ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Very premature infants: Towards better care
• Coconuts could inspire new designs for earthquake-proof buildings
• Acid attack: Can mussels hang on for much longer?
• Immune cells cast nets to save us from harm
• Distinct differences in structure, features of retroviruses
• Neuroscience study identifies new trigger mechanism for fragile X syndrome in mice
• Effects of supervision variables in treating ASD
• Lush Venus? Searing Earth? It could have happened
• The snow leopard -- world’s most mysterious big cat -- may be more common than thought
• Fundamental limits of invisibility cloaks determined
• Scientists isolate, culture elusive Yellowstone microbe
• Researchers tally huge number of venomous fishes, tout potential for medical therapies
• Eye of the beetle: How the Emerald Ash Borer sees may be key to stopping it
• Why do aged muscles heal slowly?
• On the path toward molecular robots
• Integrated trio of 2-D nanomaterials unlocks graphene electronics applications
• How we explain things influences what we think is right
• Enjoying meals prepared at home: Short-cut to avoiding diabetes?
• Energy-dense food consumption declines after Mexico's tax
• Potential phage therapy virus massively alters RNA metabolism during infection
• Learning about the hummingbirds and the bees in floral diversity
• Understanding forest fire history can help keep forests healthy
• Elegant way of pinpointing how new drugs exert beneficial effects
• Policymakers fall short on global agreement to reduce marketing unhealthy foods to kids
• Some genetic causes of ALS may need an epigenetic trigger to activate the disease
• Living longer associated with living healthier, study of centenarians finds
• Parkinson's Disease biomarker found in patient urine samples
• Integrated trio of 2D nanomaterials unlocks graphene electronics applications
• New targeted gene therapy could lead to improved treatment for emphysema
• Professor finds positive effects from bringing physical activity to the desk
• Chemists establish fundamentals of ferroelectric materials
• From super to ultra-resolution microscopy
• Malaria study shows how multiple infections make disease worse
• Ostrich relative lived in North America about 50 million years ago
• How toxins activate cellular guides
• Mammals diversified only after dinosaur extinction left space
• The story of how a touch screen helped a paralyzed chimp walk again
• Higher consumption of unsaturated fats linked with lower mortality rates
• More calories consumed from subsidized food commodities linked to cardiometabolic risks
• Maternal vaccination against influenza associated with protection for infants
• Warming pulses in ancient climate record link volcanoes, asteroid impact and dinosaur-killing mass extinction
• Effect of palliative care-led meetings for families of patients with chronic critical illness
• Drug helps control involuntary, sudden movements of Huntington disease
• Despite increasing global legalization of physician-assisted suicide, use remains rare
• Characteristics improving bean resistance to drought identified
• Bouncing droplets remove contaminants like pogo jumpers
• Building a better bowtie
• New Chinese leaf-roller weevil does not know how to roll leaves
• Link between stress hormone, obesity in depressed, bipolar patients
• New plastic material begins to oscillate spontaneously in sunlight
• Evolutionary split up without geographic barriers
• Many elderly are prescribed antihypertensive medication despite having low blood pressure
• New detection method paves the way for 100 percent detection of esophageal cancer
• New brainstem model reveals how brains control breathing
• Extra 1000 steps a day has benefits for children with type 1 diabetes
• California droughts caused mainly by changes in wind, not moisture
• Unraveling the genes for sexual traits in stag beetles
• New study examines Freud's theory of hysteria
• Scientists identify an essential role of the immune receptor CD69 in psoriasis
• A little impurity makes nanolasers shine

Very premature infants: Towards better care Posted: 05 Jul 2016 05:31 PM PDT Born too soon, very premature infants are particularly vulnerable and need appropriate care. New research examines how medical practices based on scientific evidence are incorporated into the care of these neonates.

Coconuts could inspire new designs for earthquake-proof buildings Posted: 05 Jul 2016 05:31 PM PDT Coconuts are renowned for their hard shells, which are vital to ensure their seeds successfully germinate. But the specialized structure of coconut walls could help to design buildings that can withstand earthquakes and other natural disasters.

Acid attack: Can mussels hang on for much longer? Posted: 05 Jul 2016 05:31 PM PDT Scientists have found evidence that ocean acidification caused by carbon emissions can prevent mussels attaching themselves to rocks and other substrates, making them easy targets for predators and threatening the mussel farming industry.

Immune cells cast nets to save us from harm Posted: 05 Jul 2016 05:31 PM PDT Our immune cells can undergo a spectacular form of cell death, using their own DNA to make nets that kill infectious microbes. Now for the first time, advanced microscopy techniques have allowed scientists to visualize details of how immune cells behave during this extraordinary process.

Distinct differences in structure, features of retroviruses Posted: 05 Jul 2016 03:31 PM PDT In the most comprehensive study of its kind, researchers report that most types of retroviruses have distinct, non-identical virus structures.

Neuroscience study identifies new trigger mechanism for fragile X syndrome in mice Posted: 05 Jul 2016 03:31 PM PDT A new study identifies an astroglial trigger mechanism as contributing to symptoms of fragile X syndrome in mice.

Effects of supervision variables in treating ASD Posted: 05 Jul 2016 01:45 PM PDT Scientists have announced study findings on the effects of variables in treating autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The evaluation provides the most up-to-date, scientifically sound evidence to CARD and other autism therapy specialists in order to provide the best treatment to those with ASD.

Lush Venus? Searing Earth? It could have happened Posted: 05 Jul 2016 01:45 PM PDT It may not have taken much in the early solar system to set Earth and Venus on very different paths, according to researchers. A new paper points the way toward what scientists should consider as they seek habitable planets elsewhere in the galaxy.

The snow leopard -- world’s most mysterious big cat -- may be more common than thought Posted: 05 Jul 2016 01:04 PM PDT The snow leopard has long been one of the least studied – and therefore poorly understood – of the large cats. No longer.

Fundamental limits of invisibility cloaks determined Posted: 05 Jul 2016 01:02 PM PDT The researchers' theory confirms that it is possible to use cloaks to perfectly hide an object for a specific wavelength, but hiding an object from an illumination containing different wavelengths becomes more challenging as the size of the object increases.

Scientists isolate, culture elusive Yellowstone microbe Posted: 05 Jul 2016 01:02 PM PDT A microbial partnership thriving in an acidic hot spring in Yellowstone National Park has surrendered some of its lifestyle secrets to researchers.

Researchers tally huge number of venomous fishes, tout potential for medical therapies Posted: 05 Jul 2016 01:02 PM PDT A new article catalogs instances of venomous aquatic life, for the first time showing that venom has evolved 18 separate times in fresh and saltwater fishes.

Eye of the beetle: How the Emerald Ash Borer sees may be key to stopping it Posted: 05 Jul 2016 01:02 PM PDT This iridescent jewel beetle, responsible for the death of more than 50 million ash trees in the United States, has blazed an absolute path of destruction west since its discovery in Michigan in 2002. Recently the pest has been detected in Colorado, and just this spring it was confirmed in Nebraska and Texas. Researchers have been doing more than just watching the migration patterns -- they've been studying the creature in hopes of helping to slow it.

Why do aged muscles heal slowly? Posted: 05 Jul 2016 01:01 PM PDT As we age, the function and regenerative abilities of skeletal muscles deteriorate, which means it is difficult for the elderly to recover from injury or surgery. New work demonstrates that a protein called b1-integrin is crucial for muscle regeneration. The findings provide a promising target for therapeutic intervention to combat muscle aging or disease.

On the path toward molecular robots Posted: 05 Jul 2016 11:42 AM PDT Scientists have developed light-powered molecular motors that repetitively bend and unbend, bringing us closer to molecular robots.

Integrated trio of 2-D nanomaterials unlocks graphene electronics applications Posted: 05 Jul 2016 11:41 AM PDT A new article describes the development of the first useful device that exploits the potential of charge-density waves to modulate an electrical current through a 2-D material. The new technology could become an ultralow power alternative to conventional silicon-based devices, which are used in thousands of applications from computers to clocks to radios.

How we explain things influences what we think is right Posted: 05 Jul 2016 11:40 AM PDT New research focuses on a fundamental human habit: When trying to explain something (why people give roses for Valentine's Day, for example), we often focus on the traits of the thing itself (roses are pretty) and not its context (advertisers promote roses). In a new study, researchers found that people who tend to focus on 'inherent traits' and ignore context also are more likely to assume that the patterns they see around them are good.

Enjoying meals prepared at home: Short-cut to avoiding diabetes? Posted: 05 Jul 2016 11:40 AM PDT People who often consume meals prepared at home are less likely to suffer from type 2 diabetes than those who consume such meals less frequently, according to new epidemiological research.

Energy-dense food consumption declines after Mexico's tax Posted: 05 Jul 2016 11:40 AM PDT Purchases of taxed foods declined beyond pre-tax trends following Mexico's 2014 tax on nonessential, energy-dense foods like salty snacks and frozen desserts, according to a survey-based study.

Potential phage therapy virus massively alters RNA metabolism during infection Posted: 05 Jul 2016 11:40 AM PDT Using metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses, a research group reveals that a bacteriophage that infects the opportunistic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, metabolizes host RNA to replicate itself inside the cell.

Learning about the hummingbirds and the bees in floral diversity Posted: 05 Jul 2016 11:15 AM PDT The floral diversity and repeated shifts in pollination have inspired a series of scientists to study adaptive evolution in the genus. But until now many of the species relationships have been unresolved and hampered by the very thing that makes studying the genus so appealing. The rapid speciation and evolutionary radiation that makes studying adaptation in these groups so interesting have also meant the species relationships have been difficult to resolve -- until now.

Understanding forest fire history can help keep forests healthy Posted: 05 Jul 2016 11:14 AM PDT Researchers have studied tree rings throughout Oklahoma and Tennessee to determine the history of fires in those areas. For nearly a century, forest fires have been viewed by scientists and the public as dangerous and environmentally damaging disasters. However, recent research has shown that forest fires are vital to maintaining healthy forests.

Elegant way of pinpointing how new drugs exert beneficial effects Posted: 05 Jul 2016 11:14 AM PDT A collaborative effort by cancer researchers and chemists has resulted in the identification of a new drug target in leukemia and creation of a candidate drug that hits the target. More important, the research demonstrates a new, highly accurate way of proving how this and certain other classes of drugs work -- extremely valuable information in the risky business of drug development.

Policymakers fall short on global agreement to reduce marketing unhealthy foods to kids Posted: 05 Jul 2016 11:14 AM PDT While small steps have been taken by the global food and beverage industry to reduce the targeted marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages to children and teens, comprehensive measures to keep them from falling under the influence of such marketing efforts have fallen short of a World Health Organization resolution to reduce obesity, a new study suggests.

Some genetic causes of ALS may need an epigenetic trigger to activate the disease Posted: 05 Jul 2016 11:14 AM PDT A new research report shows why, for some people, having a genetic predisposition to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis may not be enough to actually guarantee having the disease.

Living longer associated with living healthier, study of centenarians finds Posted: 05 Jul 2016 11:14 AM PDT Those who live 95 years or more are able to stave off age-related disease, with serious sickness compressed into only a few years late in life, a study of nearly 3,000 people has found.

Parkinson's Disease biomarker found in patient urine samples Posted: 05 Jul 2016 10:53 AM PDT Stored samples of urine and cerebral-spinal fluid from patients with Parkinson's disease hold a brand-new type of biomarker -- a phosphorylated protein that correlates with the presence and severity of Parkinson's disease -- new research indicates

Integrated trio of 2D nanomaterials unlocks graphene electronics applications Posted: 05 Jul 2016 10:53 AM PDT Graphene has emerged as one of the most promising two-dimensional crystals, but the future of electronics may include two other nanomaterials, according to a new study. In new research, the researchers described the integration of three very different two-dimensional (2D) materials to yield a simple, compact, and fast voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) device.

New targeted gene therapy could lead to improved treatment for emphysema Posted: 05 Jul 2016 10:51 AM PDT Researchers have developed a new strategy using lung-targeted gene therapy that may lead to improved treatments for inherited diseases including emphysema.

Professor finds positive effects from bringing physical activity to the desk Posted: 05 Jul 2016 10:51 AM PDT A positive link between mood, motivation and physical activity during work and study has been uncovered by new research that studied the cognitive effects of physical activity workstations and traditional desks on student volunteers. The results of the study suggest the inclusion of light physical activity during work or study has positive effects without detracting from work or study effectiveness.

Chemists establish fundamentals of ferroelectric materials Posted: 05 Jul 2016 10:51 AM PDT Chemists are enabling the next generation of research into ferroelectric materials. In a new study they demonstrate a multiscale simulation of lead titanate oxide that provides new understanding about what it takes for polarizations within these materials to switch.

From super to ultra-resolution microscopy Posted: 05 Jul 2016 10:50 AM PDT Scientists have, for the first time, been able to tell apart features distanced only 5 nanometers from each other in a densely packed, single molecular structure and to achieve the so far highest resolution in optical microscopy. The technology, also called 'discrete molecular imaging', enhances the team's DNA nanotechnology-powered super-resolution microscopy platform with an integrated set of new imaging methods.

Malaria study shows how multiple infections make disease worse Posted: 05 Jul 2016 10:50 AM PDT Scientists have discovered why infections with the two most common types of malaria parasite combined lead to greater health risks -- because one species helps the other to thrive.

Ostrich relative lived in North America about 50 million years ago Posted: 05 Jul 2016 09:20 AM PDT The new species is named Calciavis grandei -- with "calci" meaning "hard/stone," and "avis" from the Latin for bird, and "grandei" in honor of famed paleontologist Lance Grande who has studied the fossil fish from the same ancient North American lake for decades.

How toxins activate cellular guides Posted: 05 Jul 2016 09:19 AM PDT The ingestion of antibiotics often damages the intestine's natural flora. This prevents it from keeping pathogens under control; diarrhea and intestinal inflammation are the result. Researchers have now demonstrated how the toxin CDT of C. difficile bacteria forms harmful cellular protrusions.

Mammals diversified only after dinosaur extinction left space Posted: 05 Jul 2016 09:01 AM PDT Humans' early mammal relatives likely diversified 66 million years ago, after the extinction of dinosaurs opened up space for animals such as big cats, horses, elephants and eventually apes to evolve.

The story of how a touch screen helped a paralyzed chimp walk again Posted: 05 Jul 2016 09:01 AM PDT The case of Reo, a male chimpanzee that learned to walk again after being paralyzed due to illness, shows how much can be done to rehabilitate animals injured in captivity.

Higher consumption of unsaturated fats linked with lower mortality rates Posted: 05 Jul 2016 09:00 AM PDT Consuming higher amounts of unsaturated fats was associated with lower mortality rates, according to a new study. The researchers found higher consumption of saturated and trans fats was linked with higher mortality compared with the same number of calories from carbohydrates. This study provides further support for the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans that emphasize the types of fat rather than total amount of fat in the diet.

More calories consumed from subsidized food commodities linked to cardiometabolic risks Posted: 05 Jul 2016 09:00 AM PDT Two related dietary studies and a commentary online examined whether an individual's consumption of food derived from subsidized food commodities was associated with cardiometabolic risks. The second study looked at long-term associations between the dietary intake of specific fats and the risk of death.

Maternal vaccination against influenza associated with protection for infants Posted: 05 Jul 2016 09:00 AM PDT How long does the protection from a mother's immunization against influenza during pregnancy last for infants after they are born? A new study indicates that the vaccine's efficacy against influenza illness was highest when infants were 8 weeks or younger at 85.6 percent but decreased as the infants grew to 25.5 percent among infants 8 to 16 weeks and to 30.3 percent among infants 16 to 24 weeks.

Warming pulses in ancient climate record link volcanoes, asteroid impact and dinosaur-killing mass extinction Posted: 05 Jul 2016 08:21 AM PDT A new reconstruction of Antarctic ocean temperatures around the time the dinosaurs disappeared 66 million years ago supports the idea that one of the planet's biggest mass extinctions was due to the combined effects of volcanic eruptions and an asteroid impact.

Effect of palliative care-led meetings for families of patients with chronic critical illness Posted: 05 Jul 2016 08:21 AM PDT Among families of patients with chronic critical illness, the use of palliative care-led informational and emotional support meetings compared with usual care did not reduce anxiety or depression symptoms, according to a study.

Drug helps control involuntary, sudden movements of Huntington disease Posted: 05 Jul 2016 08:21 AM PDT A new study evaluated the efficacy and safety of the drug deutetrabenazine to control a prominent symptom of Huntington disease, chorea, which is an involuntary, sudden movement that can affect any muscle and flow randomly across body regions. Chorea can interfere with daily functioning and increase the risk of injury.

Despite increasing global legalization of physician-assisted suicide, use remains rare Posted: 05 Jul 2016 08:21 AM PDT Despite increasing legalization of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (PAS) worldwide, the practice remains relatively rare and, when carried out, is primarily motivated by psychological factors such as loss of autonomy or enjoyment of life, rather than physical pain. A new comprehensive assessment of data from around the world shows that in areas where they are legal, only 0.3 to 4.6 percent of deaths result from euthanasia or PAS, with more than 70 percent of cases involving patients with cancer. The study also shows that the majority of patients requesting euthanasia or PAS are older, white and well-educated.

Characteristics improving bean resistance to drought identified Posted: 05 Jul 2016 08:20 AM PDT A combination of characteristics is the key to success for the genetic improvement of beans to make them resistant to droughts, say scientists, whose research can improve crop yield in Central and South America, Africa and Mexico.

Bouncing droplets remove contaminants like pogo jumpers Posted: 05 Jul 2016 08:20 AM PDT Researchers are exploring whether surfaces can shed dirt without being subjected to fragile coatings.

Building a better bowtie Posted: 05 Jul 2016 08:19 AM PDT Bowtie-shaped nanostructures may advance the development of quantum devices.

New Chinese leaf-roller weevil does not know how to roll leaves Posted: 05 Jul 2016 08:19 AM PDT New beetle species and genus from China was reared from legumes. Observed to eat the seeds, it belongs to a tribe, whose members are known to roll hardwood leaves to make nests. The females deposit their eggs in them, so that once hatched, the larvae eat the rolls. This species seems to have still not developed this evolutionary ability and is considered very primitive in its group.

Link between stress hormone, obesity in depressed, bipolar patients Posted: 05 Jul 2016 08:19 AM PDT Low levels of the stress hormone cortisol are linked to obesity, high levels of fat in the blood and metabolic syndrome among patients with recurrent depressions or bipolar disorder, according to a new study.

New plastic material begins to oscillate spontaneously in sunlight Posted: 05 Jul 2016 08:19 AM PDT Place this thin layer of plastic in the sun and it begins to oscillate irregularly all by itself. This material is the first that moves spontaneously under the influence of daylight. According to the researchers, this pliable plastic is suitable as a self-cleaning surface, for example for solar cells.

Evolutionary split up without geographic barriers Posted: 05 Jul 2016 08:19 AM PDT Evolutionary biologists have completed the most extensive study of sympatric speciation so far. They used around 20,000 characteristics of 450 fish to document the parallel evolution of cichlid fish in two crater lakes, Apoyo and Xiloá, in Nicaragua.

Many elderly are prescribed antihypertensive medication despite having low blood pressure Posted: 05 Jul 2016 08:19 AM PDT According to a new study a significant proportion of patients over 70 remain on antihypertensive medication despite having low blood pressure. This, the study argues, has a significant effect on increased mortality rates and admissions to hospital.

New detection method paves the way for 100 percent detection of esophageal cancer Posted: 05 Jul 2016 08:19 AM PDT Recognizing early stages of esophageal cancer is difficult because it can easily be missed. Medical researchers have now been working to develop a method to enable a computer to scan esophagus images for signs of esophageal cancer. With exceptional results: the computer recognizes early cancer with almost as much accuracy as top specialists, of which there is only a handful.

New brainstem model reveals how brains control breathing Posted: 05 Jul 2016 08:19 AM PDT Scientists have discovered how the brain controls our breathing in response to changing oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the blood.

Extra 1000 steps a day has benefits for children with type 1 diabetes Posted: 05 Jul 2016 07:29 AM PDT Keeping count of daily steps and boosting physical activity can really pay off for children with type 1 diabetes, according to new research.

California droughts caused mainly by changes in wind, not moisture Posted: 05 Jul 2016 07:26 AM PDT Droughts in California are mainly controlled by wind, not by the amount of evaporated moisture in the air, new research has found. The research increases the understanding of how the water cycle is related to extreme events and could eventually help in predicting droughts and floods.

Unraveling the genes for sexual traits in stag beetles Posted: 05 Jul 2016 07:25 AM PDT Scientists have built a gene expression database of a stag beetle and identified genes important for sex determination and differentiation.

New study examines Freud's theory of hysteria Posted: 05 Jul 2016 07:24 AM PDT New research has studied the controversial Freudian theory that Hysteria, a disorder resulting in severe neurological symptoms such as paralysis or seizures, arises in response to psychological stress or trauma. The study found supportive evidence that stressors around the time of onset of symptoms might be relevant for some patients.

Scientists identify an essential role of the immune receptor CD69 in psoriasis Posted: 05 Jul 2016 07:24 AM PDT The findings of the study suggest that CD69 might also participate in other inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis.

A little impurity makes nanolasers shine Posted: 05 Jul 2016 07:24 AM PDT Scientists have improved the performance of tiny lasers by adding impurities, in a discovery which will be central to the development of low-cost biomedical sensors, quantum computing, and a faster internet. A researcher added atoms of zinc to lasers one hundredth the diameter of a human hair and made of gallium arsenide -- a material used extensively in smartphones and other electronic devices,.

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