ScienceDaily: Top News

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• In search of a treatment for osteoporosis from the tequila agave
• Promising new blood test is first of its kind to detect liver scarring
• Application of novel alignment-free sequence descriptors in Zika virus characterization
• Crystal structure of PKG I suggests a new activation mechanism
• Newly discovered way for cells to die
• US doctors report reconstructing new esophagus tissue in a critically ill patient
• World record for fastest optical communications for data centers
• Turning cities into innovation engines
• Health costs for motivated, disadvantaged youth
• Using fungi to decrease need for chemical fertilizers
• Discovery of CTLA-4 in dendritic cells opens new possibilities to fight cancer
• Dressed to kill: Tailoring a suit for tumor-penetrating cancer medications
• Pinpointing the effects of fertilizer
• Violent video games eventually lose their ability to produce guilt in gamers
• Changing monsoon patterns, more rain contribute to lower tea yield in Chinese provinces
• Pivotal inflammatory players revealed in diabetic kidney disease
• New magnetism research brings high-temp superconductivity applications closer
• Single ion impacts a million water molecules
• Scientists discover how Chinese medicinal plant makes anti-cancer compound
• A twist on Hanbury Brown -- Twiss interferometry offers new approach for remote sensing
• Controlling 'bad cholesterol' production could prevent growth of tumors, study finds
• New assay offers improved detection of deadly prion diseases
• Perk yourself up with some exercise
• Chemists develop new strategy to synthesize molecule that could help mitigate cancer tumor development
• Scientists creates antibacterial geopolymer for the construction industry

In search of a treatment for osteoporosis from the tequila agave Posted: 09 Apr 2016 06:18 AM PDT Apart from being the raw material for making a very traditional drink in Mexico, the blue variety of the Agave tequilana has substances capable of improving the absorption of calcium and magnesium, essential minerals to maintain bone health, reports a Mexican scientist.

Promising new blood test is first of its kind to detect liver scarring Posted: 09 Apr 2016 06:17 AM PDT Scientists and medics have developed a new type of genetic blood test that diagnoses scarring in the liver -- even before someone may feel ill. It is the first time an epigenetic signature in blood has been discovered which is diagnostic of the severity of fibrosis for people with Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD).

Application of novel alignment-free sequence descriptors in Zika virus characterization Posted: 09 Apr 2016 06:17 AM PDT In a new article, researchers explain their work on computer-assisted approaches towards surveillance and consequent design of drugs and vaccines to combat the growth and spread of the Zika virus.

Crystal structure of PKG I suggests a new activation mechanism Posted: 09 Apr 2016 06:17 AM PDT Protein kinases, most scientists would agree, regulate nearly every aspect of cell life. It is no surprise, then, that having faulty protein kinases may lead to a number of human conditions, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes. Kinases form a large family. Some of its members have similar structures, which has led some researchers to propose that the activity of these kinases is probably regulated in a similar manner and, therefore, may be targeted with similar medications.

Newly discovered way for cells to die Posted: 09 Apr 2016 06:17 AM PDT In studying how worms develop from larvae into adults, scientists have discovered a previously unknown process in which cells are programmed to die. The findings might have implications for understanding some diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders.

US doctors report reconstructing new esophagus tissue in a critically ill patient Posted: 09 Apr 2016 06:17 AM PDT American doctors report the first case of a human patient whose severely damaged esophagus was reconstructed using commercially available FDA approved stents and skin tissue. Seven years after the reconstruction and four years after the stents were removed, the patient continues to eat a normal diet and maintain his weight with no swallowing problems.

World record for fastest optical communications for data centers Posted: 08 Apr 2016 03:44 PM PDT Scientists have achieved the world's fastest optical communications speed for data centres by reaching 240 G bit/s over 2km, 24 times of the existing speed available in the market.

Turning cities into innovation engines Posted: 08 Apr 2016 03:44 PM PDT Can smartphones improve our quality of life and make cities run more efficiently? A researcher is working towards this vision.

Health costs for motivated, disadvantaged youth Posted: 08 Apr 2016 03:36 PM PDT There may be a hidden cost to the old adage of pulling oneself up by the bootstraps. Research suggests the unintended stress spurred by upward mobility can pose an unintended health risk later down the road.

Using fungi to decrease need for chemical fertilizers Posted: 08 Apr 2016 03:36 PM PDT Plants share their carbohydrates with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi that colonize their roots and, in exchange, these fungi provide their hosts with nitrogen and phosphorous. By exploiting this relationship, scientists may be able to increase the biomass production of bioenergy crops and the yield of food crops and to reduce the required fertilizer inputs. This could improve the environmental sustainability of agricultural production systems according to researchers.

Discovery of CTLA-4 in dendritic cells opens new possibilities to fight cancer Posted: 08 Apr 2016 01:38 PM PDT T cells are the 'foot soldiers' that fight cancer inside the body. Cancer cells can fight the foot soldiers back by pushing a brake on the T cells that will turn them off. This 'brake' is a molecule on the surface of T cells called CTLA-4. Until now, most scientists agreed that CTLA-4 was only present on T cells and other cells of the same lineage. But new research suggests that CTLA-4 is also produced and secreted by dendritic cells, which are the 'generals' of the T cells in the battle against cancer.

Dressed to kill: Tailoring a suit for tumor-penetrating cancer medications Posted: 08 Apr 2016 01:38 PM PDT Tiny capsules, called nanoparticles, are now being used to transport chemotherapy medicine to cancerous tumors. Researchers believe that the trick to gaining access to the pernicious cellular masses is to give these nanoparticles a new look.

Pinpointing the effects of fertilizer Posted: 08 Apr 2016 01:38 PM PDT Plant biologists have pinpointed the area of genomes within nitrogen-fixing bacteria in roots, called rhizobia, that's being altered when the plant they serve is exposed to nitrogen fertilizer.

Violent video games eventually lose their ability to produce guilt in gamers Posted: 08 Apr 2016 01:37 PM PDT Rapidly advancing technology has created ever more realistic video games. Images are sharp, settings have depth and detail, and the audio is crisp and authentic. It appears so real that research has consistently found that gamers feel guilty committing unjustified acts of violence within the game. Now, a new study suggests that the moral response produced by the initial exposure to a video game decreases as experience with the game develops.

Changing monsoon patterns, more rain contribute to lower tea yield in Chinese provinces Posted: 08 Apr 2016 01:37 PM PDT Longer monsoon seasons with increased daily rainfall, aspects of climate change, are contributing to reduced tea yield in regions of China, with implications for crop management and harvesting strategies, according to new findings.

Pivotal inflammatory players revealed in diabetic kidney disease Posted: 08 Apr 2016 01:37 PM PDT Key inflammatory mechanisms underlying type 1 diabetes and obesity-related kidney dysfunction have been identified by a team of researchers. In the study, the researchers analyzed the kidneys of experimental mice with type 1 diabetes and mice fed a high-fat diet. They found increased amounts of sphingomyelin, a type of fatty acid commonly found in cell membranes and nervous tissue, in both experimental groups.

New magnetism research brings high-temp superconductivity applications closer Posted: 08 Apr 2016 01:37 PM PDT Scientists have discovered that only half the atoms in some iron-based superconductors are magnetic, providing the first conclusive demonstration of the wave-like properties of metallic magnetism.

Single ion impacts a million water molecules Posted: 08 Apr 2016 01:37 PM PDT Water molecules are 10,000 times more sensitive to ions than previously thought, new research shows. Water molecules are made up of one negatively charged oxygen atom and two positively charged hydrogen atoms.

Scientists discover how Chinese medicinal plant makes anti-cancer compound Posted: 08 Apr 2016 01:37 PM PDT New research reveals how a plant used in traditional Chinese medicine produces compounds which may help to treat cancer and liver diseases.

A twist on Hanbury Brown -- Twiss interferometry offers new approach for remote sensing Posted: 08 Apr 2016 01:37 PM PDT Scientists have shown that fluctuations in 'twisted light' could be exploited for a range of applications, from detecting rotating black holes to object detection by lidar, the light-equivalent of radar.

Controlling 'bad cholesterol' production could prevent growth of tumors, study finds Posted: 08 Apr 2016 10:24 AM PDT Several studies have recognized a link between obesity and cancer. Now new research further helps to understand how tumor cells grow through scavenging very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) and low-density lipoproteins (LDL), commonly known as the 'bad cholesterol', and what mechanisms can be used to reduce the malignant cells' growth.

New assay offers improved detection of deadly prion diseases Posted: 08 Apr 2016 08:23 AM PDT Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), or prion diseases, are a family of rare progressive, neurodegenerative illnesses that affect both humans and animals. TSE surveillance is important for public health and food safety because TSEs have the potential of crossing from animals to humans, as seen with the spread of mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). A new study describes an advanced assay that offers better sensitivity than currently available tests for detecting a prion disease affecting elk.

Perk yourself up with some exercise Posted: 08 Apr 2016 08:23 AM PDT We're all aware of the physical advantages of exercising and the emotional advantages have also been well-documented. But how much do we know about the psychological impact of engaging in physical activity? This study demonstrates the positive impact of acute aerobic exercise on individuals experiencing emotion regulation difficulties.

Chemists develop new strategy to synthesize molecule that could help mitigate cancer tumor development Posted: 08 Apr 2016 08:22 AM PDT Researchers have successfully achieved a formal total synthesis of cortistatin A, a molecule which could help mitigate the growth of cancer tumors.

Scientists creates antibacterial geopolymer for the construction industry Posted: 08 Apr 2016 07:22 AM PDT A new resin inhibits growth, reproduction and transfer of yeast and fungi, and used as cement it can adhere to metal surfaces, glass or ceramics.

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