ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Scientists use synthetic gene, magnets to alter behavior of mice, fish
• Giant step forward taken in generating optical qubits
• New imaging method makes gall bladder removals, other procedures more safe
• Improved measurements of Earth orientation, shape
• Colorectal cancer biomarker discovered, leading to potential personalized treatment
• Lead exposure changes gut microbiota, increases chance for obesity
• New gene variants found in childhood body mass index
• 'Sticky waves: ' molecular interactions at the nanoscale
• Conservation sea change
• Down the rabbit hole: How electrons travel through exotic new material
• Evolutionary 'selection of the fittest' measured for the first time
• Major source of methanol in the ocean identified
• Protein increases signals that protect cancer cells, study finds
• Form of genetically elevated 'good' cholesterol may actually be bad
• Patterns of brain swelling may explain susceptibility of children to cerebral malaria
• Mindfulness in the workplace improves employee focus, attention, behavior, new management-based research concludes
• New class of drugs specifically induces cell death in B cell blood cancers
• Link between gum disease and cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s
• Classical physics in a spin
• HIV-infected young males have higher rates of bone loss than females
• Fighting cavities could one day be as easy as taking a pill, research shows
• Surgery improves survival rates for men with prostate cancer if radiation treatments fail
• Spending on public higher education overlooks net benefits as investment in state's future
• Final review of health problems that may be linked to Agent Orange exposure during Vietnam War
• Give and take: Researchers analyze how nutrient pollution can negatively impact important ecological relationships
• Negative cancer trials: Short-term whimper, long-term bang
• Scientists synthesize anti-cancer agent
• Two out of five U.S. infants from low-income families are not vaccinated against rotavirus
• Virility drug may boost skin cancer growth
• Combination of lapatinib and trastuzumab shrinks HER2 positive breast cancer significantly in 11 days after diagnosis
• Algorithm allows a computer to create a vacation highlight video
• Climate change less politicized among minority groups
• Possible marker for lung cancer chemotherapy identified
• Wealth doesn't protect US blacks from greater chance of incarceration
• Scientists may have found the 'trigger' of Alzheimer's disease
• Gut microbes influence platelet function, risk of thrombosis, study shows
• New report recommends research to improve understanding of relationship between fatigue and crash risk
• New learning procedure for neural networks
• Competition favors the shy bird
• Close comet flyby threw Mars' magnetic field into chaos
• Modified form of CRISPR acts as a toggle switch to control gene expression in stem cells
• Higher ozone, lower humidity levels associated with dry eye disease
• Revision rates, patient characteristics in those undergoing septorhinoplasty
• Grid cells' role in human imagination revealed
• Super-clear synapses at super resolutions
• Disproving hypothesis clears path for research for new treatment options for schizophrenia
• Blame your noisy brain for misses and fumbles
• Scientists watch activity of newborn brain cells in mice; reveal they are required for memory
• Reverse engineering human biology with organs-on-chips
• Brown fat may warm us up at dawn
• Widely used kidney cancer drugs can't stop recurrence
• Oxytocin can improve compassion in people with symptoms of PTSD
• Why we love 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' and other sequels
• Enzyme involved in glucose metabolism promotes wound healing, study finds
• Is hip arthroscopic surgery a sham? Researchers seek answer
• Adapting soccer training to age
• Oldest pine fossils reveal fiery past
• To prevent cancer in butterfly disease patients
• Bus drivers' health at risk due to sedentary behavior, research reveals
• Cutting cattle carbon: Bad breath and flatulence

Scientists use synthetic gene, magnets to alter behavior of mice, fish Posted: 10 Mar 2016 01:49 PM PST Neurons in the brain that have been supplemented with a synthetic gene can be remotely manipulated by a magnetic field, scientists have shown. The finding has implications for possible future treatment of a range of neurological diseases, such as schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease.

Giant step forward taken in generating optical qubits Posted: 10 Mar 2016 01:49 PM PST The optical chip overcomes a number of obstacles in the development of quantum computers. A research team has demonstrated that on-chip quantum frequency combs can be used to simultaneously generate multiphoton entangled quantum bit states. It is the first chip capable of simultaneously generating multi-photon qubit states and two-photon entangled states on hundreds of frequency modes. The chip is scalable, compact, and compatible with existing technologies.

New imaging method makes gall bladder removals, other procedures more safe Posted: 10 Mar 2016 01:48 PM PST Researchers have discovered an optimal way to image the bile ducts during gallbladder removal surgeries using a tested and safe dye and a real-time near-infrared florescence laparoscopic camera.

Improved measurements of Earth orientation, shape Posted: 10 Mar 2016 01:48 PM PST NASA has demonstrated the success of advanced technology for making precise measurements of Earth's orientation and rotation -- information that helps provide a foundation for navigation of all space missions and for geophysical studies of our planet.

Colorectal cancer biomarker discovered, leading to potential personalized treatment Posted: 10 Mar 2016 12:50 PM PST Researchers report that they have found markedly low levels of the protein NLRX1 in multiple laboratory models of colorectal cancer, and in samples of human tissue. Studies have shown that the protein is known to be involved in regulating immune system signals in order to prevent hyperactive inflammatory responses by the immune system, but now researchers believe their finding also points to a role for the protein in preventing colorectal cancer growth. Based on their findings, they believe they've identified a potential treatment for colorectal cancer with low NLRX1.

Lead exposure changes gut microbiota, increases chance for obesity Posted: 10 Mar 2016 12:50 PM PST Exposure to lead during early development can alter the the gut microbiota, increasing the chances for obesity in adulthood, researcher have found.

New gene variants found in childhood body mass index Posted: 10 Mar 2016 12:44 PM PST An international team of scientists has identified novel gene locations associated with childhood body mass index -- an important measurement related to childhood obesity. This largest-ever genetic study of childhood BMI may offer biological clues to designing future interventions.

'Sticky waves: ' molecular interactions at the nanoscale Posted: 10 Mar 2016 11:40 AM PST Like the gravitational forces that are responsible for the attraction between the Earth and the moon as well as the dynamics of the entire solar system, there exist attractive forces between objects at the nanoscale. These are the so-called van der Waals forces, which are ubiquitous in nature and thought to play a crucial role in determining the structure, stability and function of a wide variety of systems throughout the fields of biology, chemistry, physics and materials science.

Conservation sea change Posted: 10 Mar 2016 11:39 AM PST Beyond the breakers, the ocean is like the Wild West. While not completely lawless, its vastness and remoteness make it hard to observe and more difficult to manage human activity.

Down the rabbit hole: How electrons travel through exotic new material Posted: 10 Mar 2016 11:39 AM PST Researchers have observed a bizarre behavior in a strange new crystal that could hold the key for future electronic technologies. Unlike most materials in which electrons travel on the surface, in these new materials the electrons sink into the depths of the crystal through special conductive channels.

Evolutionary 'selection of the fittest' measured for the first time Posted: 10 Mar 2016 11:39 AM PST A difference of one hundredth of a percent in fitness is sufficient to select between winners and losers in evolution. For the first time researchers have quantified the tiny selective forces that shape bacterial genomes.

Major source of methanol in the ocean identified Posted: 10 Mar 2016 11:39 AM PST As one of the most abundant organic compounds on the planet, methanol occurs naturally in the environment as plants release it as they grow and decompose. It is also found in the ocean, where it is a welcome food source for ravenous microbes that feast on it for energy and growth.

Protein increases signals that protect cancer cells, study finds Posted: 10 Mar 2016 11:38 AM PST Researchers have identified a link between the expression of a cancer-related gene and cell-surface molecules that protect tumors from the immune system.

Form of genetically elevated 'good' cholesterol may actually be bad Posted: 10 Mar 2016 11:38 AM PST The generally accepted medical maxim that elevated HDL cholesterol is 'good' has been overturned by a multi-center, international study, They show that a certain genetic cause of increased HDL-C may actually be 'bad,' noting that a specific mutation in a gene which encodes a cell receptor protein that binds to HDL prevents the receptor from functioning. It causes an increased risk of heart disease even in the presence of elevated levels of 'good' cholesterol.

Patterns of brain swelling may explain susceptibility of children to cerebral malaria Posted: 10 Mar 2016 11:37 AM PST Brain swelling is a strong predictor of death in children with cerebral malaria (a severe form of the disease where parasites have accumulated in brain vessels), and also in mice with experimental cerebral malaria. A high-resolution whole brain imaging analysis of swelling in ECM suggests that cerebral malaria depends on the permissive environment in a specific brain area.

Mindfulness in the workplace improves employee focus, attention, behavior, new management-based research concludes Posted: 10 Mar 2016 11:14 AM PST Mindfulness is often viewed as either a touchy-feely fad or valuable management tool that can lift an entire workplace. A new comprehensive analysis of mindfulness research suggests the latter—that injecting a corporate culture of mindfulness not only improves focus, but the ability to manage stress and how employees work together.

New class of drugs specifically induces cell death in B cell blood cancers Posted: 10 Mar 2016 11:14 AM PST New research shows how one protein found on the endoplasmic reticulum can serve as a target for stimulating the immune system and a more direct target for cellular death in B cell malignancies. B cell malignancies include illnesses like chronic lymphocytic leukemia and multiple myeloma.

Link between gum disease and cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s Posted: 10 Mar 2016 11:13 AM PST A new study has found a link between gum disease and greater rates of cognitive decline in people with early stages of Alzheimer's Disease.Periodontitis or gum disease is common in older people and may become more common in Alzheimer's disease because of a reduced ability to take care of oral hygiene as the disease progresses. Higher levels of antibodies to periodontal bacteria are associated with an increase in levels of inflammatory molecules elsewhere in the body, which in turn has been linked to greater rates of cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease in previous studies. The latest study set out to determine whether periodontitis or gum disease is associated with increased dementia severity and subsequent greater progression of cognitive decline in people with Alzheimer's disease.

Classical physics in a spin Posted: 10 Mar 2016 11:13 AM PST Simple "spin models" used to explain magnetism can precisely reproduce any possible phenomenon in classical, non-quantum physics, according to scientists.

HIV-infected young males have higher rates of bone loss than females Posted: 10 Mar 2016 11:12 AM PST Rates of low bone mass are greater in HIV-infected males than in females, accumulating evidence suggests. Researchers studied 11 biomarkers associated with inflammation, bone loss and/or bone formation in about 450 individuals -- assessed by sex and HIV status -- to try to determine causes of this differential bone loss.

Fighting cavities could one day be as easy as taking a pill, research shows Posted: 10 Mar 2016 11:12 AM PST Researchers have identified a new strain of bacteria in the mouth that may keep bad bacteria in check -- and could lead to a way to prevent cavities using probiotics.

Surgery improves survival rates for men with prostate cancer if radiation treatments fail Posted: 10 Mar 2016 11:12 AM PST Approximately 14 percent of men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their lifetimes. Radiation therapy traditionally has been a primary treatment for the cancer, but one-fourth of men have a recurrence of prostate cancer within five years after the therapy. Now, a researcher has found that a complex procedure to remove the prostate achieves excellent long-term survival for men after radiation therapy has failed.

Spending on public higher education overlooks net benefits as investment in state's future Posted: 10 Mar 2016 11:12 AM PST Thinking of higher education funding as an investment that lowers costs -- and not as mere consumption spending -- could reframe the debate in Springfield, according to research.

Final review of health problems that may be linked to Agent Orange exposure during Vietnam War Posted: 10 Mar 2016 11:12 AM PST The latest and final in a series of congressionally mandated biennial reviews of the evidence of health problems that may be linked to exposure to Agent Orange and other herbicides used during the Vietnam War changed the categorization of health outcomes for bladder cancer, hypothyroidism, and spina bifida and clarified the breadth of the previous finding for Parkinson's disease.

Give and take: Researchers analyze how nutrient pollution can negatively impact important ecological relationships Posted: 10 Mar 2016 11:12 AM PST Nature has its own economy, with trading as dynamic as that of any stock exchange. To cope with nutrient deficiencies in their respective habitats, certain plants, animals and fungi have evolved partnerships by which they can swap resources. In a new study, researchers analyze how nutrient pollution can negatively impact important ecological relationships.

Negative cancer trials: Short-term whimper, long-term bang Posted: 10 Mar 2016 09:56 AM PST Cancer clinical trials with negative results don't make an immediate splash in the scientific literature, but they do have a long-term impact on cancer research, according to a new study.

Scientists synthesize anti-cancer agent Posted: 10 Mar 2016 09:56 AM PST Trioxacarcin molecules bind to the DNA of targeted cells and prevent them from replicating, report researchers. This has allowed scientists to develop a new process for the synthesis of a series of potent anti-cancer agents originally found in bacteria.

Two out of five U.S. infants from low-income families are not vaccinated against rotavirus Posted: 10 Mar 2016 09:55 AM PST Rotavirus (RV) infection is the leading cause of diarrheal disease in young children worldwide. Results of a new study show that of the infants who received the first dose of either Rotarix or Rotateq, less than 60% and 50%, respectively, completed the entire series, and researchers noted a link between family income and compliance rate.

Virility drug may boost skin cancer growth Posted: 10 Mar 2016 09:55 AM PST A signaling pathway in melanoma cells is affected by erectile dysfunction drug Sildenafil, biochemists have discovered. Sildenafil is used to treat erectile dysfunction and is the active ingredient in a number of drugs which have been on the market since the late 1990s. Sildenafil is now also contained in a number of generic products for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.

Combination of lapatinib and trastuzumab shrinks HER2 positive breast cancer significantly in 11 days after diagnosis Posted: 10 Mar 2016 09:55 AM PST Approximately a quarter of women with HER2 positive breast cancer, who were treated with a combination of the targeted drugs lapatinib and trastuzumab before surgery and chemotherapy, saw their tumors shrink significantly or even disappear, according to results from a clinical trial.

Algorithm allows a computer to create a vacation highlight video Posted: 10 Mar 2016 09:53 AM PST Researchers have unveiled a novel video-editing solution this week that automatically sorts and edits untouched footage into the most picturesque highlights for a vacation reel that could fill anyone with envy.

Climate change less politicized among minority groups Posted: 10 Mar 2016 09:53 AM PST Race and ethnicity as a function of climate-change attitudes is the subject of a recent study. The analysis revealed some key insights. Although a person's politics (as a liberal or a conservative) is normally a strong predictor of their climate opinions, the work has found that when it comes to the opinions of non-whites, politics matters less than it does for whites. Non-whites were also less likely to consider themselves "environmentalists," even though their climate opinions largely matched those of whites.

Possible marker for lung cancer chemotherapy identified Posted: 10 Mar 2016 09:53 AM PST The activity level -- expression -- of the SMARCA4/BRG1 gene in lung tumors might identify lung-cancer patients who will likely be helped by a particular chemotherapy regimen given to prevent tumor recurrence after surgery, report researchers.

Wealth doesn't protect US blacks from greater chance of incarceration Posted: 10 Mar 2016 09:53 AM PST The chances of incarceration in America are always higher for blacks than for whites or Hispanics, regardless of their level of wealth, according to a new study. In addition, blacks and Hispanics who had previously served jail time were significantly poorer than their white counterparts.

Scientists may have found the 'trigger' of Alzheimer's disease Posted: 10 Mar 2016 09:53 AM PST Scientists have succeeded in sorting out the mechanism of Alzheimer's disease development and possibly distinguished its key trigger.

Gut microbes influence platelet function, risk of thrombosis, study shows Posted: 10 Mar 2016 09:53 AM PST Gut microbes alter platelet function and risk of blood clot-related illnesses like heart attack and stroke, researchers have demonstrated -- for the first time -- through a combination of both clinical studies of over 4,000 patients and animal model studies.

New report recommends research to improve understanding of relationship between fatigue and crash risk Posted: 10 Mar 2016 09:53 AM PST Insufficient sleep can decrease a commercial motor vehicle driver's level of alertness, which may increase the risk of a crash, yet little is known about effective ways to minimize that risk, says a new report.

New learning procedure for neural networks Posted: 10 Mar 2016 09:53 AM PST Rustling leaves, a creaking branch: To a mouse, these sensory impressions may at first seem harmless -- but not if a cat suddenly bursts out of the bush. If so, they were clues of impending life-threatening danger. Scientists have now found how the brain can link sensory perceptions to events occurring after a delay. In a computer model, he has developed a learning procedure in which the model neurons can learn to distinguish between many different stimuli by adjusting their activity to the frequency of the cues. The model even works when there is a time delay between the cue and the event or outcome.

Competition favors the shy bird Posted: 10 Mar 2016 09:52 AM PST Explorative great tits have fewer chances to survive in high population densities.

Close comet flyby threw Mars' magnetic field into chaos Posted: 10 Mar 2016 09:52 AM PST MAVEN's magnetometer conducted observations of comet C/2013 A1 (Siding Spring) with Mars in October 2014, during the comet's remarkably close flyby.

Modified form of CRISPR acts as a toggle switch to control gene expression in stem cells Posted: 10 Mar 2016 09:52 AM PST Combining the two most powerful biological tools of the 21st century, scientists have modified how the genome of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) is read for the first time using a variation of the CRISPR-Cas9 system. The development offers a major technological advance in creating cell models of genetic diseases.

Higher ozone, lower humidity levels associated with dry eye disease Posted: 10 Mar 2016 09:49 AM PST The associations between outdoor air pollution and dry eye disease has been the focus of recent study. Researchers made a link in a study of the Korean population.

Revision rates, patient characteristics in those undergoing septorhinoplasty Posted: 10 Mar 2016 09:49 AM PST The overall revision rate for septorhinoplasty (a surgical procedure to fix the nose and nasal septum) was low at 3.3 percent although certain patient characteristics were associated with an increased rate of revision, according to an article.

Grid cells' role in human imagination revealed Posted: 10 Mar 2016 09:49 AM PST Evidence of grid cell activity has been seen in healthy volunteers asked to imagine moving through an environment. The study used fMRI scans to detect brain activity consistent with grid cell activity in the entorhinal cortex, an important 'hub' for navigation and memory. The entorhinal cortex is one of the first areas affected by Alzheimer's disease, so the latest research could help to explain why people with Alzheimer's can have problems imagining as well as remembering things.

Super-clear synapses at super resolutions Posted: 10 Mar 2016 09:49 AM PST Researchers have developed a way to obtain super-resolution 3-D images of delicate structures deep in the brain.The work describes a new process for making brain tissue transparent that outperforms other methods and allows extremely detailed imaging of tiny but important structures within neurons.

Disproving hypothesis clears path for research for new treatment options for schizophrenia Posted: 10 Mar 2016 09:49 AM PST Researchers reported negative results from the first repeated-dose study of a dopamine-1 receptor (D1R) agonist for treating cognitive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia.Based on earlier preclinical research suggesting that reduced signaling through the D1R might contribute to these symptoms, scientists speculated that administering ultra-low doses of D1R agonists might counteract these symptoms. For over a decade, researchers have sought to reproduce comparable results in clinical studies, with mixed findings and no definitive answers.

Blame your noisy brain for misses and fumbles Posted: 10 Mar 2016 09:49 AM PST No matter how much we practice a given movement, it will still be imperfect. The reason for this frustration, according to a new study by neuroscientists, is in how we sense the world. A given individual neuron varies in its activity even when we see exactly the same scene, producing a certain kind of brain noise that affects our responding movements.

Scientists watch activity of newborn brain cells in mice; reveal they are required for memory Posted: 10 Mar 2016 09:49 AM PST Neuroscientists have described the activity of newly generated brain cells in awake mice -- a process known as adult neurogenesis -- and revealed the critical role these cells play in forming memories. The new research also offers clues as to what happens when the memory-encoding process goes awry.

Reverse engineering human biology with organs-on-chips Posted: 10 Mar 2016 09:48 AM PST While some suggest that organs-on-chips oversimplify human biology, they have been able to reconstitute complex organ-level functions, which has led to new insights into what is and what isn't necessary for life to function. Experts have now described how organs-on-chips offer a powerful way to analyze organ function and human pathophysiology, in addition to providing a potential way to replace animal testing and advance personalized medicine.

Brown fat may warm us up at dawn Posted: 10 Mar 2016 09:48 AM PST Brown fat is well known for protecting the body from cold temperatures, and now researchers have discovered that this cell type in humans shows circadian rhythms in its consumption of glucose -- an energy fuel for heat production. These rhythms, which rise just before waking, may have evolved as a thermal defense mechanism to prepare our ancestors for hunting and gathering in the coldest morning hours.

Widely used kidney cancer drugs can't stop recurrence Posted: 10 Mar 2016 08:24 AM PST Two widely used targeted therapy drugs approved by the FDA for the treatment of metastatic kidney cancer—sorafenib and sunitinib—are no more effective than a placebo in preventing return of the disease to increase life spans of patients suffering from advanced kidney cancer after surgery, according to a new multi-institutional study.

Oxytocin can improve compassion in people with symptoms of PTSD Posted: 10 Mar 2016 08:24 AM PST Oxytocin -- "the love hormone" -- may enhance compassion of people suffering from symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to new study. Compassion is pro-social motivation to help others who are in distress. It is an outcome of emotional of empathy -- the ability to recognize the feelings of others, and cognitive empathy -- the ability to understand what another person feels and think.

Why we love 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' and other sequels Posted: 10 Mar 2016 08:23 AM PST The best way to keep consumers happy and interested with initial sequel movies or products is to balance familiarity, innovation and nostalgia and make small "iterated offerings," instead of sweeping changes. The deeper into a franchise or product line, the more changes are accepted and expected, a new research indicates.

Enzyme involved in glucose metabolism promotes wound healing, study finds Posted: 10 Mar 2016 08:23 AM PST An enzyme involved in glucose metabolism in cells plays a major role in the early steps of wound healing, a finding that could lead to new therapeutic approaches for wound care, according to researchers.

Is hip arthroscopic surgery a sham? Researchers seek answer Posted: 10 Mar 2016 08:23 AM PST Arthroscopic hip surgeries have replaced open surgeries as the go-to cure for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). The number of such procedures increased 18-fold in the U.S. within a decade. However, the evidence to date on whether hip arthroscopy works is not conclusive, say investigators.

Adapting soccer training to age Posted: 10 Mar 2016 08:21 AM PST Research advises against using certain training techniques in junior soccer, and instead, suggests a training method using so-called small-sided games (or long ones, depending on the dimensions and number of players) is very widespread in different sports. Small-sided games or 'game-based training' are sports competitions or game-based training generally played by a smaller number of players and on smaller pitches (compared with 11-a-side soccer) in which all the internal logic components of the game are kept in a way that is adaptable and motivating for the players.

Oldest pine fossils reveal fiery past Posted: 10 Mar 2016 08:21 AM PST The oldest fossils of the familiar pine tree that dominates Northern Hemisphere forests today has been found by researchers. The 140-million-year-old fossils (dating from the Cretaceous 'Age of the Dinosaurs') are exquisitely preserved as charcoal, the result of burning in wildfires.

To prevent cancer in butterfly disease patients Posted: 10 Mar 2016 08:21 AM PST Fragile skin that blisters easily: 90 percent of the patients that suffer from the skin condition recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) develop rapidly progressing cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas, a type of skin cancer, by the age of 55. 80 percent of these patients will die due to metastasis within five years after the cancer has been first detected. Researchers have now discovered how the two diseases are connected and which molecular mechanisms underlie the aggressive behavior of squamous cell carcinomas in RDEB patients.

Bus drivers' health at risk due to sedentary behavior, research reveals Posted: 10 Mar 2016 08:21 AM PST A new pilot study is underway into bus drivers' sedentary behavior (prolonged sitting) during and outside working hours. Bus drivers are typically sitting for more than 12 hours a day due to the demands of the job -- three hours longer than office workers.

Cutting cattle carbon: Bad breath and flatulence Posted: 10 Mar 2016 08:20 AM PST Cattle have bad breath and commonly suffer from severe, chronic flatus generating large amounts of methane, which is a greenhouse gas and a driver of anthropogenic global warming. There is an obvious answer to this problem, stop breeding cattle. Unfortunately a large proportion of us enjoy our bovine dairy products and meat too much. Until synthetic products that are indistinguishable from the real thing become available and accepted by milk drinkers and steak fans, we will have to look into alternative approaches to reducing the carbon emissions from these creatures.

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