ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Germs add ripples to make 'groovy' graphene
• Nanotech 'tattoo' can map emotions and monitor muscle activity
• If life can make it here, it can make it anywhere
• Changes in primate teeth linked to rise of monkeys
• Study explains how a protein deficiency causes spinal muscular atrophy
• Alzheimer's detected before symptoms via new eye technology
• Hops extract studied to prevent breast cancer
• NASA camera catches moon 'photobombing' Earth
• Scientists find evidence for climate change in satellite cloud record
• Supercomputers fire lasers to shoot gamma ray beam
• Gut bacteria can cause, predict and prevent rheumatoid arthritis
• A giant quake may lurk under Bangladesh and beyond
• The true cost of crime, in carbon footprints
• Physician payment reform has led to decrease in home-based dialysis in United States
• Spreadsheet-style tool could democratize database design
• Colistin-resistant gene detected in US for the second time
• Cutting nerves during breast cancer surgery is associated with chronic pain
• Self-prescribing antibiotics is a big problem
• Strategies to mimic fasting during chemotherapy enhance anticancer T cell activity in mice
• Monkeys in Brazil 'have used stone tools for hundreds of years at least'
• Astronomers discover new distant dwarf planet beyond Neptune
• Helping kids with brain tumors recover beyond the disease
• Lab storing information securely in DNA
• Home-based intervention aims to curb childhood tooth decay and obesity in the Bronx
• Climate tipping points: What do they mean for society?
• Engineered human colon model could aid in cancer research
• True impact of global diabetes epidemic is vastly underestimated
• Researchers devise secure, efficient anonymity network
• New study describes strategies for investigating microbial outbreaks
• Amyloid probes gain powers in search for Alzheimer's cause
• Subtropical Cornwall climate could mean exotic new crops
• Genetic architecture of type 2 diabetes explored
• Insurance mandates lead to more children diagnosed and treated for autism spectrum disorder
• Advertising by US cancer centers soars over the past decade, new analysis shows
• When kids learn to conserve energy, their behavior also spreads to parents
• Academic female physicians paid less than male counterparts
• Mice can see again! Visual activity regenerates neural connections between eye and brain
• Researchers find association between donor age, female sex and transfusion outcomes
• Surgery found to increase risk of chronic opioid use, study finds
• Link found between traumatic brain injury and Parkinson's, but not Alzheimer's
• Pomegranate finally reveals its powerful anti-aging secret
• How Tom Brady won fans by dodging 'Deflategate' questions
• Flying insects defy aerodynamic laws of airplanes, researchers find
• To the breaking point: Testing ideas about the evolution of long-necked sauropod dinosaurs
• Predicting language deficits after stroke with connectome-based imaging
• How tumor necrosis factor protects against infection
• Watch out, silicon chips: Molecular electronics are coming
• Revolutionary surgery for lung cancer
• Gulf Stream slowdown to spare Europe from worst of climate change, experts predict
• Is the Agile Wallaby man's new best friend?
• New insect imaging technique may help victims of sleeping sickness
• Ancient supernovae buffeted Earth's biology with radiation dose, researcher says
• Researchers developing quick, inexpensive test to assess ER+ breast cancers
• Home alone: American Parents more confident tweens will avoid fire, storms than guns
• Q-biotype whitefly expands to eight Florida counties
• Engineers selected to safeguard and develop China's sustainable agriculture
• Consuming probiotics promotes weight loss, reduces BMI
• Give more support to scientists with a focus on society, suggests expert
• Over two thirds of researchers who've never peer reviewed would like to, new research reveals
• A language where space has no directions

Germs add ripples to make 'groovy' graphene Posted: 11 Jul 2016 12:58 PM PDT Graphene, a two-dimensional wonder-material composed of a single layer of carbon atoms linked in a hexagonal chicken-wire pattern, has attracted intense interest for its phenomenal ability to conduct electricity. Now researchers have used rod-shaped bacteria -- precisely aligned in an electric field, then vacuum-shrunk under a graphene sheet -- to introduce nanoscale ripples in the material, causing it to conduct electrons differently in perpendicular directions.

Nanotech 'tattoo' can map emotions and monitor muscle activity Posted: 11 Jul 2016 12:58 PM PDT A new temporary 'electronic tattoo' that can measure the activity of muscle and nerve cells researchers is poised to revolutionize medicine, rehabilitation, and even business and marketing research.

If life can make it here, it can make it anywhere Posted: 11 Jul 2016 12:55 PM PDT If the origin of life is common on other worlds, the universe should be a cosmic zoo full of complex multicellular organisms. Scientists use the evolution of Earth life as a model to predict what humans might find living on distant planets and moons in a new paper.

Changes in primate teeth linked to rise of monkeys Posted: 11 Jul 2016 12:55 PM PDT Searching for simple inherited dental characteristics that could lead to genes controlling tooth development, researchers have uncovered an easy-to-measure trait that tracks primate evolution over the last 20 million years, shedding light on the mysterious decline of apes and the rise of monkeys 8 million years ago. The research shows that monkeys diversified and took over the dentition niche of the majority of apes. Apes with outlying dentition, including human ancestors, remained.

Study explains how a protein deficiency causes spinal muscular atrophy Posted: 11 Jul 2016 12:55 PM PDT Research that reveals what goes wrong in SMA and suggests that a mild version of the same genetic defect may protect relatives against infection, which could explain why SMA is a relatively common disease.

Alzheimer's detected before symptoms via new eye technology Posted: 11 Jul 2016 12:17 PM PDT Scientists may have overcome a major roadblock in the development of Alzheimer's therapies by creating a new technology to observe in the back of the eye progression of the disease before the onset of symptoms. Clinical trials are starting soon to test the technology in humans, according to a new paper.

Hops extract studied to prevent breast cancer Posted: 11 Jul 2016 12:17 PM PDT An enriched hops extract activates a chemical pathway in cells that could help prevent breast cancer, according to new laboratory findings outlined in a new report.

NASA camera catches moon 'photobombing' Earth Posted: 11 Jul 2016 12:13 PM PDT For only the second time in a year, a NASA camera aboard the DSCOVR satellite captured a view of the moon as it moved in front of the sunlit side of Earth. From its position between the sun and Earth, DSCOVR conducts its primary mission of real-time solar wind monitoring for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Scientists find evidence for climate change in satellite cloud record Posted: 11 Jul 2016 12:13 PM PDT Scientists have found that changes in cloud patterns during the last three decades match those predicted by climate model simulations. These cloud changes are likely to have had a warming effect on the planet.

Supercomputers fire lasers to shoot gamma ray beam Posted: 11 Jul 2016 12:13 PM PDT Supercomputer simulations have shown scientists a new way to generate controlled beam of gamma rays from lasers. Nearly one million CPU hours on Stampede and Lonestar HPC systems were needed for the particle-in-cell simulation. The Texas Petawatt Laser will use the simulations to guide experimental verification later in 2016. Gamma ray production would make possible basic science research and benefit society through brain imaging, cancer therapy, and anti-terrorist cargo scanning.

Gut bacteria can cause, predict and prevent rheumatoid arthritis Posted: 11 Jul 2016 12:13 PM PDT The bacteria in your gut do more than break down your food. They also can predict susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis, suggests a new report.

A giant quake may lurk under Bangladesh and beyond Posted: 11 Jul 2016 12:13 PM PDT A huge earthquake may be building beneath Bangladesh, the most densely populated nation on earth. Scientists say they have new evidence of increasing strain there, where two tectonic plates underlie the world's largest river delta. They estimate that at least 140 million people in the region could be affected if the boundary ruptures.

The true cost of crime, in carbon footprints Posted: 11 Jul 2016 12:11 PM PDT Despite policy makers currently examining the economic and social impacts of crime, the environmental impacts have not, to date, been included, a new report explains.

Physician payment reform has led to decrease in home-based dialysis in United States Posted: 11 Jul 2016 12:11 PM PDT The US Medicare program's transition in 2004 to tiered fee-for-service physician reimbursement for dialysis care had the unintended consequence of reducing use of home dialysis, according to a new paper.

Spreadsheet-style tool could democratize database design Posted: 11 Jul 2016 12:10 PM PDT New software could make databases much easier for laypeople to work with. The program's home screen looks like a spreadsheet, but it lets users build their own database queries and reports by combining functions familiar to any spreadsheet user.

Colistin-resistant gene detected in US for the second time Posted: 11 Jul 2016 12:09 PM PDT For the second time, a clinical isolate of a bacterial pathogen has been detected in the US, which carries the colistin resistance gene, mcr-1. It may also be the first plasmid-mediated colistin resistance gene to show up in the US. That would be concerning because plasmids, genetic elements that are independent of the host genome, often jump between different bacterial species, spreading any resistance genes they carry. The research is published in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.

Cutting nerves during breast cancer surgery is associated with chronic pain Posted: 11 Jul 2016 12:09 PM PDT A systematic review has been conducted that analyzed 30 observational studies that enrolled 20,000 women undergoing surgery for breast cancer. Analysis of this data suggested that disruption of sensory nerves in the axilla (armpit) as lymph nodes are removed is associated with the development of chronic pain.

Self-prescribing antibiotics is a big problem Posted: 11 Jul 2016 12:09 PM PDT Five percent of adults from a cohort of 400 people reported using antibiotics without a prescription during the previous 12 months. Twenty-five percent said they would use antibiotics without contacting a medical professional. These findings demonstrate yet another factor abetting the spread of antibiotic resistance.

Strategies to mimic fasting during chemotherapy enhance anticancer T cell activity in mice Posted: 11 Jul 2016 12:09 PM PDT Fasting is known to increase positive outcomes during cancer treatment, and now two independent studies in mice show that fasting, either through diet or drugs, during chemotherapy helps increase the presence of cancer-killing T cells. The research teams show that rodents that received caloric restriction mimetics alone or chemotherapy combined with a fasting-mimicking diet had smaller tumor masses over time than those that received only chemotherapy.

Monkeys in Brazil 'have used stone tools for hundreds of years at least' Posted: 11 Jul 2016 12:09 PM PDT New archaeological evidence suggests that Brazilian capuchins have been using stone tools to crack open cashew nuts for at least 700 years. Researchers say, to date, they have found the earliest archaeological examples of monkey tool use outside of Africa.

Astronomers discover new distant dwarf planet beyond Neptune Posted: 11 Jul 2016 12:08 PM PDT Astronomers have discovered a new dwarf planet orbiting in the disk of small icy worlds beyond Neptune. The new object is about 700 km in diameter and has one of the largest orbits for a dwarf planet. Designated 2015 RR245 by the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center, it was found using the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope on Maunakea, Hawaii, as part of the ongoing Outer Solar System Origins Survey (OSSOS).

Helping kids with brain tumors recover beyond the disease Posted: 11 Jul 2016 09:26 AM PDT Social strains and lack of social competence are common in children recovering from malignant brain tumors. A behavioral scientist and colleagues from across the U.S. and Canada, examined a peer-mediated intervention at the survivor's school and found it was feasible to carry out in the public school setting and was acceptable to the survivor's family.

Lab storing information securely in DNA Posted: 11 Jul 2016 09:26 AM PDT Bioengineers in the United States have developed a new method for encrypting and storing sensitive information in DNA. Digital data storage degrades and can become obsolete and old-school books and paper require lots of space.

Home-based intervention aims to curb childhood tooth decay and obesity in the Bronx Posted: 11 Jul 2016 09:26 AM PDT More than one-third of Bronx residents are born outside of the United States. Often separated from family, challenged by language barriers, unfamiliar with health resources, and burdened by poverty, they are at high risk for health problems. And these risks extend to their young children.

Climate tipping points: What do they mean for society? Posted: 11 Jul 2016 09:26 AM PDT The phrase "tipping point" passed its own tipping point and caught fire after author Malcolm Gladwell's so-named 2000 book. It's now frequently used in discussions about climate change, but what are "climate tipping points"? And what do they mean for society and the economy? Scientists tackle the terminology and outline a strategy for investigating the consequences of climate tipping points in a new study.

Engineered human colon model could aid in cancer research Posted: 11 Jul 2016 09:20 AM PDT A multi-institution collaboration has published research on a tissue-engineering method that allows forward genetics screening on human tissue. The team created a human colon model by first deleting cells from normal human colon tissue, while retaining most of the molecules to which the cells adhere. The tissue is then repopulated with cells obtained from colonoscopy patient samples and from commercial sources.

True impact of global diabetes epidemic is vastly underestimated Posted: 11 Jul 2016 09:15 AM PDT There may be more than 100 million people with diabetes globally than previously thought, a landmark paper now outlines. The prevalence of global diabetes has been seriously underestimated by at least 25 per cent, the paper suggests.

Researchers devise secure, efficient anonymity network Posted: 11 Jul 2016 09:15 AM PDT A new anonymity scheme has been presented by experts that provides strong security guarantees but uses bandwidth much more efficiently than its predecessors. In experiments, the researchers' system required only one-tenth as much time as existing systems to transfer a large file between anonymous users.

New study describes strategies for investigating microbial outbreaks Posted: 11 Jul 2016 09:15 AM PDT A new study describes innovative strategies to track disease-causing pathogens like E. coli. Eppinger hopes his research will aid in halting and preventing large-scale outbreaks.

Amyloid probes gain powers in search for Alzheimer's cause Posted: 11 Jul 2016 09:13 AM PDT A synthetic molecule with a rhenium core glows when attached to an amyloid fibril in the process of aggregating into a plaque, and brighter still when hit with ultraviolet light, report scientists. The molecule may therefore allow for real-time experimental monitoring of amyloid plaques implicated in Alzheimer's disease, they say.

Subtropical Cornwall climate could mean exotic new crops Posted: 11 Jul 2016 09:13 AM PDT The subtropical weather in Cornwall, England means new exotic crops such as quinoa and Japanese persimmon are now more likely to succeed, according to a new technique developed experts to monitor the climate.

Genetic architecture of type 2 diabetes explored Posted: 11 Jul 2016 09:13 AM PDT New research from a large international team of scientists offers a more complete picture of the genes responsible for type 2 diabetes, demonstrating that previously identified common alleles shared by many in the world are the biggest culprits -- not the less common variants some scientists had hypothesized might play a large role in who gets the disease.

Insurance mandates lead to more children diagnosed and treated for autism spectrum disorder Posted: 11 Jul 2016 09:13 AM PDT State mandates requiring commercial health plans to cover the cost of services for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have resulted in an increased number of children being diagnosed and treated for ASD, according to new research.

Advertising by US cancer centers soars over the past decade, new analysis shows Posted: 11 Jul 2016 09:09 AM PDT Cancer centers promoting their services dramatically increased their advertising spending from 2005 to 2014, with the bulk of the spending by for-profit organizations, according to the results of a newly published study.

When kids learn to conserve energy, their behavior also spreads to parents Posted: 11 Jul 2016 09:09 AM PDT Girl Scouts and their parents reported increases in energy-saving behaviors, such as turning off power strips at night and washing clothes in cold water, after the children participated in an intervention program, according to a study.

Academic female physicians paid less than male counterparts Posted: 11 Jul 2016 09:09 AM PDT Female academic physicians at public medical schools had lower average salaries than their male counterparts, a disparity that was only partly accounted for by age, experience, medical specialty, faculty rank and other factors, according to a new article.

Mice can see again! Visual activity regenerates neural connections between eye and brain Posted: 11 Jul 2016 09:09 AM PDT A study in mice shows for the first time that visual stimulation can help damaged retinal neurons regrow optic nerve fibers (retinal ganglion cell axons). In combination with chemically induced neural stimulation, axons grew further than in strategies tried previously. Treated mice partially regained visual function. The study demonstrates that adult regenerated CNS axons are capable of navigating to correct targets in the brain.

Researchers find association between donor age, female sex and transfusion outcomes Posted: 11 Jul 2016 09:09 AM PDT A link between blood donor characteristics and transfusion recipients' outcomes has been uncovered by researchers. This is the first study to suggest that red blood cell transfusions from young donors and from female donors may be associated with poorer survival in recipients.

Surgery found to increase risk of chronic opioid use, study finds Posted: 11 Jul 2016 09:05 AM PDT A study of health insurance claims showed that patients undergoing 11 of the most common types of surgery were at an increased risk of becoming chronic users of opioid painkillers, say researchers.

Link found between traumatic brain injury and Parkinson's, but not Alzheimer's Posted: 11 Jul 2016 09:05 AM PDT Traumatic brain injury (TBI) with a loss of consciousness (LOC) may be associated with later development of Parkinson's disease but not Alzheimer's disease or incident dementia, new research indicates.

Pomegranate finally reveals its powerful anti-aging secret Posted: 11 Jul 2016 09:05 AM PDT Are pomegranates really the superfood that will counteract aging? Scientists have discovered that a molecule in pomegranates, transformed by microbes in the gut, enables muscle cells to protect themselves against one of the major causes of aging. In animals, the effect is nothing short of amazing. Clinical trials are underway.

How Tom Brady won fans by dodging 'Deflategate' questions Posted: 11 Jul 2016 09:05 AM PDT Sometimes, saying 'I don't know' may be the best way for sports stars and other celebrities to gain favor with the public when faced with tough questions.

Flying insects defy aerodynamic laws of airplanes, researchers find Posted: 11 Jul 2016 09:05 AM PDT The maneuvers of flying insects are unmatched by even the best pilots, and this might be due to the fact that these critters don't obey the same aerodynamic laws as airplanes, a team of researchers has found.

To the breaking point: Testing ideas about the evolution of long-necked sauropod dinosaurs Posted: 11 Jul 2016 09:05 AM PDT Sauropod dinosaurs were the largest land-dwelling animals of all time, with highly elongated necks and tails that were held suspended above the ground. Holding up such massive body parts would have placed huge stresses on the spine, especially at the flexible joints between the vertebrae. How was the sauropod skeleton able to bear such tremendous loads without causing injury or compromising mobility?

Predicting language deficits after stroke with connectome-based imaging Posted: 11 Jul 2016 09:05 AM PDT Imaging all of the brain's connections after stroke in addition to imaging only the areas of cortical tissue damage could better predict which patients will have language deficits and how severe those deficits will be. Such imaging could also be used to guide rehabilitative therapy.

How tumor necrosis factor protects against infection Posted: 11 Jul 2016 09:05 AM PDT Tumor necrosis factor (TNF), a messenger substance in the immune system, plays an important role in triggering chronic inflammatory diseases. For this reason, TNF inhibitors are a standard form of treatment for patients with rheumatoid arthritis and certain inflammatory bowel diseases. However, TNF also protects against infection, which means that inhibiting it can cause latent infections to resurface. Researchers have now discovered a new mechanism via which TNF protects against intracellular pathogens that cause infection.

Watch out, silicon chips: Molecular electronics are coming Posted: 11 Jul 2016 07:10 AM PDT Scientists have developed a rapid, non-invasive and scalable method for growing CNTs on a smooth substrate. The breakthrough could help usher in the day when molecular electronics replace silicon chips as the building block of electronics.

Revolutionary surgery for lung cancer Posted: 11 Jul 2016 07:10 AM PDT A major international clinical trial is about to be launched to test a minimally invasive and safer surgical approach for patients with lung cancer: video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) lobectomy with ultrasonic pulmonary artery sealing.

Gulf Stream slowdown to spare Europe from worst of climate change, experts predict Posted: 11 Jul 2016 07:09 AM PDT Scientists have long suggested that global warming could lead to a slowdown -- or even shutdown -- of the vast system of ocean currents, including the Gulf Stream, that keeps Europe warm. However, a new study finds that, rather than cooling Europe, a slowdown of the Thermohaline Circulation would mean the continent still warms, but less quickly than other parts of the world.

Is the Agile Wallaby man's new best friend? Posted: 11 Jul 2016 07:08 AM PDT Looking for a new pet? If so, consider the Agile Wallaby or the Asian Palm Civet. Responding to the growing trend in keeping exotic animals as pets a team of researchers has developed a methodology to assess the suitability of mammals to be kept domestically. The top five animals were: the Sika Deer, Agile Wallaby, Tamar Wallaby, Llama, and Asian Palm Civet.

New insect imaging technique may help victims of sleeping sickness Posted: 11 Jul 2016 07:08 AM PDT Researchers have employed near infrared still photographs and time-lapse video to observe the pupa of the living tsetse fly. The imaging technique may allow lab workers to identify male and female tsetse flies before they emerge as adults, which could make it easier to control them by using the Sterile Insect Technique.

Ancient supernovae buffeted Earth's biology with radiation dose, researcher says Posted: 11 Jul 2016 07:08 AM PDT Ancient supernovae likely exposed biology on our planet to a long-lasting gust of cosmic radiation, which also affected the atmosphere, new research suggests. This would have had a massive effect on the terrestrial atmosphere and biota of the time.

Researchers developing quick, inexpensive test to assess ER+ breast cancers Posted: 11 Jul 2016 06:33 AM PDT Researchers are teaming with industry to develop a quick and inexpensive test to predict which women with ER+ breast cancer need chemotherapy and which need only the more tolerable hormonal therapy.

Home alone: American Parents more confident tweens will avoid fire, storms than guns Posted: 11 Jul 2016 06:33 AM PDT Parents are more confident their pre-teen child would know what to do if there were a house fire or tornado than whether the child would avoid playing with guns if home alone.

Q-biotype whitefly expands to eight Florida counties Posted: 11 Jul 2016 06:29 AM PDT Q-biotype whitefly is expanding across Florida, say investigators. Crops that could eventually be affected include tomatoes, squash, beans, watermelons and many other vegetables and ornamentals.

Engineers selected to safeguard and develop China's sustainable agriculture Posted: 11 Jul 2016 06:26 AM PDT Aerospace engineers are researching how to improve unmanned autonomous ground and air vehicles -- such as fixed wing aircraft or quadrotors -- in order to fulfill remote data collection requirements in China.

Consuming probiotics promotes weight loss, reduces BMI Posted: 11 Jul 2016 06:26 AM PDT Consuming probiotics, so-called 'good bacteria', can reduce body weight and body mass index (BMI) according to a new meta-analysis.

Give more support to scientists with a focus on society, suggests expert Posted: 11 Jul 2016 06:26 AM PDT Existing views on commercial knowledge transfer are based on a misconception. As a result the commercial benefits of research are too small, argue authors of a new report. They have developed a model that can increase the added value of scientific knowledge for society. The model was tested using a large scientific database in Spain.

Over two thirds of researchers who've never peer reviewed would like to, new research reveals Posted: 11 Jul 2016 06:26 AM PDT Bringing together primary research on researchers' motivations behind publishing in peer reviewed journals is the focus of newly published work. Why researchers take on peer review, and their attitudes and opinions towards peer review training and support are covered in the report.

A language where space has no directions Posted: 11 Jul 2016 06:25 AM PDT The way that different languages convey information has long fascinated linguists, anthropologists and sociologists alike. Murrinhpatha, the lingua franca spoken by the majority of Aboriginal people in the Moyle and Fitzmaurice rivers region of Australia's Northern Territory has many interesting features, with the absence of verbal abstract directions a prominent one among them. But if a language doesn't have terms to denote specific space concept, how can speakers communicate the direction of one location with respect to another?

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