ScienceDaily: Top News

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• New research important to atmospheric photochemistry
• Male general practitioners more likely to consider heart disease a 'man’s issue'
• Chemists find new way to recycle plastic waste into fuel
• 'Coral zombies' may spell doom for coral reefs around world
• New view of brain development: Striking differences between adult and newborn mouse brain
• Eliminating blood test may increase availability of donor hearts
• In doctors we trust, especially when they admit to bias
• Improving key diagnostic measures for gastrointestinal disorders
• Researchers explore epigenetic influences of chronic pain
• Research shows how visual perception slows with age
• New model predicts complication risks in surgery for spinal cord compression
• Pipeline device can treat challenging 'distal anterior' brain aneurysms
• New statistical approach will help researchers better determine cause-effect
• Making computers reason and learn by analogy
• Estuaries like Chesapeake Bay could contribute more to global warming than once thought
• Astronomers find the first 'wind nebula' around a magnetar
• Primary care physicians primed to help patients be more active
• Scientists use CRISPR to discover Zika, dengue weaknesses
• Present-day subsurface ocean on Pluto?
• Itchy inflammation of mosquito bites helps viruses replicate
• CAR T cell therapy can now target solid tumors: Mouse study
• Mice fed more fiber have less severe food allergies
• Overweight, obese type 2 patients show improvements with structured nutrition therapy
• Harsh parenting, food insecurity predicts obesity for young women
• An ocean lies a few kilometers beneath Saturn's moon Enceladus's icy surface
• Airplanes make clouds brighter
• Medicare ACOs have achieved savings in providing care to patients with multiple conditions
• Certain leisure activities may reduce post-surgical delirium among older adults
• Mandatory treatment not effective at reducing drug use, violates human rights, researchers say
• Children's nutrition influenced by local neighborhoods
• Pilot study successfully uses DNA sequencing to diagnose brain infections
• Assisted dying for psychiatric disorders: Serious public health impact
• How chameleons capture their prey
• Measuring Planck's constant, NIST's watt balance brings world closer to new kilogram
• Better material insights with gentle e-beams
• Compiler for analog computers enhances biological modeling
• Ultra-thin slices of diamonds reveal geological processes
• The sound of music: How the songbird learns its melody
• Some plant-based therapies associated with modest improvement in menopausal symptoms
• Protein-based risk score may help predict cardiovascular events among patients with heart disease
• Improvement seen in US diet
• New test can detect plant viruses faster, cheaper
• Infidelity perceptions differ between men and women
• How artists classified the animal kingdom
• Which animals will cope with climate change droughts?
• Versatile method yields synthetic biology building blocks
• New link found between diabetes, Alzheimer's disease
• Sweden's 100 percent carbon-free emissions challenge
• Experts take strong stance on testosterone deficiency, treatment
• Drones could be cheaper alternative to delivering vaccines in developing world
• Fighting experience makes beetles better mothers, study shows
• Pollen allergies have increased among Swedish adults
• Patients with inflammation more likely to develop diabetes after transplant
• Caribbean Sea acts like a whistle and can be 'heard' from space
• Existing diabetes drug shows effectiveness against chronic liver disease
• Core proteins exert control over DNA function
• Immense species richness of bacterial-eating microorganisms discovered in soil
• Taking notes boosts memory of jurors, new study finds
• Coexistence of superconductivity and charge density waves observed
• Significant humus loss in forests of the Bavarian Alps

New research important to atmospheric photochemistry Posted: 21 Jun 2016 04:32 PM PDT A photochemical sciences research team has shown that a new and unusual reaction path in chemistry occurs not only in the gas phase, but also in solution. According to the researchers, the finding also establishes the direct link between chemical reactivity in the gas phase and in solution.

Male general practitioners more likely to consider heart disease a 'man’s issue' Posted: 21 Jun 2016 04:31 PM PDT Male general practitioners (GPs) are more likely to consider heart disease a "man's issue" and neglect to assess cardiovascular risk in female patients, reports a study of 52 GPs and more than 2200 patients.

Chemists find new way to recycle plastic waste into fuel Posted: 21 Jun 2016 04:31 PM PDT A new way of recycling millions of tons of plastic garbage into liquid fuel has been devised.

'Coral zombies' may spell doom for coral reefs around world Posted: 21 Jun 2016 04:31 PM PDT Scientists have known for a while that coral reefs around the world are dying, and in a worst-case scenario they were counting on large, healthy-looking corals to repopulate. But a new study shows that these seemingly healthy colonies are 'Coral Zombies' with no reproductive ability, which makes them useless in a recovery effort.

New view of brain development: Striking differences between adult and newborn mouse brain Posted: 21 Jun 2016 04:31 PM PDT Spikes in neuronal activity in young mice do not spur corresponding boosts in blood flow -- a discovery that stands in stark contrast to the adult mouse brain. This new study raises questions about how the growing human brain meets its energy needs, as well as how best to track brain development with fMRI, which relies on blood-flow changes to map neuronal activity. The research could also provide critical insights for improving care for infants.

Eliminating blood test may increase availability of donor hearts Posted: 21 Jun 2016 04:30 PM PDT A blood test that results in donor hearts being rejected may be unnecessary in predicting the success or failure of heart transplants. If transplant centers placed less emphasis on the test, more hearts would be available to treat patients with end-stage heart failure. Currently, only one in three donor hearts are accepted for transplant, say authors of a new report.

In doctors we trust, especially when they admit to bias Posted: 21 Jun 2016 12:52 PM PDT A doctor's guidance may reassure us more than we realize -- especially if they are likely to recommend treatment in their field of expertise, known as "specialty bias."

Improving key diagnostic measures for gastrointestinal disorders Posted: 21 Jun 2016 12:50 PM PDT Diagnostic criteria questionnaires for functional GI disorders, which affect millions of people worldwide, have now been amended by researchers.

Researchers explore epigenetic influences of chronic pain Posted: 21 Jun 2016 12:50 PM PDT New research shows how the DNA-binding protein MeCP2 can regulate the expression of a large number of genes that modulate pain. This study is a first step in identifying new, non-opioid drugs for treating the condition, say the scientists involved.

Research shows how visual perception slows with age Posted: 21 Jun 2016 12:50 PM PDT When older adults tell stories, they often go off on tangents because they have trouble inhibiting other thoughts. New research shows how inhibition deficits also affect the way they see.

New model predicts complication risks in surgery for spinal cord compression Posted: 21 Jun 2016 12:50 PM PDT A simple model consisting of four risk factors can help surgeons to predict the risk of complications after surgery for cervical spondylotic myelopathy -- a common condition causing compression of the spinal cord in the neck, reports a new study.

Pipeline device can treat challenging 'distal anterior' brain aneurysms Posted: 21 Jun 2016 12:50 PM PDT A recently introduced technology called the Pipeline Embolization Device can provide a less-invasive approach for difficult-to-treat aneurysms of the arteries supplying blood to the front of the brain, reports a new study.

New statistical approach will help researchers better determine cause-effect Posted: 21 Jun 2016 12:50 PM PDT Researchers have developed a new statistical technique that can help scientists determine causation of effects they are studying. This method can help scientists advance research that otherwise would stall out in its early phases.

Making computers reason and learn by analogy Posted: 21 Jun 2016 12:50 PM PDT Using the power of analogy, a new structure-mapping engine gives computers the ability to reason like humans and even solve moral dilemmas.

Estuaries like Chesapeake Bay could contribute more to global warming than once thought Posted: 21 Jun 2016 12:49 PM PDT Estuaries and coastal systems are thought to be a relatively small source of atmospheric methane, as little as 3 percent. However, a new study has found that the methane building up in the Chesapeake Bay alone, if released, would be equal to the current estimates for all the estuaries in the world combined.

Astronomers find the first 'wind nebula' around a magnetar Posted: 21 Jun 2016 12:49 PM PDT Astronomers have discovered a vast cloud of high-energy particles called a wind nebula around a rare ultra-magnetic neutron star, or magnetar, for the first time. The find offers a unique window into the properties, environment and outburst history of magnetars, which are the strongest magnets in the universe.

Primary care physicians primed to help patients be more active Posted: 21 Jun 2016 10:25 AM PDT Exercise plays a crucial role in being healthy and preventing disease. Because of their close relationship to patients, primary care physicians (PCPs) can act as a catalyst to help people be more active through physical activity counseling; however, doctors often encounter barriers to being able to properly address inactivity. A new paper offers PCPs implementable strategies to break down those barriers and help their patients get more exercise.

Scientists use CRISPR to discover Zika, dengue weaknesses Posted: 21 Jun 2016 10:25 AM PDT Scientists have performed the first CRISPR/Cas9 screen to discover human proteins that Zika virus needs for replication. This work reveals new leads that may be useful for halting Zika, dengue and other emerging viral infections.

Present-day subsurface ocean on Pluto? Posted: 21 Jun 2016 10:25 AM PDT An updated thermal model for Pluto suggests that a liquid water ocean beneath the dwarf planet's ice shell is a fairly likely scenario, and that the ocean is probably still there today.

Itchy inflammation of mosquito bites helps viruses replicate Posted: 21 Jun 2016 10:25 AM PDT University of Leeds study has found that inflammation where a mosquito has bitten not only helps a virus such as Zika or dengue establish an infection in the body more quickly, but that it also helps it to spread around the body, increasing the likelihood of severe illness.

CAR T cell therapy can now target solid tumors: Mouse study Posted: 21 Jun 2016 10:25 AM PDT Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy, which edits a cancer patient's T cells to recognize their tumors, has successfully helped patients with blood cancers but has yet to show the ability to treat solid tumors. To overcome this hurdle, researchers genetically engineered human T cells to produce a CAR protein that recognizes a glycopeptide found on cancer cells but not normal cells, and then demonstrated its effectiveness in mice with leukemia and pancreatic cancer.

Mice fed more fiber have less severe food allergies Posted: 21 Jun 2016 09:17 AM PDT The development of food allergies in mice can be linked to what their gut bacteria are being fed, reports a new study. Rodents that received a diet with average calories, sugar, and fiber content had more severe peanut allergies than those that received a high-fiber diet. The researchers show that gut bacteria release a specific fatty acid in response to fiber intake, which eventually impacts allergic responses via changes to the immune system.

Overweight, obese type 2 patients show improvements with structured nutrition therapy Posted: 21 Jun 2016 09:16 AM PDT The results of a new study may change how nutrition therapy is delivered to overweight and obese patients with type 2 diabetes. The "Nutrition Pathway Study" compared three models of nutrition therapy and found that a highly structured nutrition plan provides the most significant impact on A1C, body weight and lipid profiles.

Harsh parenting, food insecurity predicts obesity for young women Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:58 AM PDT The adolescent years can be full of changes. A new study now suggests that when these years include prolonged periods of food insecurity coupled with harsh parenting practices, females are prone to obesity in early adulthood.

An ocean lies a few kilometers beneath Saturn's moon Enceladus's icy surface Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:57 AM PDT With eruptions of ice and water vapor, and an ocean covered by an ice shell, Saturn's moon Enceladus is one of the most fascinating in the Solar System, especially as interpretations of data provided by the Cassini spacecraft have been contradictory until now. Astronomers recently proposed a new model that reconciles different data sets and shows that the ice shell at Enceladus's south pole may be only a few kilometers thick. This suggests that there is a strong heat source in the interior of Enceladus, an additional factor supporting the possible emergence of life in its ocean.

Airplanes make clouds brighter Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:57 AM PDT Contrails from airplanes make clouds brighter, shows new research. The researchers used a combination of flight tracking data and satellites equipped with sensitive lasers for detecting small changes in cloud optical thickness, i.e. the degree to which a cloud prevents light passing through it. When they looked at flight tracks from Honolulu to LA and Seattle to San Francisco, they found a significant increase in the optical thickness of the clouds close to the flight tracks compared to those further away.

Medicare ACOs have achieved savings in providing care to patients with multiple conditions Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:57 AM PDT There are now over 700 Accountable Care Organizations (ACO) in place across the country, making them one of the largest health care payment and delivery reforms underway in the United States. Until recently, little has been known about the effect of Medicare ACOs on overall spending. A new study found that Medicare ACOs are making modest, yet increasing, gains in these areas, particularly when it comes to treating patients with multiple conditions.

Certain leisure activities may reduce post-surgical delirium among older adults Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:56 AM PDT Older adults who engage in leisure activities more than 20 times a week are far less likely to experience delirium following certain types of surgery than those who engage in fewer weekly leisure activities, new research suggests. Each additional day of participation in a leisure activity reduced post-operative delirium by 8 percent, researchers found at the end of a new study. According to the researchers, maintaining leisure activities later in life could be an important way to lessen the chances of developing delirium following surgery.

Mandatory treatment not effective at reducing drug use, violates human rights, researchers say Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:56 AM PDT Clinician researchers assessed current global evidence and found that mandatory treatment for people with substance use disorders is not effective in reducing their drug use.

Children's nutrition influenced by local neighborhoods Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:56 AM PDT In an innovative study, researchers used GPS technology to provide evidence that adolescents' exposure to junk food outlets during trips to and from school affects their likelihood of making a junk food purchase.

Pilot study successfully uses DNA sequencing to diagnose brain infections Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:56 AM PDT In a proof-of-principle study, a team of physicians and bioinformatics experts reports they were able to diagnose or rule out suspected brain infections using so called next-generation genetic sequencing of brain tissue samples.

Assisted dying for psychiatric disorders: Serious public health impact Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:56 AM PDT Offering medical assistance in dying to people in Canada on the basis of psychiatric illnesses could put vulnerable people at risk, argues a new Canadian commentary.

How chameleons capture their prey Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:56 AM PDT The mucus secreted at the tip of a chameleon's tongue has a viscosity 400 times larger than the one of human saliva, report investigators.

Measuring Planck's constant, NIST's watt balance brings world closer to new kilogram Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:56 AM PDT A high-tech version of a balance scale has just brought scientists a critical step closer toward a new and improved definition of the kilogram. The scale, called the NIST-4 watt balance, has conducted its first measurement of a fundamental physical quantity called Planck's constant to within 34 parts per billion -- demonstrating the scale is accurate enough to assist the international scientific community with the redefinition of the kilogram, an event slated for 2018.

Better material insights with gentle e-beams Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:56 AM PDT There are several ways to change a molecule, chemically or physically. A lesser known method relies on electron collision, or e-beam technology. In a review outlining new research avenues based on electron scattering, researchers explain the subtle intricacies of the extremely brief electron-molecule encounter, in particular with gentle, i.e., very low energy electrons.

Compiler for analog computers enhances biological modeling Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:56 AM PDT A new compiler for analog computers has been developed, a program that translates between high-level instructions written in a language intelligible to humans and the low-level specifications of circuit connections in an analog computer. The work could help pave the way to highly efficient, highly accurate analog simulations of entire organs.

Ultra-thin slices of diamonds reveal geological processes Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:54 AM PDT By using ultra-thin slices of diamonds, researchers have found the first direct evidence for the formation of diamonds by a process known as redox freezing. In this process, carbonate melts crystallize to form diamond.

The sound of music: How the songbird learns its melody Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:54 AM PDT In zebra finches, only males learn and sing songs, as this is the way they attract a mate. Therefore, learning a complex song to attract the lady zebra finches is crucial for reproduction. The juvenile zebra finches do this by listening to the father's song and memorizing it. The neurons associated with the memory of the father bird's song have now been pinpointed.

Some plant-based therapies associated with modest improvement in menopausal symptoms Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:54 AM PDT An analysis of more than 60 studies suggests that some plant-based therapies are associated with modest reductions in the frequency of hot flashes and vaginal dryness but no significant reduction in night sweats, according to a study.

Protein-based risk score may help predict cardiovascular events among patients with heart disease Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:54 AM PDT A new study was conducted to develop and validate a score to predict risk of cardiovascular outcomes among patients with coronary heart disease using analysis of circulating proteins.

Improvement seen in US diet Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:54 AM PDT In nationally representative surveys conducted between 1999 and 2012 in the United States, several improvements in self-reported dietary habits were identified, such as increased consumption of whole grains, with additional findings suggesting persistent or worsening disparities based on race/ethnicity and education and income level, report researchers.

New test can detect plant viruses faster, cheaper Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:24 AM PDT A new test could save time and money diagnosing plant viruses, some of which can destroy millions of dollars in crops each year in Florida, says a researcher.

Infidelity perceptions differ between men and women Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:22 AM PDT New research has uncovered the different ways in which men and women perceive infidelity.

How artists classified the animal kingdom Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:22 AM PDT In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries artists were fascinated by how the animal kingdom was classified. They were in some instances ahead of natural historians, a new article suggests.

Which animals will cope with climate change droughts? Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:21 AM PDT Scientists believe the current rate of climate change is unprecedented in Earth's history and will lead to more and worse droughts in many areas. Now a research team may have found a way to predict which mammals will best cope with drought -- and which won't do so well.

Versatile method yields synthetic biology building blocks Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:21 AM PDT In synthetic biology, scientists routinely create micro-compartments, so called vesicles, such as liposomes and polymersomes. Scientists have developed a high-throughput method -- based on microfluidics -- for creating stable liposomes and polymersomes of controlled size without having to change the design of the device or the combination of liquids.

New link found between diabetes, Alzheimer's disease Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:21 AM PDT Drugs used to treat diabetes could also be used to treat Alzheimer's disease, and vice versa, according to new research. This is also the first study of its kind to show that Alzheimer's disease can lead to diabetes, as opposed to diabetes occurring first as was previously thought.

Sweden's 100 percent carbon-free emissions challenge Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:21 AM PDT The Swedish power supply is largely free of carbon emissions. Indeed, it is mainly based on a combination of hydroelectric and nuclear power combined with power exchange with neighboring Scandinavian countries. A new study investigates the possibility of replacing nuclear power with wind power, which is by nature intermittent. According to the study, this would finally lead to a reduction in the use of hydroelectricity if the annual consumption remained constant.

Experts take strong stance on testosterone deficiency, treatment Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:21 AM PDT In an effort to address widespread concerns related to testosterone deficiency (TD) and its treatment with testosterone therapy, a group of international experts has developed a set of resolutions and conclusions to provide clarity for physicians and patients.

Drones could be cheaper alternative to delivering vaccines in developing world Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:21 AM PDT Using unmanned drones to deliver vaccines in low- and middle-income countries may save money and improve vaccination rates, new research suggests.

Fighting experience makes beetles better mothers, study shows Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:20 AM PDT Female beetles that are seasoned fighters put more effort into raising their offspring than mothers with no conflict experience, a study suggests.

Pollen allergies have increased among Swedish adults Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:20 AM PDT The prevalence of pollen allergies among adults in Sweden has increased. However, the prevalence of allergies to furred animals, mites or mold has not, new research shows.

Patients with inflammation more likely to develop diabetes after transplant Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:20 AM PDT Up to 30 percent of people who receive organ transplants will develop diabetes, but researchers are unsure why. A new study in kidney transplant recipients suggests that patients with more inflammation prior to surgery are more likely to develop diabetes than those with less overall inflammation, and that a patient's fat stores also play a role.

Caribbean Sea acts like a whistle and can be 'heard' from space Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:15 AM PDT A study of the Caribbean Sea has revealed that, in the midst of all the noise of the ocean, this region behaves like a whistle, which blows so loudly that it can be 'heard' from space in the form of oscillations of the Earth's gravity field.

Existing diabetes drug shows effectiveness against chronic liver disease Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:15 AM PDT Researchers have found that an existing diabetes drug can be used to halt progression of another disease that is a leading cause of liver transplants.

Core proteins exert control over DNA function Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:15 AM PDT Histone proteins at the core of nucleosomes and their tails exert control over the exposure of genes for binding, as demonstrated in simulations researchers.

Immense species richness of bacterial-eating microorganisms discovered in soil Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:15 AM PDT Millions of microorganisms play a major role in the decomposition of soil matter. A group of researchers has just shown that there is an enormous diversity among a group of bacteria-eating microorganisms known as Cercozoa. The research suggests that a drier climate in the years ahead due to climate change will contribute to a shift in the number of soil microorganisms, and thus, a shift in the decomposition of soil matter, with as of yet to be known consequences.

Taking notes boosts memory of jurors, new study finds Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:15 AM PDT Jurors who are allowed to take and review notes during court trials are less likely to forget critical evidence, a new study has found. This finding has important implications for justice, as jurors who forget critical trial evidence often reach different verdicts to those who remember it.

Coexistence of superconductivity and charge density waves observed Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:15 AM PDT Physicists have studied an artificial structure composed of alternating layers of ferromagnetic and superconducting materials. Charge density waves induced by the interfaces were found to extend deeply into the superconducting regions, indicating new ways to manipulate superconductivity.

Significant humus loss in forests of the Bavarian Alps Posted: 21 Jun 2016 08:12 AM PDT Alpine forests will be at great risk should weather phenomena such as droughts and torrential rain become more frequent. As a new study shows, the mountain forests of the Bavarian Alps have seen a significant reduction in topsoil organic matter over the past three decades. The authors recommendation is therefore to preserve, or increase soil humus regardless of climate change by implementing humus-promoting forest management to safeguard the mountain forests protective function.

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