ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Battery tech with off-the-charts charging capacity
• Scientist models Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome in adult stem cells
• Peering deep into materials with ultrafast science
• Senior adults can see health benefits from dog ownership
• New tool calculates economic costs of methane leak detection
• Mapping neurons to improve the treatment of Parkinson's
• Paleontologist finds that ligaments in some dinosaurs’ necks helped them graze more efficiently
• A new player revealed in nerve growth process
• Heat trumps cold in the treatment of jellyfish stings
• Micro heart muscle created from stem cells
• High prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency in large population of kids with type 1 diabetes
• Patients at high risk for psychiatric symptoms after a stay in the intensive care unit
• Detecting when the most common skin cancer turns dangerous
• New material combines useful, typically incompatible properties
• Scientists sharpen view of gene transfer between pathogenic bacteria
• Researchers show 'dirty mice' could clean up immune system research
• A targeted agent to mitigate sepsis
• First North American monkey fossils are found in Panama Canal excavation
• Mice flown in space show nascent liver damage, research shows
• Recent warmer winters may be cooling climate change concern
• Taking aspirin could increase cancer survival by 20 percent
• 13-million-year-old 'storyteller' crocodylian fossils show evidence for parallel evolution
• New method enlists electricity for easier, cheaper, greener chemistry
• Defects in body's cell disposal system may contribute to the most common form of lupus
• Origin of heart dysfunctions in myotonic dystrophy identified
• Moving, electrically 'silent' source initiates brain waves
• Tap water, table salt may be safer, cheaper for milk production cleanup
• Model makes designing new antennas orders of magnitude faster
• Exposure to routine viruses makes mice better test subjects
• Why you can't teach an old mouse new tricks
• Chemical exposure could lead to obesity, study finds
• Early abnormalities of Alzheimer's disease: It takes 2 (proteins) to tango
• Consuming too much fructose during pregnancy raises the child's risk for heart disease
• New black fly species discovered in Indonesia
• Building a CRISPR rainbow
• With simple process, engineers fabricate fastest flexible silicon transistor
• Military sexual trauma associated with higher risk for veteran homelessness
• Well-managed warfarin therapy associated with low risk of complications in patients with atrial fibrillation
• Clinical score may help predict likelihood of bariatric surgery curing type 2 diabetes in patients
• Importance of assessing weight control practices, eating behaviors, after bariatric surgery
• What causes the excess rate of death associated with alcohol use disorders?
• Researchers identify new functional biomarker for autism in boys
• Drug target found in rare, lethal glandular cancer
• The contrarian dance of DNA
• Natural insect control without pesticides
• Childhood obesity, malnutrition connected to mom's perception of child's weight
• Accounting for volcanoes using tools of economics
• Team builds first quantum cascade laser on silicon
• Brighter prospects for chronic pain
• Where next for Zika virus?
• Promiscuity may help some corals survive bleaching events
• Baboons watch neighbors for clues about food, but can end up in queues
• Indian monsoon: Novel approach allows early forecasting
• Inflammatory protein involved in autoimmune diseases has healing potential
• Polar bears are swimming more as sea ice retreats, study indicates
• One antidepressant shown to control weight during 2-year study
• New class of small molecule drug, SI-2, has potential for improving cancer treatment
• Transfer of gut bacteria affects brain function, nerve fiber insulation
• Stomach cancer diagnostics: New insights on stage of tumor growth
• Brain study on memory delay explains visuomotor mistakes

Battery tech with off-the-charts charging capacity Posted: 20 Apr 2016 06:11 PM PDT Researchers have invented nanowire-based battery material that can be recharged hundreds of thousands of times, moving us closer to a battery that would never require replacement. The breakthrough work could lead to commercial batteries with greatly lengthened lifespans for computers, smartphones, appliances, cars and spacecraft.

Scientist models Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome in adult stem cells Posted: 20 Apr 2016 06:11 PM PDT Studies using an innovative stem-cell model for a fatal developmental disorder is the focus of a recent study. An expert has uncovered unique cellular defects associated with Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS) by modeling this disease using induced pluripotent stem cells.

Peering deep into materials with ultrafast science Posted: 20 Apr 2016 01:29 PM PDT Creating the batteries or electronics of the future requires understanding materials that are just a few atoms thick and that change their fundamental physical properties in fractions of a second. Cutting-edge facilities have allowed researchers to visualize properties of these nanoscale materials at ultrafast time scales.

Senior adults can see health benefits from dog ownership Posted: 20 Apr 2016 01:29 PM PDT Among adults 60 years of age or more, walking is the most common form of leisure-time physical activity because it is self-paced, low impact and does not require equipment. Researchers have determined that older adults who also are pet owners benefit from the bonds they form with their canine companions.

New tool calculates economic costs of methane leak detection Posted: 20 Apr 2016 01:27 PM PDT The 'virtual gas field simulator' calculates the economic costs of different technologies for plugging and repairing leaky natural gas wells. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in monitoring and stopping leaks at natural gas wells because of methane's potential for accelerating climate change.

Mapping neurons to improve the treatment of Parkinson's Posted: 20 Apr 2016 01:27 PM PDT Because billions of neurons are packed into our brain, the neuronal circuits that are responsible for controlling our behaviors are by necessity highly intermingled. This tangled web makes it complicated for scientists to determine exactly which circuits do what. Now, using two laboratory techniques have mapped out the pathways of a set of neurons responsible for the kinds of motor impairments found in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Paleontologist finds that ligaments in some dinosaurs’ necks helped them graze more efficiently Posted: 20 Apr 2016 12:18 PM PDT Ligaments in the long necks of certain sauropods probably helped them graze more efficiently, according to paleontologists.

A new player revealed in nerve growth process Posted: 20 Apr 2016 12:18 PM PDT A protein previously known for its role in kidney function, adaptor protein CD2AP, also plays a significant role in the nervous system, and is associated with a type of neural growth known as collateral sprouting, say investigators.

Heat trumps cold in the treatment of jellyfish stings Posted: 20 Apr 2016 12:18 PM PDT A recent study may finally put to rest the ongoing debate about whether to use cold or heat to treat jellyfish stings. Their systematic and critical review provides overwhelming evidence that clinical outcomes from all kinds of jellyfish stings are improved following treatment with hot packs or hot-water immersion.

Micro heart muscle created from stem cells Posted: 20 Apr 2016 12:16 PM PDT Scientists have invented a new way to create three-dimensional human heart tissue from stem cells. The tissue can be used to model disease and test drugs, and it opens the door for a precision medicine approach to treating heart disease. Although there are existing techniques to make three-dimensional tissues from heart cells, the new method dramatically reduces the number of cells needed, making it an easier, cheaper, and more efficient system.

High prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency in large population of kids with type 1 diabetes Posted: 20 Apr 2016 12:16 PM PDT A nursing team has examined the association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D and diabetes control in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. These data underscore the importance of vitamin D screening in all children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

Patients at high risk for psychiatric symptoms after a stay in the intensive care unit Posted: 20 Apr 2016 12:16 PM PDT Results of a multi-institutional national study of nearly 700 people who survived life-threatening illness with a stay in an intensive care unit suggest that a substantial majority of them are at high risk for persistent depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder -- especially if they are female, young and unemployed.

Detecting when the most common skin cancer turns dangerous Posted: 20 Apr 2016 12:16 PM PDT A team of researchers who specialize in treating cancers of the eye wanted to identified EZH2 as a marker for aggressive basal cell skin cancer. It may also provide a potential target for treatment, they say.

New material combines useful, typically incompatible properties Posted: 20 Apr 2016 12:15 PM PDT Most materials are capable of being only one thing at a time, but a team of engineers and physicists have created an entirely new material in which completely contradictory properties can coexist.

Scientists sharpen view of gene transfer between pathogenic bacteria Posted: 20 Apr 2016 12:15 PM PDT Bacteria possess the ability to take up DNA from their environment, a skill that enables them to acquire new genes for antibiotic resistance or to escape the immune response. Scientists have now mapped the core set of genes that are consistently controlled during DNA uptake in strep bacteria, and they hope the finding will allow them to cut off the microbes' ability to survive what doctors and nature can throw at them.

Researchers show 'dirty mice' could clean up immune system research Posted: 20 Apr 2016 12:15 PM PDT Scientists have developed a new way to study mice that better mimics the immune system of adult humans and which could significantly improve ways to test potential therapeutics. The researchers describe the limitations of laboratory mice for immunology research and reveal the benefits of what they are calling 'dirty mice.'

A targeted agent to mitigate sepsis Posted: 20 Apr 2016 12:15 PM PDT Researchers have developed a targeted therapy (ABTAA) for mitigating sepsis by strengthening as well as protecting blood vessels. ABTAA is a separate, independent treatment which eliminates the root cause of sepsis so the body has a strong battlefield to fight the infection.

First North American monkey fossils are found in Panama Canal excavation Posted: 20 Apr 2016 12:15 PM PDT Seven fossil teeth exposed by the Panama Canal expansion project are first evidence of a monkey on the North American continent before the Isthmus of Panama connected it to South America 3.5 million years ago.

Mice flown in space show nascent liver damage, research shows Posted: 20 Apr 2016 12:14 PM PDT In a discovery with implications for long-term spaceflight and future missions to Mars, researchers have found that mice flown aboard the space shuttle Atlantis returned to Earth with early signs of liver disease.

Recent warmer winters may be cooling climate change concern Posted: 20 Apr 2016 12:14 PM PDT The vast majority of Americans have experienced more favorable weather conditions over the past 40 years, researchers have found. The trend is projected to reverse over the course of the coming century, but that shift may come too late to spur demands for policy responses to address climate change.

Taking aspirin could increase cancer survival by 20 percent Posted: 20 Apr 2016 12:14 PM PDT Patients receiving cancer treatment could increase their chance of survival by up to 20 percent and help stop their cancer from spreading by taking a low dose of aspirin, new research suggests.

13-million-year-old 'storyteller' crocodylian fossils show evidence for parallel evolution Posted: 20 Apr 2016 12:13 PM PDT The 13-million-year-old fossils of an extinct crocodylian, named 'the storyteller,' suggest that South American and Indian species evolved separately to acquire protruding, 'telescoped' eyes for river-dwelling.

New method enlists electricity for easier, cheaper, greener chemistry Posted: 20 Apr 2016 10:18 AM PDT Scientists have found a new and better way to achieve a chemical reaction that is used widely in the pharmaceutical as well as flavor and fragrance industries.

Defects in body's cell disposal system may contribute to the most common form of lupus Posted: 20 Apr 2016 10:17 AM PDT Scientists may be setting the stage for new approaches to control or prevent the inflammation and tissue damage associated with the chronic autoimmune disorder lupus.

Origin of heart dysfunctions in myotonic dystrophy identified Posted: 20 Apr 2016 10:17 AM PDT An international team of scientists is lifting the veil on the molecular mechanisms causing heart dysfunctions in myotonic dystrophy, a genetic disease affecting one person in 8,000.

Moving, electrically 'silent' source initiates brain waves Posted: 20 Apr 2016 10:15 AM PDT A traveling spike generator appears to move across the hippocampus and change direction while generating brain waves. The generator itself, however, produces no electrical signal. The speed of the waves most closely match those found in epilepsy and in healthy sleep and theta waves.

Tap water, table salt may be safer, cheaper for milk production cleanup Posted: 20 Apr 2016 10:15 AM PDT A safer option for cleaning milking systems on dairy farms may also decrease cleaning time and cost, according to a team engineers. The researchers studied the effectiveness of the first three cycles of the Cleaning-in-Place process -- warm water rinse, alkaline wash and acid rinse -- using electrolyzed oxidizing, or EO, water in place of harsher chemicals typically used in the alkaline and acid washes.

Model makes designing new antennas orders of magnitude faster Posted: 20 Apr 2016 10:15 AM PDT Researchers have developed a model that allows antenna designers to identify efficient configurations for antenna designs in minutes, rather than days. The model is designed to expedite development of next generation 'multi-input, multi-ouput' (MIMO) antennas, which allow devices to get more use out of the available bandwidth.

Exposure to routine viruses makes mice better test subjects Posted: 20 Apr 2016 10:15 AM PDT Vaccines and therapeutics developed using mice sometimes don't work as expected in humans. New research points to the near-sterile surroundings of laboratory mice as a key reason. When the researchers infected laboratory mice with the mouse equivalent of microbes that cause common infections in humans, the infections changed the animals' immune systems so they were more similar to adult humans.'

Why you can't teach an old mouse new tricks Posted: 20 Apr 2016 10:15 AM PDT The ability to adapt to changes in the environment is key to survival, but this type of behavioral flexibility is often impaired in older individuals. A study in mice shows that the age-related decline in forming new behaviors is partly due to the deterioration of a brain circuit that plays a key role in goal-directed learning.

Chemical exposure could lead to obesity, study finds Posted: 20 Apr 2016 09:55 AM PDT Exposure to chemicals found in everyday products could affect the amount of fat stored in the body, according to a study. Phthalates are chemicals found in everything from plastic products to soap to nail polish -- they give plastic its bendy stretch.

Early abnormalities of Alzheimer's disease: It takes 2 (proteins) to tango Posted: 20 Apr 2016 09:06 AM PDT For years, neuroscientists have puzzled over how two abnormal proteins, called amyloid and tau, accumulate in the brain and damage it to cause Alzheimer's disease. Which one is the driving force behind dementia? The answer: both of them, according to a new study.

Consuming too much fructose during pregnancy raises the child's risk for heart disease Posted: 20 Apr 2016 09:05 AM PDT The negative health effects of consuming large amounts of fructose could impact several generations, according to researchers. The study found that when pregnant mice only drink water sweetened with fructose, a common sweetener in foods and beverages, their offspring have several more risk factors for heart disease, compared with mice who only drank water throughout pregnancy.

New black fly species discovered in Indonesia Posted: 20 Apr 2016 09:05 AM PDT A new species of black fly has been discovered in Indonesia on the island of Borneo. The new species, belongs to the family Simuliidae.

Building a CRISPR rainbow Posted: 20 Apr 2016 09:05 AM PDT CRISPRainbow, a new technology using CRISPR/Cas9 allows researchers to tag and track up to seven different genomic locations in live cells. This labeling system will be an invaluable tool for studying the structure of the genome in real time.

With simple process, engineers fabricate fastest flexible silicon transistor Posted: 20 Apr 2016 09:05 AM PDT One secret to creating the world's fastest silicon-based flexible transistors: a very, very tiny knife. Engineers have now pioneered a unique method that could allow manufacturers to easily and cheaply fabricate high-performance transistors with wireless capabilities on huge rolls of flexible plastic.

Military sexual trauma associated with higher risk for veteran homelessness Posted: 20 Apr 2016 09:03 AM PDT The devastating consequences of sexual trauma in the military, reported by 25 percent of female and 1 percent of male veterans who served in the US armed forces, are associated with a much higher risk for homelessness.

Well-managed warfarin therapy associated with low risk of complications in patients with atrial fibrillation Posted: 20 Apr 2016 09:03 AM PDT The efficacy and safety of well-managed warfarin therapy in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation has been the focus of recent study. Atrial fibrillation is a strong independent risk factor for ischemic stroke.

Clinical score may help predict likelihood of bariatric surgery curing type 2 diabetes in patients Posted: 20 Apr 2016 09:03 AM PDT Researchers examined whether the DiaRem score, a validated score generated from data readily available could be used to predict patients for whom bariatric surgery will result in cure of type 2 diabetes. This score can be used to predict whether bariatric surgery will lead to short-term remission of diabetes.

Importance of assessing weight control practices, eating behaviors, after bariatric surgery Posted: 20 Apr 2016 09:03 AM PDT Assessing certain weight control practices and eating behaviors after bariatric surgery can significantly influence the amount of weight loss after surgery, according to a study.

What causes the excess rate of death associated with alcohol use disorders? Posted: 20 Apr 2016 09:03 AM PDT To what degree does the excess rate of death in individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD) happen because of a predisposition in the person who develops AUD compared with the direct effect of the AUD itself?

Researchers identify new functional biomarker for autism in boys Posted: 20 Apr 2016 09:03 AM PDT Researchers have developed a new method to map and track the function of brain circuits affected by autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in boys using brain imaging. The technique will provide clinicians and therapists with a physical measure of the progress patients are making with behavioral and/or drug treatments. For the first time, doctors would be able to quantify how that brain circuit is working in their patients and assess the effectiveness of an intervention.

Drug target found in rare, lethal glandular cancer Posted: 20 Apr 2016 08:14 AM PDT Using a novel cell culture approach, researchers have discovered critical vulnerabilities in adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC), a rare and lethal glandular cancer with a high recurrence rate and few treatment options.

The contrarian dance of DNA Posted: 20 Apr 2016 08:12 AM PDT A piece of DNA's movements are often counterintuitive to those of objects in our everyday grasp. A rod of rubber, for example: bend it until its ends meet, and you can count on the elastic tension to snap it back straight when you let go. When you bend DNA into a short loop, the elastic energy more often than not wants to bend the chain further in instead of pushing it back out.

Natural insect control without pesticides Posted: 20 Apr 2016 08:12 AM PDT Natural control, also known as autonomous control, may offer an alternative to chemical insecticides if conditions are right, new research suggests.

Childhood obesity, malnutrition connected to mom's perception of child's weight Posted: 20 Apr 2016 08:12 AM PDT A child's risk for obesity or malnutrition may be tied to the mother's misperception of her child's weight, new research shows. A key to understanding this may lie in how she regards her own weight status. Researchers say the situation calls for healthcare providers to broaden their health care screenings.

Accounting for volcanoes using tools of economics Posted: 20 Apr 2016 08:12 AM PDT Scientists can read old descriptions of eruptions and analyze ash deposits captured in polar ice, but consistently estimating the climate impact of past eruptions has been difficult. A new technique may change that.

Team builds first quantum cascade laser on silicon Posted: 20 Apr 2016 08:11 AM PDT The first quantum cascade laser on silicon has been built by scientists. The advance may have applications that span from chemical bond spectroscopy and gas sensing, to astronomy and free-space communications.

Brighter prospects for chronic pain Posted: 20 Apr 2016 08:11 AM PDT The potential of light as a noninvasive, highly focused alternative to pain medication was made more apparent thanks to new research. Optogenetics is a growing field of research with a wide variety of applications. In this case the activity of pain-signaling neurons was reduced in a localized part of a mouse's body, the hind paw, and the duration of the effect could easily be controlled by the amount of time the light was applied. The precision of this technique underlines potential advantages for use in humans.

Where next for Zika virus? Posted: 20 Apr 2016 08:11 AM PDT A new global risk map reveals priority regions where authorities could intervene to control the vector mosquito population and where surveillance of the virus should be concentrated in order to improve rapid outbreak response and clinical diagnosis.

Promiscuity may help some corals survive bleaching events Posted: 20 Apr 2016 08:11 AM PDT Researchers have shown for the first time that some corals surviving bleaching events can acquire and host new types of algae from their environment, which may make the coral more heat-tolerant and enhance their recovery.

Baboons watch neighbors for clues about food, but can end up in queues Posted: 20 Apr 2016 08:11 AM PDT Baboons learn about food locations socially through monitoring the behavior of those around them. While proximity to others is the key to acquiring information, research shows that accessing food depends on the complex hierarchies of a baboon troop, and those lower down the pecking order can end up queuing for leftovers.

Indian monsoon: Novel approach allows early forecasting Posted: 20 Apr 2016 08:11 AM PDT The Indian monsoon's yearly onset and withdrawal can now be forecasted significantly earlier than previously possible. A team of scientists developed a novel prediction method based on a network analysis of regional weather data. Future climate change will likely affect monsoon stability and hence makes accurate forecasting even more relevant.

Inflammatory protein involved in autoimmune diseases has healing potential Posted: 20 Apr 2016 07:43 AM PDT TNF-alpha, a proinflammatory molecule and protein produced by the body's cells during infection, also promotes the immune system regulatory responses by first inducing immune surveillance cells. This is a finding that could lead to more targeted drug therapies for treating several autoimmune diseases, say researchers.

Polar bears are swimming more as sea ice retreats, study indicates Posted: 20 Apr 2016 07:43 AM PDT A study undertaken by scientists to understand swimming behavior in polar bears is showing an increase in this behavior related to changes in the amount and location of summer sea ice. The pattern of long-distance swimming by polar bears in the Beaufort Sea shows the fingerprint of climate change. Swims are occurring more often, in association with sea ice melting faster and moving farther from shore in the summer.

One antidepressant shown to control weight during 2-year study Posted: 20 Apr 2016 07:43 AM PDT Bupropion (marketed as Wellbutrin) is the only antidepressant that tends to be linked to long-term modest weight loss, new research indicates. Previously, researchers linked depression to obesity--and most antidepressant medications to weight gain. The new study suggests that bupropion is the best initial choice of antidepressant for the vast majority of Americans who have depression and are overweight or obese.

New class of small molecule drug, SI-2, has potential for improving cancer treatment Posted: 20 Apr 2016 07:43 AM PDT Cancer cells communicate with their environment through cell molecules that pass on signals to the inside of the cell. SI-2 is a potent small-molecule inhibitor to drug the undruggable steroid receptor coactivator-3.

Transfer of gut bacteria affects brain function, nerve fiber insulation Posted: 20 Apr 2016 07:42 AM PDT Specific combinations of gut bacteria produce substances that affect myelin content and cause social avoidance behaviors in mice, report scientists.

Stomach cancer diagnostics: New insights on stage of tumor growth Posted: 20 Apr 2016 07:42 AM PDT Correlations have been found between the superoxide and nitric oxide generation rates, levels of active forms of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in tumor and adjoining tissues between each other and with the disease stages for gastric cancer patients.

Brain study on memory delay explains visuomotor mistakes Posted: 20 Apr 2016 07:42 AM PDT When doing a visual task, neural activity in the frontal cortex initially reflects the visual goal accurately but errors accumulate during a memory delay, and further escalate during the final memory-to-motor transformation, new research indicates. In an Olympics tennis analogy, when a high degree of accuracy is required, a one-second delay in frontal cortex processing could make the difference between an Olympic gold and silver, according to the researchers.

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