ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Does obesity lead to more nursing home admission, lower quality of care?
• 'On-the-fly' 3-D print system prints what you design, as you design it
• Ancient anti-inflammatory drug salicylic acid has cancer-fighting properties
• The unintended consequences of a hospital's attempt to improve
• Female heart patients less likely to get blood thinning therapy
• Like to get more bang for your sustainability-boosting buck? Here's how
• Physicist conducts experiments indicating efficiency of fusion start-up technique
• Measuring the Milky Way: One massive problem, one new solution
• Nature conserves its most vital DNA by multitasking, researchers show
• High blood pressure linked to short-, long-term exposure to some air pollutants
• 'Baby talk' can help songbirds learn their tunes
• Large global range of prices for hepatitis C medicines raises concerns about affordability
• Financial relationships between biomedical companies and organizations
• Improving cell transplantation after spinal cord injury: When, where and how?
• Leaving the electrical grid in the Upper Peninsula
• Algorithm could help detect, reduce power grid faults
• Newly discovered gene regulates hyperglycemia-induced beta cell death in type 2 diabetes
• Mantis shrimp inspires next generation of ultra-strong materials
• Many patients continue using opioids months after joint replacement
• Risk of international spread of yellow fever re-assessed in light of the ongoing outbreaks
• Urine sample could be used to diagnose complex, serious pregnancy disorder
• Tiny probe could produce big improvements in batteries and fuel cells
• Professor's new study emphasizes the impact of leaders' language
• 'Super Mario Brothers' is harder than NP-hard
• Hydrothermal vents, methane seeps play enormous role in marine life, global climate
• Turning human waste into next generation biofuel
• Mapping the defects of a supermaterial
• Optical fiber monitoring key to waste oil recycling
• RNA simulations boost understanding of retroviral diseases
• ‘Weak’ Materials Offer Strong Possibilities for Electronics
• Study paves way for new therapies in fight against calcium disorders
• Brain's trigger for binge behavior
• Affordable Care Act is working in Texas, new evidence shows
• Camera captures explosives in fine detail
• New class of protein could treat cancer and other diseases, researchers find
• Fiddler crabs' 'Morse code' attracts Mrs. Right
• Whole-person perspective is needed to assess obesity, researchers suggest
• Calcium signals balance the body's response to infection against potential for self-attack
• Looking to beat the heat and save money?
• Female smokers more likely to kick the habit by 'timing' their quit date with their menstrual cycle, study shows
• Brain needs to 'clean itself up' so that it can 'sort itself out'
• When it comes to developing stem cell treatments, seeing is half the battle
• Europe sees constant increase in gonorrhea infections
• Statistics predict France and Germany as UEFA EURO favorites
• Antipsychotic prescribing trends in youths with autism and intellectual disability
• Stick insects produce bacterial enzymes themselves
• Mapping neural networks to strengthen circadian rhythms
• Studying life on the rocks
• Calculating the mechanics of a rough sphere
• US may be greatly undercounting pediatric concussions
• Hunting for the brain's opioid addiction switch
• Study investigates why blacks have higher risk of cognitive impairment
• Ecologists advise an increase in prescribed grassland burning to maintain ecosystem, livelihood
• First 3-D mathematical model of uterine contractions created
• Comparison of couples' therapy interventions for breast cancer patients shows different benefits depending on stress level
• Is endurance training bad for you?
• New blood test for the detection of Bovine TB
• Teenage brain on social media
• Ever-changing moods may be toxic to the brain of bipolar patients
• Child's play: Australia's newest roboticists see eye-to-eye with R2-D2

Does obesity lead to more nursing home admission, lower quality of care? Posted: 31 May 2016 03:25 PM PDT In a study, researchers examined the care that obese older adults receive when they are admitted to nursing homes. The researchers examined 164,256 records of obese people aged 65 or older who were admitted to nursing homes over a two-year period. They also examined the nursing homes' total number of deficiency citations and quality-of-care deficiencies to determine the quality of care that the homes provided.

'On-the-fly' 3-D print system prints what you design, as you design it Posted: 31 May 2016 03:25 PM PDT An interactive prototyping system has been developed that prints what you are designing as you design it; the designer can pause anywhere in the process to test, measure and, if necessary, make changes that will be added to the physical model still in the printer.

Ancient anti-inflammatory drug salicylic acid has cancer-fighting properties Posted: 31 May 2016 03:24 PM PDT Scientists have identified a new pathway by which salicylic acid -- a key compound in the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs aspirin and diflunisal -- stops inflammation and tumor growth in cancer. Both salicylic acid and diflunisal suppress two key proteins that help control gene expression throughout the body. By inhibiting these proteins, the two drugs block the activation of other proteins involved in inflammation and cell growth, including one linked to leukemia.

The unintended consequences of a hospital's attempt to improve Posted: 31 May 2016 03:24 PM PDT As hospitals try to maintain effective and efficient operations, physician call systems can be a critical element in maintaining quality medical care and financial stability. A decade-long study from a large teaching hospital in Toronto, Canada, shows that a change in staff scheduling resulted in 26 percent higher readmissions, an unintended and negative result.

Female heart patients less likely to get blood thinning therapy Posted: 31 May 2016 03:24 PM PDT Female atrial fibrillation patients are less likely than their male counterparts to receive blood thinning therapies to prevent stroke, say researchers.

Like to get more bang for your sustainability-boosting buck? Here's how Posted: 31 May 2016 03:24 PM PDT A new method for assessing and comparing the various costs and benefits of green products has been developed, making it possible for purchasers to get the most environmental bang for their sustainability-investment buck.

Physicist conducts experiments indicating efficiency of fusion start-up technique Posted: 31 May 2016 03:24 PM PDT A physicist has, for the first time, performed computer simulations indicating the efficiency of a start-up technique for doughnut-shaped fusion machines known as tokamaks. The simulations show that the technique, known as coaxial helicity injection, could also benefit tokamaks that use superconducting magnets.

Measuring the Milky Way: One massive problem, one new solution Posted: 31 May 2016 03:24 PM PDT It is a galactic challenge, to be sure, but Gwendolyn Eadie is getting closer to an accurate answer to a question that has defined her early career in astrophysics: what is the mass of the Milky Way?

Nature conserves its most vital DNA by multitasking, researchers show Posted: 31 May 2016 03:24 PM PDT Authors of a new report describe and define 'ultraconserved' as 50 base pairs long DNA elements found in all 12 Drosophila species they studied -- a comparison that is greater than the evolutionary distance between humans and reptiles. Most importantly, the authors show that UCEs are the 'multitaskers' of the genome, involved in numerous biological processes simultaneously, and this multi-layered function may be responsible for the extreme DNA sequence conservation observed.

High blood pressure linked to short-, long-term exposure to some air pollutants Posted: 31 May 2016 03:24 PM PDT High blood pressure was associated with short-term and long-term exposure to some air pollutants commonly associated with the burning/combustion of fossil fuels, dust and dirt, a new study shows. Researchers suggest people -- especially those with high blood pressure -- limit their time outdoors when pollution levels are high.

'Baby talk' can help songbirds learn their tunes Posted: 31 May 2016 01:52 PM PDT Adult songbirds modify their vocalizations when singing to juveniles in the same way that humans alter their speech when talking to babies. The resulting brain activity in young birds could shed light on speech learning and certain developmental disorders in humans, according to a study.

Large global range of prices for hepatitis C medicines raises concerns about affordability Posted: 31 May 2016 01:52 PM PDT The prices and affordability of recently developed and highly effective direct-acting antivirals for treating hepatitis C vary greatly among countries worldwide, according to a new study.

Financial relationships between biomedical companies and organizations Posted: 31 May 2016 01:52 PM PDT Sixty-three percent of organizations that published clinical practice guidelines on the National Guideline Clearinghouse website in 2012 reported receiving funds from biomedical companies, but these relationships were seldom disclosed in the guidelines, according to a new study.

Improving cell transplantation after spinal cord injury: When, where and how? Posted: 31 May 2016 01:52 PM PDT Spinal cord injuries are mostly caused by trauma, often incurred in road traffic or sporting incidents, often with devastating and irreversible consequences. According to a systematic analysis of 49 animal studies researchers found that after experimental spinal cord injury, transplanting olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) into the site of damage significantly improves locomotor performance.

Leaving the electrical grid in the Upper Peninsula Posted: 31 May 2016 11:34 AM PDT While Michigan's Upper Peninsula is not the sunniest place in the world, solar energy is viable in the region. With new technologies, some people might be inclined to leave the electrical grid. A team of researchers looked into the economic viability of grid defection in the Upper Peninsula.

Algorithm could help detect, reduce power grid faults Posted: 31 May 2016 11:34 AM PDT The power grid is aging, overburdened and seeing more faults than ever, according to many experts. Any of those breaks could easily lead to prolonged power outages or even equipment damage. Now researchers have demonstrated that the Singular Spectrum Analysis (SSA) algorithm may be the best tool to help authorities remotely detect and locate power grid faults.

Newly discovered gene regulates hyperglycemia-induced beta cell death in type 2 diabetes Posted: 31 May 2016 11:33 AM PDT Elevated levels of blood glucose (hyperglycemia) can induce the death of the pancreatic beta cells over time. The death of these cells (responsible for the production of insulin) underlies much of the pathology of diabetes. Exactly how and why they die is not fully understood, but a new research report sheds light on the answer and a new therapeutic target.

Mantis shrimp inspires next generation of ultra-strong materials Posted: 31 May 2016 11:33 AM PDT Researchers are one step closer to developing super strong composite materials, thanks to the mantis shrimp, a small, multicolored marine crustacean that crushes the shells of its prey using a fist-like appendage called a dactyl club. Their latest research describes for the first time a unique herringbone structure, not previously reported in nature, within the appendage's outer layer.

Many patients continue using opioids months after joint replacement Posted: 31 May 2016 11:33 AM PDT Many patients undergoing hip or knee replacement are still taking prescription opioid pain medications up to six months after surgery, reports a new study.

Risk of international spread of yellow fever re-assessed in light of the ongoing outbreaks Posted: 31 May 2016 11:33 AM PDT The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has updated its rapid risk assessment on the outbreak of yellow fever with the latest developments, more comprehensive information on the current situation in Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda and an extended threat assessment for the EU. Some of the data used in the assessment were collected during a mission to Angola in May 2016.

Urine sample could be used to diagnose complex, serious pregnancy disorder Posted: 31 May 2016 11:32 AM PDT Scientists have developed a non-invasive method to diagnose preeclampsia -- a complex condition which occurs during pregnancy.

Tiny probe could produce big improvements in batteries and fuel cells Posted: 31 May 2016 11:32 AM PDT The key to needed improvements in the quest for better batteries and fuels cells likely lies in the nanoscale, a realm so tiny that the movement of a few atoms or molecules can shift the landscape. A team researchers has built a new window into this world to help scientists better understand how batteries really work.

Professor's new study emphasizes the impact of leaders' language Posted: 31 May 2016 11:32 AM PDT The language of leaders has a profound effect on the performance of their employees, new research shows. The research shows that how a company presents its vision and values is deeply entwined with its overall success.

'Super Mario Brothers' is harder than NP-hard Posted: 31 May 2016 11:32 AM PDT Completing a game of 'Super Mario Brothers' can be hard -- very, very hard. That's the conclusion of a new paper that shows that the problem of solving a level in 'Super Mario Brothers' is as hard as the hardest problems in the 'complexity class' PSPACE.

Hydrothermal vents, methane seeps play enormous role in marine life, global climate Posted: 31 May 2016 11:32 AM PDT The hydrothermal vents and methane seeps on the ocean floor that were once thought to be geologic and biological oddities are now emerging as a major force in ocean ecosystems, marine life and global climate. And through their methane consumption, the life forms living at these vents are helping to prevent potentially catastrophic greenhouse problems.

Turning human waste into next generation biofuel Posted: 31 May 2016 10:11 AM PDT Researchers have found a new way to convert human waste into renewable energy sources.

Mapping the defects of a supermaterial Posted: 31 May 2016 10:11 AM PDT Scientists have developed a technique that allows them to visualize defects on the surface of graphene. The technique may ultimately help scientists develop a better understanding of graphene's properties in order to find novel applications for this supermaterial.

Optical fiber monitoring key to waste oil recycling Posted: 31 May 2016 10:11 AM PDT Scientists are harnessing advanced fiber-sensor technologies to increase productivity and process safety in the waste oil recycling process.

RNA simulations boost understanding of retroviral diseases Posted: 31 May 2016 10:09 AM PDT New molecular dynamics research into how RNA folds into hairpin-shaped structures called tetraloops could provide important insights into new treatments for retroviral diseases.

‘Weak’ Materials Offer Strong Possibilities for Electronics Posted: 31 May 2016 10:09 AM PDT New fundamental research by physicists may accelerate the drive toward more advanced electronics and more powerful computers. The scientists are investigating materials called topological insulators, whose surface electrical properties are essentially the opposite of the properties inside.

Study paves way for new therapies in fight against calcium disorders Posted: 31 May 2016 10:08 AM PDT New insights have been gained into the molecular basis of human diseases resulting from mutations in the calcium-sensing receptor, a protein found in cell membranes.

Brain's trigger for binge behavior Posted: 31 May 2016 10:08 AM PDT Rats that responded to cues for sugar with the speed and excitement of binge-eaters were less motivated for the treat when certain neurons were suppressed, researchers discovered.

Affordable Care Act is working in Texas, new evidence shows Posted: 31 May 2016 10:08 AM PDT The percentage of Texans without health insurance has dropped by 30 percent since the Affordable Care Act went into effect, cutting the state's uninsured rate below 1999 levels, a new report shows.

Camera captures explosives in fine detail Posted: 31 May 2016 10:07 AM PDT While it's possible to study explosives, sans explosives, new techniques involving high-speed, high-fidelity imaging with optical filtering and signal processing techniques have recently made setting off explosives and capturing the data in real-time a reasonable alternative to developing a new simulation. Improved optical techniques allow researchers to image explosions in high resolution at 20,000-40,000 frames per second resolutions and costs approaching computer simulations.

New class of protein could treat cancer and other diseases, researchers find Posted: 31 May 2016 10:06 AM PDT A protein can effectively target a cell surface receptor linked to a number of diseases, showing potential as a therapeutic treatment for an array of illnesses, including cancer, according to the research team.

Fiddler crabs' 'Morse code' attracts Mrs. Right Posted: 31 May 2016 10:05 AM PDT The vibrations and pulses that male fiddler crabs produce when they are trying to lure females into their burrows to mate are surprisingly informative. These signals serve as a type of 'Morse code' that the females decipher to learn more about the size and stamina of their suitors.

Whole-person perspective is needed to assess obesity, researchers suggest Posted: 31 May 2016 10:05 AM PDT Authors of a new report recommend that physicians use obesity staging models to recognize and manage weight-related health issues that may not be captured by traditional diagnosis criteria.

Calcium signals balance the body's response to infection against potential for self-attack Posted: 31 May 2016 10:05 AM PDT A key cellular signal provides a vital balance between the body's ability to destroy invading microbes and its need to prevent autoimmune disease, report scientists.

Looking to beat the heat and save money? Posted: 31 May 2016 08:34 AM PDT A new study confirms that, contrary to the belief that cool roofs won't work in colder climates, they actually provide net energy — and monetary — savings.

Female smokers more likely to kick the habit by 'timing' their quit date with their menstrual cycle, study shows Posted: 31 May 2016 08:33 AM PDT Women who want to quit smoking may have better success by carefully timing their quit date with optimal days within their menstrual cycle, according to a new study.

Brain needs to 'clean itself up' so that it can 'sort itself out' Posted: 31 May 2016 08:32 AM PDT A new piece of research has revealed how the brain's cleaning up mechanisms function in neurodegenerative diseases. This discovery opens up a new channel for exploring therapies that could palliate the effects of brain diseases.

When it comes to developing stem cell treatments, seeing is half the battle Posted: 31 May 2016 08:28 AM PDT A new MRI contrast agent may help in developing stem cell treatments. While still early in development, stem and therapeutic cells may one day offer effective treatments against diseases, particularly cancer. But one major hurdle in developing these treatments is an inability to effectively monitor them once inside the body.

Europe sees constant increase in gonorrhea infections Posted: 31 May 2016 08:28 AM PDT Since 2008, the overall rate of reported gonorrhea infections has more than doubled across Europe, going up from 8 per 100,000 population to 20 cases per 100,000 persons in 2014.

Statistics predict France and Germany as UEFA EURO favorites Posted: 31 May 2016 08:27 AM PDT When Europe's best national football teams kick off the UEFA EURO 2016 on June 10th, host France and World Cup Champion Germany will, mathematically speaking, also be the odds-on favorites as statisticians show. By applying their statistical model based on bookmakers' odds, the researchers previously correctly predicted the 2008 EURO final and Spain as the 2010 FIFA World Cup Champion and the 2012 EURO Champion.

Antipsychotic prescribing trends in youths with autism and intellectual disability Posted: 31 May 2016 08:27 AM PDT About one in 10 youths treated with an antipsychotic are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder or intellectual disability. Conversely, one in six youths diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder has been prescribed antipsychotics. Furthermore, the results suggest that the proportion of adolescents with autism or intellectual disability has increased among youths treated with antipsychotics and that more youths with autism or intellectual disability have received antipsychotics.

Stick insects produce bacterial enzymes themselves Posted: 31 May 2016 08:27 AM PDT Many plant-feeding insects need microbial enzymes, such as pectinases, that degrade plant cell walls; yet some insects have overcome this dependency in a surprising way. Now researchers found that stick insects make microbial enzymes themselves. From an ancestral gut microbe, the genes for the essential enzymes simply 'jumped' as they are to their insect host.

Mapping neural networks to strengthen circadian rhythms Posted: 31 May 2016 08:27 AM PDT While the evidence behind this age-related weakening of the circadian rhythm has been established in medical literature, the mechanisms behind it, and the connectivity structure of the neurons, have remained elusive. To better understand these neuronal and hormonal mechanisms and help develop potential treatments, researchers have conducted experimental analyses of the SCN's connections, with the goal of determining its degree of heterogeneity.

Studying life on the rocks Posted: 31 May 2016 08:27 AM PDT Researchers have developed an apparatus to meet the growing need for measuring ice as it changes in response to external forces, a process ice scientists call 'deformational behaviors.'' These forces occur on Earth in glacial ice as it flows due to gravity, and in space as icy satellite bodies respond to tidal forces from their parent bodies.

Calculating the mechanics of a rough sphere Posted: 31 May 2016 08:27 AM PDT A transatlantic team of researchers explain the creation of a simulation model that can help scientists mathematically correct for any errors related to a sphere's roughness. Scientists have developed a simulation model to take the guesswork out of calculating the influence of roughness on mechanical properties of a sphere.

US may be greatly undercounting pediatric concussions Posted: 31 May 2016 08:27 AM PDT New research highlights a substantial gap in how the United States currently estimates the nation's burden of pediatric concussions. Most counts of these concussions are based solely on emergency department visits or on school data, and do not include data from primary care sites, where the vast majority of first concussion visits may occur.

Hunting for the brain's opioid addiction switch Posted: 31 May 2016 08:27 AM PDT New research is contributing to a better understanding of the ways opiate-class drugs modify brain circuits to drive the addiction cycle. The identification of these opiate-induced changes offers the best hope for developing more effective pharmacological targets and therapies to prevent or reverse the effect of opiate exposure and addiction.

Study investigates why blacks have higher risk of cognitive impairment Posted: 31 May 2016 07:48 AM PDT Social and economic disadvantages play a significant role in why blacks face a much higher risk than whites of developing cognitive impairment later in life, indicates an American sociologist.

Ecologists advise an increase in prescribed grassland burning to maintain ecosystem, livelihood Posted: 31 May 2016 07:48 AM PDT At least 50 percent of the tallgrass prairie in the Flint Hills is burned every three to four years or less frequently and is susceptible to becoming shrubland if fire frequencies are not increased, say experts.

First 3-D mathematical model of uterine contractions created Posted: 31 May 2016 07:48 AM PDT Although researchers have been seeking the origins of preterm birth for many years, the causes are still relatively unknown. By studying the electrical activity that causes contractions, researchers have developed a multiscale model they believe may aid in predicting preterm birth.

Comparison of couples' therapy interventions for breast cancer patients shows different benefits depending on stress level Posted: 31 May 2016 07:48 AM PDT Is a couples' support group or an enhanced couples' group therapy intervention with skill instruction more effective for helping women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer? Research shows each has its own benefits depending on the patient's stress level.

Is endurance training bad for you? Posted: 31 May 2016 07:45 AM PDT In 2012, Belgian scientists published a study that concluded that repeated bouts of intensive endurance exercise at the elite level may result in the pathological enlargement of the right ventricle, which, according to the article, is associated with potential health hazards including sudden cardiac death. The publication was the cause of considerable debate among experts in the medical and sports communities. Sports medicine physicians have now tested the conclusions of the 2012 study by examining the hearts of elite master endurance athletes. Their findings refute the hypothesis proposed by their Belgian colleagues.

New blood test for the detection of Bovine TB Posted: 31 May 2016 07:45 AM PDT A new blood test to detect Mycobacteria in blood has been developed by researchers. The scientists have used this new method to show that cattle diagnosed with bovine tuberculosis (bTB) have detectable levels of the bacterium Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) in their blood which causes this disease.

Teenage brain on social media Posted: 31 May 2016 07:44 AM PDT Teenagers' brains have been scanned while they used social media in a first-of-its-kind study. Among the new findings: The same brain circuits that are activated by eating chocolate and winning money are activated when teenagers see large numbers of 'Likes' on their own photos, and teenagers are definitely influenced by their online 'friends,' even if they barely know them.

Ever-changing moods may be toxic to the brain of bipolar patients Posted: 31 May 2016 07:44 AM PDT A new study shows that the blood of bipolar patients is toxic to brain cells and may affect the connectivity ability of neurons. The research group also presents an in vitro study model for a disease for which no animal model has been yet developed.

Child's play: Australia's newest roboticists see eye-to-eye with R2-D2 Posted: 31 May 2016 07:44 AM PDT Children from age 4 can become robot programmers rather than waiting for the higher years in schooling, says an education researcher.

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