ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Small planets hiding in giant cloaks
• Novel portable diagnostic tool pairs optical and gamma imaging
• CT-based calculations improve accuracy of PET for cancer patients
• Childhood abuse, parental death and divorce are linked to adult insomnia symptoms
• Alcohol dependent individuals show greater risk of suicide in evening hours
• Life's first handshake: Chiral molecule detected in interstellar space
• Researcher helps break ground on forecasting earthquakes
• Young African-American adults are less susceptible to delirium in ICU than Caucasians
• NFL, NBA, and NHL teams have a disadvantage when traveling west
• Possible missing link between sleep and improved memory
• Zika's potential threat to world blood supply deserves study and action
• Sleepiness and fatigue linked to brain atrophy in cognitively normal elderly
• These maps reveal where rats, monkeys, and other mammals may pass diseases on to humans
• How insights into human learning can foster smarter artificial intelligence
• Pituitary tissue grown from human stem cells releases hormones in rats
• Bone hormone boosts muscle performance during exercise but declines with age
• Fighting virtual reality sickness
• Regenerating memory with neural stem cells
• What do my cravings say about my health?
• Engineers develop a new biosensor chip for detecting DNA mutations
• Sunflower pollen protects bees from parasites
• 'Traffic-light' and numeric calorie labels cut calorie consumption by 10 percent
• Garlic mustard populations likely to decline
• New study explains how very aggressive cancer cells use energy to divide, move
• Spintronics: Resetting the future of heat assisted magnetic recording
• Origin of a myth: The second trauma cure for amnesia
• Blood pressure medications reduce stroke, heart attack in peritoneal dialysis patients
• Study compares effectiveness of weight-loss drugs
• Migraine as a risk marker for stroke, heart attack
• Huge ancient river basin explains location of the world's fastest flowing glacier
• As Olympics near, study finds low levels of physical activity in Brazil
• Antibiotics against severe salmonella infections in Africa increasingly ineffective
• Cats seem to grasp the laws of physics
• Nighttime sleep-aid helps people experiencing occasional sleeplessness, study suggests
• Study enables first-time analysis of earliest stage of HIV infection
• Oxytocin in the recognition of emotions
• Virus uses 'stolen' CRISPR to hack its host's immune system
• Microbes in pressed grapes may predict flavor metabolites in the finished wine
• Study asks, how much impact do genes have on behavior?
• Improving math in sixth graders
• Fascinating orbits: Celestial bodies surprisingly erratic
• Pythons and boas shed new light on reptile evolution
• Electronic bacteria sensor is potential future tool for medicine and food safety
• Overcome strength-training plateau with accentuated eccentric loading
• Chill coffee beans for a more flavorsome brew, say scientists
• Drum beats from a one atom thick graphite membrane
• How environmental pollutant dioxin alters brain development in mice
• How to diagnose systemic infections much more quickly, reliably
• Global ethane concentrations rising again, says study
• Empathy for others' pain rooted in cognition rather than sensation
• How citizen journalism can lead to cyber bullying
• Palaeontologist discovers new species of 200 million-year-old 'British' marine reptile
• Sleep hormone helps breast cancer drug kill more cancer cells
• Policing: Two officers 'on the beat' prevent 86 assaults and save thousands in prison costs
• Heart drug could reduce diabetes related blindness, researchers discover
• Wine used in ritual ceremonies 5000 years ago in Georgia, the cradle of viticulture
• Sustainability criteria for transport biofuels need improvements
• In the fight to control glucose levels, this control algorithm comes out on top
• PET points to tau protein as leading culprit in Alzheimer's
• Middle-aged more likely to be diagnosed with advanced lung cancer

Small planets hiding in giant cloaks Posted: 14 Jun 2016 06:45 PM PDT Hazes and clouds high up in the atmospheres of exoplanets may make them appear bigger than they really are, according to new research.

Novel portable diagnostic tool pairs optical and gamma imaging Posted: 14 Jun 2016 06:44 PM PDT Bigger isn't always better, especially when it comes to a new and surprisingly portable molecular imaging system that combines optical imaging at the surface level and scintigraphy, which captures the physiological function of what lies beneath.

CT-based calculations improve accuracy of PET for cancer patients Posted: 14 Jun 2016 06:44 PM PDT Cancer patients often experience significant fluctuations in weight and lean body mass (LBM). Neglecting to account for these changes can prevent clinicians from obtaining precise data from molecular imaging, but a new method of measuring LBM takes changes in individual body composition into account for better staging of disease and therapy monitoring.

Childhood abuse, parental death and divorce are linked to adult insomnia symptoms Posted: 14 Jun 2016 12:59 PM PDT Child abuse, parental divorce and parental death, where shown to be associated with higher rates of adult insomnia. Mild insomnia was uniquely predicted by childhood abuse and divorce, and moderate-severe insomnia was uniquely predicated by childhood abuse and parental death.

Alcohol dependent individuals show greater risk of suicide in evening hours Posted: 14 Jun 2016 11:21 AM PDT A new study found that there is a circadian pattern of peak and nadir in the incidence of suicides committed in alcohol dependent individuals.

Life's first handshake: Chiral molecule detected in interstellar space Posted: 14 Jun 2016 11:21 AM PDT A team of scientists using highly sensitive radio telescopes has discovered the first complex organic chiral molecule in interstellar space. The molecule, propylene oxide (CH3CHOCH2), was found near the center of our Galaxy in an enormous star-forming cloud of dust and gas known as Sagittarius B2.

Researcher helps break ground on forecasting earthquakes Posted: 14 Jun 2016 10:36 AM PDT Researchers are breaking ground on the complexity of earthquakes and the possibility to forecast them.

Young African-American adults are less susceptible to delirium in ICU than Caucasians Posted: 14 Jun 2016 10:36 AM PDT African-American ICU patients age 18 to 50 are less susceptible to delirium than similarly aged Caucasians or than either African-American or Caucasian ICU patients age 50 or older, the first study to evaluate the relationship between race and intensive care unit delirium has found.

NFL, NBA, and NHL teams have a disadvantage when traveling west Posted: 14 Jun 2016 10:36 AM PDT A new study found that the NFL, NBA and NHL teams traveling from west to east had a higher winning percentage compared to teams traveling in the opposite direction.

Possible missing link between sleep and improved memory Posted: 14 Jun 2016 10:36 AM PDT A team of sleep researchers has found that the autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for control of bodily functions not consciously directed (such as breathing, heartbeat, and digestive processes) plays a role in promoting memory consolidation -- the process of converting information from short-term to long-term memory -- during sleep.

Zika's potential threat to world blood supply deserves study and action Posted: 14 Jun 2016 10:36 AM PDT Blood safety researchers say it is highly likely that the mosquito-borne Zika virus can be transmitted through blood transfusions and are calling for an evidence-based approach to protecting the blood supply from the threat of Zika virus according to experts. The researchers say among several possible steps that could be taken to mitigate safety concerns: deferring blood donors who have symptoms of the infection, developing better blood screening tests, and finding ways to reduce the pathogen.

Sleepiness and fatigue linked to brain atrophy in cognitively normal elderly Posted: 14 Jun 2016 10:36 AM PDT A new study found that normal older adults who experience excessive sleepiness during the day or significant fatigue may have more brain atrophy than expected for their age, particularly in areas of the brain that are more susceptible to aging and Alzheimer's disease.

These maps reveal where rats, monkeys, and other mammals may pass diseases on to humans Posted: 14 Jun 2016 10:36 AM PDT The majority of infectious diseases currently emerging as human epidemics originated in mammals. Yet we still know very little about the global patterns of mammal-to-human pathogen transmission. As a first step, researchers have assembled summative world maps of what's on record about mammal-to-human diseases.

How insights into human learning can foster smarter artificial intelligence Posted: 14 Jun 2016 10:36 AM PDT Recent breakthroughs in creating artificial systems that outplay humans in a diverse array of challenging games have their roots in neural networks inspired by information processing in the brain. Scientists are working to explain in depth how humans and other animals learn.

Pituitary tissue grown from human stem cells releases hormones in rats Posted: 14 Jun 2016 10:36 AM PDT Researchers have successfully used human stem cells to generate functional pituitary tissue that secretes hormones important for the body's stress response as well as for its growth and reproductive functions. When transplanted into rats with hypopituitarism -- a disease linked to dwarfism and premature aging in humans -- the lab-grown pituitary cells promoted normal hormone release.

Bone hormone boosts muscle performance during exercise but declines with age Posted: 14 Jun 2016 10:36 AM PDT When we exercise, our bones produce a hormone called osteocalcin that increases muscle performance, according to a new study. Osteocalcin naturally declines in humans as we age, beginning in women at age 30 and in men at age 50. This study describes the first bone-derived hormone known to affect exercise capacity and shows that osteocalcin injections can reverse the age-related exercise capacity decline in mice.

Fighting virtual reality sickness Posted: 14 Jun 2016 09:19 AM PDT Engineers have developed a way to combat virtual reality sickness that can be applied to consumer head-worn VR displays, such as the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Sony PlayStation VR, and Google Cardboard. Their approach dynamically, yet subtly, changes the user's field of view (FOV) in response to visually perceived motion, as the user virtually traverses an environment while remaining physically stationary, and significantly reduces VR sickness.

Regenerating memory with neural stem cells Posted: 14 Jun 2016 09:19 AM PDT Although brains -- even adult brains -- are far more malleable than we used to think, they are eventually subject to age-related illnesses, like dementia, and loss of cognitive function. Someday, though, we may actually be able to replace brain cells and restore memory.

What do my cravings say about my health? Posted: 14 Jun 2016 09:18 AM PDT After a stressful day, it's almost second nature to laze on the couch and drown our sorrows in a bowl of ice-cream or potato chips. Soon, we glance down and realize we've managed to consume the entire pint or bag. So, what makes these foods so irresistible -- causing us to mindlessly indulge?

Engineers develop a new biosensor chip for detecting DNA mutations Posted: 14 Jun 2016 09:15 AM PDT An electrical graphene chip capable of detecting mutations in DNA has been developed by engineers. The researchers say the technology could one day be used in various medical applications such as blood-based tests for early cancer screening, monitoring disease biomarkers and real-time detection of viral and microbial sequences.

Sunflower pollen protects bees from parasites Posted: 14 Jun 2016 09:15 AM PDT Solitary mason bees specializing on sunflower pollen were not attacked by a common brood-parasitic wasp, which lays eggs in the nests, where its larvae kill bee eggs and eat their pollen provisions.

'Traffic-light' and numeric calorie labels cut calorie consumption by 10 percent Posted: 14 Jun 2016 09:15 AM PDT When researchers added color-coded or numeric calorie labels to online food ordering systems, the total calories ordered was reduced by about 10 percent when compared to menus featuring no calorie information at all. The study is the first to evaluate the effect of 'traffic-light' calorie labeling in the increasingly common setting of ordering meals online.

Garlic mustard populations likely to decline Posted: 14 Jun 2016 09:15 AM PDT Garlic mustard, an invasive plant affecting forested areas in the Midwestern and Eastern United States, secretes a chemical called sinigrin into soil to deter the growth of other plants and decrease competition. Researchers have found that sinigrin concentrations decrease as garlic mustard populations age, demonstrating evolutionary change due to ecological processes. They predict that garlic mustard will decline and reach a balance with native species that re-colonize invaded areas.

New study explains how very aggressive cancer cells use energy to divide, move Posted: 14 Jun 2016 09:15 AM PDT A new study explains how cancer cells use energy to fuel this switch between motion and proliferation. The researchers identified for the first time a connection between a cancer gene that controls motility and how cancer cells metabolize energy to move and divide so quickly.

Spintronics: Resetting the future of heat assisted magnetic recording Posted: 14 Jun 2016 09:13 AM PDT Scientists have examined thin films of Dysprosium-Cobalt sputtered onto a nanostructured membrane at BESSY II. They showed that new patterns of magnetization could be written in a quick and easy manner after warming the sample to only 80 degrees Celsius, which is a much lower temperature as compared to conventional Heat Assisted Magnetic Recording systems.

Origin of a myth: The second trauma cure for amnesia Posted: 14 Jun 2016 09:13 AM PDT A professor explains how scientists' limited and faulty understanding of the brain hundreds of years ago gave birth to the erroneous idea that amnesia induced by a blow to the head can be cured by a second 'conk.'

Blood pressure medications reduce stroke, heart attack in peritoneal dialysis patients Posted: 14 Jun 2016 09:13 AM PDT Two classes of blood pressure medications are associated with a 16 percent lower risk of cardiovascular events in patients who are undergoing peritoneal dialysis.

Study compares effectiveness of weight-loss drugs Posted: 14 Jun 2016 09:12 AM PDT In an analysis that included nearly 30,000 overweight or obese adults, compared with placebo, orlistat, lorcaserin, naltrexone-bupropion, phentermine-topiramate, and liraglutide were each associated with achieving at least 5 percent weight loss at 52 weeks, and phentermine-topiramate and liraglutide were associated with the highest odds of achieving at least 5 percent weight loss, according to a study.

Migraine as a risk marker for stroke, heart attack Posted: 14 Jun 2016 08:44 AM PDT A team of researchers has now been able to establish the following: female migraine patients have a higher risk of stroke or heart attacks than women without migraine. Their findings are based on an analysis of data collected as part of the US-based Nurses' Health Study II.

Huge ancient river basin explains location of the world's fastest flowing glacier Posted: 14 Jun 2016 08:44 AM PDT An ancient basin hidden beneath the Greenland ice sheet may help explain the location, size and velocity of Greenland's fastest flowing outlet glacier. The research also provides an insight into what past river drainage looked like in Greenland, and what it could look like in the future as the ice sheet retreats.

As Olympics near, study finds low levels of physical activity in Brazil Posted: 14 Jun 2016 08:44 AM PDT Physical activity provides Brazilians with significant cardio-metabolic health benefits, but reports that fewer than three in 10 participants are active, a large study confirms.

Antibiotics against severe salmonella infections in Africa increasingly ineffective Posted: 14 Jun 2016 08:44 AM PDT Salmonella infections in the bloodstream, caused by Salmonella enterica bacteria, are still the cause of many deaths in southern regions and Southeast Asia. Children between the age of two and five years are particularly affected. Treating these infections could become a growing problem owing to increasing antibiotic resistance. Scientists have now confirmed that even the newer generations of antibiotics are becoming less and less effective.

Cats seem to grasp the laws of physics Posted: 14 Jun 2016 08:44 AM PDT Cats understand the principle of cause and effect as well as some elements of physics. Combining these abilities with their keen sense of hearing, they can predict where possible prey hides.

Nighttime sleep-aid helps people experiencing occasional sleeplessness, study suggests Posted: 14 Jun 2016 08:40 AM PDT New research shows that an over-the-counter sleep aid helps people suffering from occasional sleep difficulties fall asleep in less than 20 minutes, on average, and improves their reported quality of sleep. The first-of-its-kind study characterizes the sleep benefits of diphenhydramine HCI (DPH), marketed for decades as a sleep-aid.

Study enables first-time analysis of earliest stage of HIV infection Posted: 14 Jun 2016 08:40 AM PDT The first days after HIV infection are very important because sexual partners are exposed to extremely high risks of infection due to the subsequent high viral load in the infected person. Additionally, this period of time determines the further course of HIV infection. Scientists in Tanzania participated in a prospective, multinational study which investigated virological and immunological changes due to HIV.

Oxytocin in the recognition of emotions Posted: 14 Jun 2016 08:40 AM PDT Studies have demonstrated that oxytocin plays a role in facilitating the perception of emotions in other people's facial expressions. An international study has tested the idea that this phenomenon is related to facial mimicry. The study confirms this facilitating effect, which proves to be more pronounced for expressions conveying negative emotions (anger, distress), especially when seen on the face of a child.

Virus uses 'stolen' CRISPR to hack its host's immune system Posted: 14 Jun 2016 08:40 AM PDT Microbiologists have discovered that the Cyanophage N1 virus carries a DNA sequence -- a CRISPR -- that is generally used by bacteria to fight off viral infection. The virus appears to use the stolen bits of immune system DNA to highjack their hosts' immune response.

Microbes in pressed grapes may predict flavor metabolites in the finished wine Posted: 14 Jun 2016 08:40 AM PDT The microbial mix found in grape juice during the winemaking process may help shape the terroir of a finished wine, report food scientists. Researchers have found that the microorganisms found in must -- freshly pressed grape juice, before fermentation -- can be used as biomarkers to predict which metabolites will be found in the finished wine. Metabolites are chemical compounds that help shape the flavor and texture of a wine.

Study asks, how much impact do genes have on behavior? Posted: 14 Jun 2016 07:52 AM PDT How much impact do genes have on behavioral changes? One researcher wants to better understand the genetic underpinnings of ecologically relevant behaviors.

Improving math in sixth graders Posted: 14 Jun 2016 07:04 AM PDT Sixth grade students with lower mathematical ability perform better on complex arithmetic problems if they write down their calculations.

Fascinating orbits: Celestial bodies surprisingly erratic Posted: 14 Jun 2016 07:04 AM PDT Astronomers are researching the way in which celestial bodies orbit each other, now and in the future. This often turns out to be more erratic than you might think.

Pythons and boas shed new light on reptile evolution Posted: 14 Jun 2016 07:03 AM PDT A new study into pythons and boas has for the first time found the two groups of snakes evolved independently to share similar traits, shedding new light on how the reptiles evolved.

Electronic bacteria sensor is potential future tool for medicine and food safety Posted: 14 Jun 2016 07:03 AM PDT A new type of electronic sensor that might be used to quickly detect and classify bacteria for medical diagnostics and food safety has passed a key hurdle by distinguishing between dead and living bacteria cells.

Overcome strength-training plateau with accentuated eccentric loading Posted: 14 Jun 2016 07:03 AM PDT Many experienced strength trainers try to overcome a plateau by trying to adapt their strength program, however this is sometimes ineffective. In just five weeks accentuated eccentric loading training considerably improved results for experienced strength-trainers, a study recently found.

Chill coffee beans for a more flavorsome brew, say scientists Posted: 14 Jun 2016 07:02 AM PDT Scientists say brewing more flavorsome coffee could be as simple as chilling the beans before grinding. Chilling roasted beans before grinding resulted in narrower distribution of small particles, which during the brewing process allows access to more flavor from the same amount of coffee.

Drum beats from a one atom thick graphite membrane Posted: 14 Jun 2016 07:02 AM PDT Researchers demonstrate the ability to electrically manipulate the vibrations of a drum, of nanometer scale thickness, a million times smaller than that of human hair. These drums vibrate a whopping 100 million times a second -- which cannot be heard by the ear but can be sensed using small circuits. This can be used to make new kinds of mass sensors. Also, new aspects of fundamental physics could be probed in the future.

How environmental pollutant dioxin alters brain development in mice Posted: 14 Jun 2016 07:02 AM PDT Researchers have unveiled key processes involved in the toxicity of dioxin, an environmental pollutant that has been linked to impaired brain development. In the body, dioxin forms a complex with the protein AhR, which leads to disruption of normal brain development. Further studies on the topic will deepen understanding of the mechanism of environmental-pollutant-related toxicity.

How to diagnose systemic infections much more quickly, reliably Posted: 14 Jun 2016 07:02 AM PDT A rapid and specific diagnostic assay has been developed to detect infectious pathogenic material that could help physicians decide within an hour whether a patient has a systemic infection and should be hospitalized for aggressive intervention therapy.

Global ethane concentrations rising again, says study Posted: 14 Jun 2016 07:02 AM PDT Global emissions of ethane, an air pollutant and greenhouse gas, are on the uptick again, according to a new study. The air samples for the study were collected from more than 40 sites around the world, from Colorado and Greenland to Germany, Switzerland, New Zealand and Earth's polar regions.

Empathy for others' pain rooted in cognition rather than sensation Posted: 14 Jun 2016 07:02 AM PDT The ability to understand and empathize with others' pain is grounded in cognitive neural processes rather than sensory ones, according to the results of a new study.

How citizen journalism can lead to cyber bullying Posted: 14 Jun 2016 05:42 AM PDT Citizen journalism is often seen as more democratic form of journalism, where the public contributes to the reporting, analysis and dissemination of news. A sociologist and criminologist has studied the phenomenon and shown some of its downsides, including how it sometimes leads to outright cyber bullying.

Palaeontologist discovers new species of 200 million-year-old 'British' marine reptile Posted: 14 Jun 2016 05:42 AM PDT A new type of ichthyosaur, an extinct marine reptile alive at the same time as the dinosaurs, has been identified by a palaeontologist from a fossil found in an old quarry in Nottinghamshire.

Sleep hormone helps breast cancer drug kill more cancer cells Posted: 14 Jun 2016 05:42 AM PDT Tiny bubbles filled with the sleep hormone melatonin can make breast cancer treatment more effective, which means people need a lower dose, giving them less severe side effects. In a new study, researchers show that the bubbles, called nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs), made tamoxifen stronger and help it kill cancer cells.

Policing: Two officers 'on the beat' prevent 86 assaults and save thousands in prison costs Posted: 14 Jun 2016 05:38 AM PDT The results of a major criminology experiment in the United Kingdom suggest that investing in proactive Police Community Support Officers foot patrols targeting crime 'hot spots' could yield a more than five-to-one return.

Heart drug could reduce diabetes related blindness, researchers discover Posted: 14 Jun 2016 05:38 AM PDT A drug, originally developed to treat cardiovascular disease, has the potential to reduce diabetes related blindness, researchers have discovered. According to recent WHO global estimates, 422 million people have diabetes, and one of the most common complications of this disease is vision loss.

Wine used in ritual ceremonies 5000 years ago in Georgia, the cradle of viticulture Posted: 14 Jun 2016 05:38 AM PDT A Georgian-Italian archaeological expedition has discovered vine pollen in a zoomorphic vessel used in ritual ceremonies by the Kura-Araxes population.

Sustainability criteria for transport biofuels need improvements Posted: 14 Jun 2016 05:38 AM PDT In its Renewable Energy Directive, the European Union has set a 10% goal for the use of renewable energy in transport by 2020. Only biofuels meeting certain sustainability criteria are included in the renewable energy goals and are allowed to take advantage of national support systems. In her doctoral dissertation, a scientist proposes several areas of development for the greenhouse gas assessment method of the criteria.

In the fight to control glucose levels, this control algorithm comes out on top Posted: 14 Jun 2016 05:38 AM PDT The so-called artificial pancreas — an automated insulin delivery system for people with type 1 diabetes mellitus — uses an advanced control algorithm to regulate how much insulin a pump should deliver and when. Regulating glucose is challenging because levels respond to a wide-array of variables, including food, physical activity, sleep, stress, hormones, metabolism and more.

PET points to tau protein as leading culprit in Alzheimer's Posted: 14 Jun 2016 05:34 AM PDT Alzheimer's is a devastating and incurable disease marked by beta-amyloid and tau protein aggregations in the brain, yet the direct relationship between these proteins and neurodegeneration has remained a mystery. New molecular imaging research is revealing how tau, rather than amyloid-deposition, may be more directly instigating neuronal dysfunction.

Middle-aged more likely to be diagnosed with advanced lung cancer Posted: 14 Jun 2016 05:33 AM PDT Younger patients aged 50 to 64 are more likely to be diagnosed with late stage lung cancer than older patients according to new data.

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