ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Listening to the relics of the Milky Way: Sounds from oldest stars in our galaxy
• Copper is key in burning fat
• Researcher affirms 86-year-old hypothesis
• Just a few more bites: Defining moderation varies by individual, study finds
• War and peace in the human gut: Probing the microbiome
• New approach could make bone marrow transplants safer
• Lucy had neighbors: A review of African fossils
• Early farmers from across Europe were direct descendants of Aegeans
• Research proves Aboriginal Australians were first inhabitants
• Electric eels make leaping attacks
• Genetic variations linked with social, economic success
• Wild parents' genomes reveal complex genetic past for garden variety petunias
• Phase 1 study results of selinexor combination therapy; multiple myeloma
• Personalized medicine leads to better outcomes for patients with cancer
• An inexpensive and flexible micro-raman system
• Physicists predict novel phenomena in exotic materials
• Stress-diabetes link detailed in new study
• New photonic sensor opens the door to high-speed biodetection
• This desert moss has developed the ultimate water collection toolkit
• Cancer drug trial success
• Immunotherapy improves survival, quality of life in rapidly progressing head and neck cancer
• 'Breaking me softly:' New fiber findings reported
• New compound shows promise against malaria
• Pembrolizumab elicits significant antitumor activity in head and neck cancer patients
• Wide geographic differences in treatment of diabetes, hypertension, depression
• Electroacupuncture may help relieve pain from carpal tunnel syndrome, shows randomized controlled trial
• Study may help reassure women taking tamoxifen for breast cancer
• Family-based weight management program improved self-perception among obese children
• Advanced cancer patients receive aggressive care at high rates at the end of life
• Pandas don't like it hot: Temperature, not food is biggest concern for conservation
• Scientists find new roles for old RNAs
• Algorithm could construct first images of black holes
• Microgrids not always economically efficient in regulated electricity markets
• Intervention reduces rates of overweight tots by half
• Longer life, disability free: Increases in life expectancy accompanied by increase in disability-free life expectancy, study shows
• Babies don't just look cute, scientists find
• Faithfulness is in the eye of the beholder
• New gene shown to cause Parkinson's disease
• Two kinds of Medicare, two kinds of patients? Findings may mean a lot for health policy
• Speeding up drug discovery to fight tuberculosis
• Novel imaging model helps reveal new therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer
• Late-term birth associated with better school-based cognitive functioning
• Pictures warning of smoking dangers on cigarette packs increased quit attempts
• Intensive treatment of glucose levels can lead to serious complications
• Scientists use silver to make lights shine brightly
• New tool in CRISPR genome editing, Cpf1, proved its marked specificity, produced a targeted mutant mouse
• Epigenomic alterations contribute to obesity-associated diabetes
• New low-defect method to nitrogen dope graphene resulting in tunable bandstructure
• MPs want academic 'match-making' service to help inform policy
• Shorter patient consent forms, video formats improve comprehension
• A protective shield against the heavy metal uranium
• Roads 'a serious threat' to rare bats
• Progression-free survival triples in select metastatic lung cancer patients with surgery or radiation after standard chemotherapy
• Aspects of the regulation of the anti-tumor protein p53
• Best way to improve muscle strength
• Immunotherapy effective against some types of sarcoma
• Dual stem-cell transplant improves outlook for children with high-risk neuroblastoma
• Inbred Neanderthals left humans a genetic burden
• More than just hippos and crocs: The hidden biodiversity of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park
• New molecular design to get hydrogen-powered cars motoring

Listening to the relics of the Milky Way: Sounds from oldest stars in our galaxy Posted: 06 Jun 2016 05:07 PM PDT Astrophysicists have captured the sounds of some of the oldest stars in our galaxy, the Milky Way, according to new research.

Copper is key in burning fat Posted: 06 Jun 2016 05:04 PM PDT For the first time copper's role in fat metabolism has been established by research, further burnishing the metal's reputation as an essential nutrient for human physiology.

Researcher affirms 86-year-old hypothesis Posted: 06 Jun 2016 05:04 PM PDT A biologist has found what he calls 'very strong support' for an 86-year-old hypothesis about how nutrients move through plants. His two-decade analysis of the phenomenon has resulted in a suite of techniques that can ultimately be used to fight plant diseases and make crops more efficient.

Just a few more bites: Defining moderation varies by individual, study finds Posted: 06 Jun 2016 05:04 PM PDT Though eating in moderation might be considered practical advice for healthy nutrition, a new study suggests the term's wide range of interpretations may make it an ineffective guide for losing or maintaining weight. The more people like a food, the more forgiving their definitions of moderation are, said the study's lead author.

War and peace in the human gut: Probing the microbiome Posted: 06 Jun 2016 05:04 PM PDT The role of microbes in the gut has been the focus of recent research that explores how dietary choices promote cooperation or might fuel conflict between gut microbes and the humans they interact with, maintaining health or encouraging the onset of disease.

New approach could make bone marrow transplants safer Posted: 06 Jun 2016 05:04 PM PDT Bone marrow transplantation is the only curative therapy for the millions of people living with blood disorders like sickle cell anemia, thalassemia, and AIDS. However, the faulty stem cells must first be 'evicted' or killed, which requires chemotherapy and radiation -- a vicious assault on the body. Now researchers have developed a non-toxic transplantation procedure using antibodies to target blood stem cells in mice, an approach they hope will make bone marrow transplants far less toxic.

Lucy had neighbors: A review of African fossils Posted: 06 Jun 2016 12:49 PM PDT If 'Lucy' wasn't alone, who else was in her neighborhood? Key fossil discoveries over the last few decades in Africa indicate that multiple early human ancestor species lived at the same time more than 3 million years ago. A new review of fossil evidence from the last few decades examines four identified hominin species that co-existed between 3.8 and 3.3 million years ago during the middle Pliocene.

Early farmers from across Europe were direct descendants of Aegeans Posted: 06 Jun 2016 12:49 PM PDT Paleogeneticists have shown that early farmers from across Europe have an almost unbroken trail of ancestry leading back to the Aegean.

Research proves Aboriginal Australians were first inhabitants Posted: 06 Jun 2016 12:49 PM PDT Researchers have found evidence that demonstrates Aboriginal people were the first to inhabit Australia.The work refutes an earlier landmark study that claimed to recover DNA sequences from the oldest known Australian, Mungo Man.

Electric eels make leaping attacks Posted: 06 Jun 2016 12:48 PM PDT A biologist has accidentally discovered that electric eels can make leaping attacks that dramatically increase the strength of the electric shocks they deliver and, in so doing, has confirmed a 200-year-old observation by famous 19th century explorer and naturalist Alexander von Humboldt.

Genetic variations linked with social, economic success Posted: 06 Jun 2016 11:29 AM PDT Psychological characteristics link genes with upward social mobility, according to data collected from almost 1,000 individuals over four decades. The data suggest that various psychological factors play a role in linking a person's genetic profile and several important life outcomes, including professional achievement, financial security, geographic mobility, and upward social mobility.

Wild parents' genomes reveal complex genetic past for garden variety petunias Posted: 06 Jun 2016 11:28 AM PDT An international consortium of researchers has sequenced the two wild parent species of the domesticated petunia. The genomes will be a valuable resource for the many scientists who use the petunia to explore biological questions relating to symbiosis, self-fertilization and circadian rhythms.

Phase 1 study results of selinexor combination therapy; multiple myeloma Posted: 06 Jun 2016 11:28 AM PDT Researchers have completed a phase 1 study of selinexor in combination with liposomal doxorubicin and dexamethasone in patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma.

Personalized medicine leads to better outcomes for patients with cancer Posted: 06 Jun 2016 11:02 AM PDT In a meta-analysis of hundreds of clinical trials involving thousands of patients, researchers report that therapeutic approaches using precision medicine, which emphasizes the use of individual genetics to refine cancer treatment, showed improved response and longer periods of disease remission, even in phase I trials.

An inexpensive and flexible micro-raman system Posted: 06 Jun 2016 11:01 AM PDT Raman spectroscopy provides detailed chemical information, and when combined with a microscope, it can non-destructively analyze biological samples. While commercial research-grade Raman microscopes have been available for some time, they have tended to be both inflexible and very expensive. Researchers now describe an inexpensive, versatile micro-Raman system that can be assembled from readily available components at a fraction of the cost of a commercial tool.

Physicists predict novel phenomena in exotic materials Posted: 06 Jun 2016 11:01 AM PDT Discovered just five years ago, topological semimetals are materials with unusual physical properties that could make them useful for future electronics. Researchers report a new theoretical characterization of topological semimetals' electrical properties that accurately describes all known topological semimetals and predicts several new ones.

Stress-diabetes link detailed in new study Posted: 06 Jun 2016 11:00 AM PDT A positive link between emotional stress and diabetes has been found by researchers who report that this connection has roots in the brain's ability to control anxiety.

New photonic sensor opens the door to high-speed biodetection Posted: 06 Jun 2016 11:00 AM PDT Researchers have developed a new technique for extremely high speed photonic sensing of the mechanical properties of freely flowing particles using an opto-mechano-fluidic resonator. This work presents a new approach to perform resonantly enhanced optical sensing of freely flowing particles through the action of long-range phonons that extend between solid and fluid phases of the sensor and sample.

This desert moss has developed the ultimate water collection toolkit Posted: 06 Jun 2016 11:00 AM PDT Scientists and mechanical engineers teamed up to understand how a desert moss uses its leaves instead of roots to collect water from the atmosphere. The study reveals how the highly evolved plant has developed unique multi-scaled structures that help it take advantage of any available water resource.

Cancer drug trial success Posted: 06 Jun 2016 10:56 AM PDT Scientists have developed new therapeutic approaches to cancer. The drug trial (APR-246) aimed to test the effects of a novel compound on a specific protein, p53, found to be mutated in over 50% of all cancers. The p53 gene is from a class of genes called tumor suppressors which are mutated in all cases of one form of ovarian cancer (high grade serous), but have proved difficult to target in the past.

Immunotherapy improves survival, quality of life in rapidly progressing head and neck cancer Posted: 06 Jun 2016 10:56 AM PDT Immunotherapy doubles overall survival and improves quality of life, with fewer side effects, in a treatment-resistant and rapidly progressing form of head and neck carcinoma, reports a large, randomized international trial co-led by investigators. The new trial was considered so successful that it was stopped early to allow patients in the chemotherapy group to receive the new drug.

'Breaking me softly:' New fiber findings reported Posted: 06 Jun 2016 10:56 AM PDT A finding that unlocks a means of controlling materials at the nanoscale has been reported by scientists. This work opens the door to a new generation of manufacturing, they say.

New compound shows promise against malaria Posted: 06 Jun 2016 10:55 AM PDT In recent years the most dangerous malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, has become increasingly resistant to the main anti-malarial drugs. Now, an international team of researchers shows that some members of a class of compounds called oxaboroles, which contain the element, boron, have potent activity against malaria parasites.

Pembrolizumab elicits significant antitumor activity in head and neck cancer patients Posted: 06 Jun 2016 10:55 AM PDT Treating head and neck cancer patients with recurrent or metastatic disease with the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab resulted in significant clinical responses in a fifth of the patients from a phase II clinical trial.

Wide geographic differences in treatment of diabetes, hypertension, depression Posted: 06 Jun 2016 10:55 AM PDT Widespread differences have been found in the treatment of patients with common chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and depression, reports a new study.

Electroacupuncture may help relieve pain from carpal tunnel syndrome, shows randomized controlled trial Posted: 06 Jun 2016 10:55 AM PDT Electroacupuncture combined with nighttime splinting may help alleviate pain from chronic carpal tunnel syndrome, according to a recent randomized controlled trial.

Study may help reassure women taking tamoxifen for breast cancer Posted: 06 Jun 2016 09:28 AM PDT A new study may help reassure patients who worry the breast cancer drug tamoxifen could increase their risk of uterine cancer.

Family-based weight management program improved self-perception among obese children Posted: 06 Jun 2016 09:27 AM PDT Battling the childhood obesity epidemic is a priority for many researchers, as obesity during adolescence increases the risk of chronic diseases throughout life. Including a mental health component as part of a childhood weight management program showed promising results, according to a new study.

Advanced cancer patients receive aggressive care at high rates at the end of life Posted: 06 Jun 2016 09:26 AM PDT A national health claims analysis of cancer patients who were younger than age 65 and had metastatic disease revealed that nearly two-thirds were admitted to the hospital or visited the emergency room in the last 30 days of their lives. Researchers who led the study also found that nearly a third of patients died in the hospital.

Pandas don't like it hot: Temperature, not food is biggest concern for conservation Posted: 06 Jun 2016 09:26 AM PDT China's bamboo supply is more than enough to support giant pandas after it was discovered that they have bigger appetites than originally believed, but climate change could destroy their plentiful food source anyway, warn scientists.

Scientists find new roles for old RNAs Posted: 06 Jun 2016 09:02 AM PDT Scientists have discovered unexpected functions of small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) that explain the cause of some diseases. The loss of small nucleolar RNAs is associated with a number of diseases, including Prader-Willi syndrome and several forms of cancers; and genetic duplications of some snoRNAs could play a role in autism. However, it is not clear how the change in snoRNA expression could lead to these diseases. Using RNA sequencing and molecular biology techniques, the researchers found that snoRNAs not only modify ribosomes, but can also regulate alternative splicing. Through this second function, they regulate protein function and inhibit the generation of wrong protein variants. This explains the role of snoRNAs in human diseases, as upon their loss the formation of wrong protein variants can no longer be prevented.

Algorithm could construct first images of black holes Posted: 06 Jun 2016 09:00 AM PDT A new algorithm that could help astronomers produce the first image of a black hole has been constructed by scientists. The algorithm would stitch together data collected from radio telescopes scattered around the globe, under the auspices of an international collaboration called the Event Horizon Telescope. The project seeks, essentially, to turn the entire planet into a large radio telescope dish.

Microgrids not always economically efficient in regulated electricity markets Posted: 06 Jun 2016 09:00 AM PDT Installing a microgrid within a regulated electricity market will sometimes, but not always, provide an economic benefit to customers, investors and utilities involved, according to new research.

Intervention reduces rates of overweight tots by half Posted: 06 Jun 2016 09:00 AM PDT Mothers who practiced responsive parenting -- including reacting promptly and appropriately to hunger and fullness cues -- were less likely to have overweight babies at their one-year checkup than those who did not, say health researchers.

Longer life, disability free: Increases in life expectancy accompanied by increase in disability-free life expectancy, study shows Posted: 06 Jun 2016 09:00 AM PDT The increase in life expectancy in the past two decades has been accompanied by an even greater increase in life years free of disability, thanks in large measure to improvements in cardiovascular health and declines in vision problems, a new study shows.

Babies don't just look cute, scientists find Posted: 06 Jun 2016 08:59 AM PDT What is it about the sight of an infant that makes almost everyone crack a smile? Big eyes, chubby cheeks, and a button nose? An infectious laugh, soft skin, and a captivating smell? While we have long known that babies look cute, researchers have found that cuteness is designed to appeal to all our senses to trigger vital caregiving behaviors.

Faithfulness is in the eye of the beholder Posted: 06 Jun 2016 08:59 AM PDT In a recent set of experiments, psychologists found evidence that couples downgrade the appearance of people they perceive as threatening their relationships, concluding that people in relationships actually see tempting people outside of their partnership as less attractive.

New gene shown to cause Parkinson's disease Posted: 06 Jun 2016 08:59 AM PDT Scientists have discovered a new cause of Parkinson's disease -- mutations in a gene called TMEM230. This appears to be the third gene definitively linked to confirmed cases of the common movement disorder.

Two kinds of Medicare, two kinds of patients? Findings may mean a lot for health policy Posted: 06 Jun 2016 08:55 AM PDT Nearly one in three American senior citizens choose to get their government-funded Medicare health coverage through plans run by health insurance companies. The rest get it straight from the federal government. But if health policy decision-makers assume the two groups are pretty much the same, they're mistaken, a new study finds.

Speeding up drug discovery to fight tuberculosis Posted: 06 Jun 2016 08:55 AM PDT Researchers have deciphered how the human pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis is able to tolerate the recently approved FDA drug bedaquiline.

Novel imaging model helps reveal new therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer Posted: 06 Jun 2016 08:55 AM PDT Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, the most common of pancreatic cancers, is extraordinarily lethal, with a five-year survival rate of just 6 percent. In a new study, researchers describe an innovative new model that not only allowed them to track drug resistance in vivo, but also revealed a new therapeutic target.

Late-term birth associated with better school-based cognitive functioning Posted: 06 Jun 2016 08:55 AM PDT Better measures of school-based cognitive function were associated with late-term infants born at 41 weeks but those children performed worse on a measure of physical functioning compared with infants born full term at 39 or 40 weeks, according to an article.

Pictures warning of smoking dangers on cigarette packs increased quit attempts Posted: 06 Jun 2016 08:55 AM PDT Affixing pictures on cigarette packets to illustrate the danger of smoking increased attempts by smokers to quit, according to the results of a clinical trial.

Intensive treatment of glucose levels can lead to serious complications Posted: 06 Jun 2016 08:55 AM PDT With a more-is-better mindset common in society, frequent commercials encouraging checks of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) levels, and ads for new diabetes medications to lower HbA1C in adults with Type 2 diabetes, researchers were not too surprised to find overtesting occurring.

Scientists use silver to make lights shine brightly Posted: 06 Jun 2016 08:15 AM PDT The toxic and expensive phosphors used widely in fluorescent lighting could be eliminated thanks to a new study. A group of scientists modified a mineral called zeolite, more commonly found in washing powder, to incorporate tiny clusters of silver atoms.

New tool in CRISPR genome editing, Cpf1, proved its marked specificity, produced a targeted mutant mouse Posted: 06 Jun 2016 08:15 AM PDT Two studies outline Cpf1's superiority as a precise genome editing tool with no unintended mutations. It requires only a single RNA that CRISPR RNA assembly is simpler; its staggered cleavage patterns may facilitate substituting existing DNA with desired sequences; and it recognizes thymidine-rich DNA sequences, which has been less explored than the guanosine-rich sequences recognized by Cas9.

Epigenomic alterations contribute to obesity-associated diabetes Posted: 06 Jun 2016 08:15 AM PDT Obesity is a risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes, yet not all obese humans develop the disease. In a new study, researchers have identified epigenomic alterations that are associated with inflammation and type 2 diabetes. The findings help to explain how alterations of the epigenome during the progression of obesity can trigger insulin resistance and diabetes.

New low-defect method to nitrogen dope graphene resulting in tunable bandstructure Posted: 06 Jun 2016 08:13 AM PDT Scientists have demonstrated hyperthermal ion implantation (HyTII) as an effective means of substitutionally doping graphene, resulting in a low-defect film with a tunable bandstructure amenable to a variety of device platforms and applications.

MPs want academic 'match-making' service to help inform policy Posted: 06 Jun 2016 08:13 AM PDT MPs have expressed an overwhelming willingness to use a proposed new service to swiftly link them with academics in relevant areas to help ensure policy is based on the latest evidence.

Shorter patient consent forms, video formats improve comprehension Posted: 06 Jun 2016 08:13 AM PDT To improve patient consent form comprehension, researchers have developed approaches to simplify the process by focusing on the information that patients need most when deciding whether to enroll in a trial. They let potential trial participants determine what information is most relevant and then created written and video versions of a shortened consent form focused on that information.

A protective shield against the heavy metal uranium Posted: 06 Jun 2016 08:13 AM PDT Microorganisms can better withstand the heavy metal uranium when glutathione is present, a molecule composed of three amino acids. Scientists have now demonstrated this resilience by closely examining cell heat balance. They discovered that glutathione is an effective decontamination agent. The studies provide important insights into bioremediation of mining waste piles and other contaminated areas with the help of bacteria or plants.

Roads 'a serious threat' to rare bats Posted: 06 Jun 2016 08:12 AM PDT Roads present a serious threat to bat populations, indicating that protection policies are failing, say scientists. Interestingly, the study found that male bats were considerably more likely to be killed in collisions than females.

Progression-free survival triples in select metastatic lung cancer patients with surgery or radiation after standard chemotherapy Posted: 06 Jun 2016 08:12 AM PDT Lung cancer patients with oliogometastases, defined as three or fewer sites of metastasis, may benefit from aggressive local therapy, surgery or radiation, after standard chemotherapy, according to research.

Aspects of the regulation of the anti-tumor protein p53 Posted: 06 Jun 2016 07:37 AM PDT Researchers reveal essential aspects of the regulation of the anti-tumor protein p53.

Best way to improve muscle strength Posted: 06 Jun 2016 07:37 AM PDT Engaging in short, explosive leg contractions is the most effective way of strengthening muscles, new research reveals.

Immunotherapy effective against some types of sarcoma Posted: 06 Jun 2016 07:37 AM PDT An existing cancer immunotherapy drug reduces tumor size in some types of rare connective tissue cancers, called sarcomas. Additional analyses of tumor biopsies and blood samples, which will help the researchers better understand which sarcoma subtypes will benefit most from the new treatment, are underway.

Dual stem-cell transplant improves outlook for children with high-risk neuroblastoma Posted: 06 Jun 2016 07:37 AM PDT Children with high-risk neuroblastoma whose treatment included two autologous stem-cell transplants were more likely to be free of cancer three years later than patients who underwent a single transplant, a Phase 3 clinical trial has found. The tandem transplant technique produced even better results when followed by treatment with immunotherapy agents.

Inbred Neanderthals left humans a genetic burden Posted: 06 Jun 2016 07:36 AM PDT The Neanderthal genome included harmful mutations that made the hominids around 40 percent less reproductively fit than modern humans, according to new estimates. Non-African humans inherited some of this genetic burden when they interbred with Neanderthals, though much of it has been lost over time. The results suggest that these harmful gene variants continue to reduce the fitness of some populations today. The study also has implications for management of endangered species.

More than just hippos and crocs: The hidden biodiversity of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park Posted: 06 Jun 2016 07:36 AM PDT Lake St. Lucia, South Africa, may be the famous tourist drawcard in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, but aquatic scientists have recently found that there may be proportionally more diversity of life in the small freshwater puddles and ponds surrounding the lake than in the lake body itself, or anywhere else in the park for that matter, and it comes in the form of water beetles.

New molecular design to get hydrogen-powered cars motoring Posted: 06 Jun 2016 07:36 AM PDT A radical new process that allows hydrogen to be efficiently sourced from liquid formic acid could be one step forward in making the dream of hydrogen-powered cars an economic reality.

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