habit. The research itself took a translational approach, which the researchers call bi-directional. In other words, the preclinical data informed the clinical study and vice versa.

Tunable peptide emulsifiers discovered Posted: 18 Feb 2016 04:59 PM PST A new way to create emulsions with tunable properties has been discovered based on very simple biological molecules, report scientists. Emulsions, the stabilized mixtures of oil and water are the basis of many food and personal care products such as spreads, creams, and pastes. Each product has different requirements and there is a need for emulsifiers that can be tuned, or tailored but are also biocompatible and biodegradable.

Tyrosinase inhibitors from terrestrial and marine resources Posted: 18 Feb 2016 04:59 PM PST Tyrosinase is a multifunctional copper-containing enzyme widely distributed in microorganisms as well as plants and animals which has a primordial role in melanin biosynthesis thus impacting on skin color and pigmentation.

New charts to assess head circumference at birth will be valuable tool in Zika crisis Posted: 18 Feb 2016 04:59 PM PST The INTERGROWTH-21st Consortium has published the final set of charts that enable healthcare professionals worldwide to assess the weight, length and head circumference of newborns from 24 to 42 weeks of gestation, and which apply to all babies, regardless of race or ethnicity.

Brain gives up more secrets Posted: 18 Feb 2016 04:59 PM PST New ground has been broken in our understanding of the complex functioning of the brain. The research demonstrates that brain cells, known as astrocytes, which play fundamental roles in nearly all aspects of brain function, could be adjusted by neurons in response to injury and disease.

Commercial weight loss system expands diabetes prevention access Posted: 18 Feb 2016 04:57 PM PST Adults with prediabetes who followed a nationally-available weight management program with a prediabetes-specific component, Weight Watchers, lost significantly more weight and experienced better blood glucose control than those following a self-initiated program using supplemental counseling materials, a new randomized controlled study found.

Giving GPs feedback on their prescribing habits can reduce excessive use of antibiotics Posted: 18 Feb 2016 04:57 PM PST Sending general practitioners (GPs) in England a letter giving feedback on their antibiotic prescribing habits could cut unnecessary prescriptions of antibiotics, according to the first nationwide randomized trial of its kind involving over 1,500 GP practices.

Industry initiatives to prevent drinking and driving lack evidence of effectiveness Posted: 18 Feb 2016 04:56 PM PST The majority of the alcohol industry's actions around the world to reduce drinking and driving either lack evidence of effectiveness or haven't been studied, new research suggests. Researchers also report that the most effective interventions, such as use of sobriety checkpoints and ignition interlocks, are rarely used in industry-sponsored programs.

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