ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Boosting potency of broccoli-related compound for age-related macular degeneration
• Performance of cathode material improved by controlling oxygen activity
• People with anger disorder have decreased connectivity between regions of the brain
• How obesity contributes to, blocks treatment of pancreatic cancer
• Scientists use mass spectrometry to 'look inside' an ancient Greek amphora
• Dopamine receptor blockade seen as cause for antipsychotic drug side-effects
• A sharper focus for plasmonic lasers
• Agroforestry helps farmers branch out
• Radiocarbon dating suggests joint cartilage can't renew
• Lessons of lager: Yeast origin becomes a complex tale
• Not blowing smoke: Research finds medical marijuana lowers prescription drug use
• Ancient Brazilians occupied the same homes for centuries
• Blood test to detect DNA fragments shed from colon cancers accurately predicts disease recurrence
• ACA's tobacco surcharges reduce smokers' insurance take-up, study finds
• Astronomers find evidence of water clouds in first spectrum of coldest brown dwarf
• Small molecule keeps new adult neurons from straying, may be tied to schizophrenia
• New consensus guidelines on the management of metastatic colorectal cancer
• New angle for countering severe bacterial infections, sepsis
• Anatomy of a decision: Mapping early development
• A new look at the galaxy-shaping power of black holes
• Interaction between our two genomes, nuclear and mitochondrial, is the key to healthy aging
• Liraglutide reduces blood sugars in patients taking large amounts of insulin
• Flipping crystals triples solar-cell performance
• New microfluidic device offers means for studying electric field cancer therapy
• Your smartwatch is giving away your ATM PIN
• Local consumption, global consequences: Examining impacts of an interconnected world
• Bees' ability to forage decreases as air pollution increases
• Science could help search for the next tennis champions
• Researchers, farmers collaborate to prevent E. coli
• Cells send out stop signs
• 'Omics' data improves breast cancer survival prediction
• HBOT for diabetic foot: Hint of benefit for wound closure
• Experts listen in on noisy Falmouth seas
• Benefits from freeze-all embryo strategy in older IVF patients
• Chemical trail on Saturn's Moon Titan may be key to prebiotic conditions
• Does chronic pain run in families?
• Evolution may have moved at a furious pace on a much warmer earth
• Your kids are what you eat, researchers show
• Zinc lozenges help most patients recover earlier from the common cold
• A faster future: Graphene based optoelectronics
• Moderate and vigorous exercise have comparable effects on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
• It's automatic: Smartphone app manages your privacy preferences
• Songbird dads vary their 'catering' duties according to circumstances
• Female bonobos send mixed messages to males
• Drought stalls tree growth and shuts down Amazon carbon sink, researchers find
• What does a healthy ageing cat look like?
• Children's purchasing behavior 'significantly impacted' by social media, mobile apps
• Penguin colonies at risk from erupting volcano
• Why important innovations stall
• Cannibalism among late Neanderthals in northern Europe
• 'Radical' approach yields catalyst for sustainable indene synthesis
• A sense of direction in the brain: Seeing the inner compass
• Neural networks to obtain synthetic petroleum
• Public urinal generates electricity from urine
• Combining technologies cracks vaccine chiller issue
• Cell migration: Cadherin-11 provides the right hold
• New type of rare brittle-bone disease discovered
• One reaction, two results, zero waste
• Earth-size telescope tracks the aftermath of a star being swallowed by a supermassive black hole
• Replacing oil with wood for the production of chemicals

Boosting potency of broccoli-related compound for age-related macular degeneration Posted: 06 Jul 2016 02:53 PM PDT Researchers boosted the potency of a broccoli-related compound by 10 times and identified it as a possible treatment for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of vision loss affecting more than 10 million older Americans. The research also highlights the role of lipid metabolism in maintaining the health of the retina, reporting that palmitoleic acid also had protective effects on retinal cells in culture and in mice.

Performance of cathode material improved by controlling oxygen activity Posted: 06 Jul 2016 02:53 PM PDT An international team of researchers has demonstrated a new way to increase the robustness and energy storage capability of a particular class of 'lithium-rich' cathode materials -- by using a carbon dioxide-based gas mixture to create oxygen vacancies at the material's surface. Researchers said the treatment improved the energy density -- the amount of energy stored per unit mass -- of the cathode material by up to 30 to 40 percent.

People with anger disorder have decreased connectivity between regions of the brain Posted: 06 Jul 2016 02:53 PM PDT People with intermittent explosive disorder (IED), or impulsive aggression, have a weakened connection between regions of the brain associated with sensory input, language processing and social interaction.

How obesity contributes to, blocks treatment of pancreatic cancer Posted: 06 Jul 2016 02:53 PM PDT Investigators have discovered the mechanism by which obesity increases inflammation and desmoplasia -- an accumulation of connective tissue -- in the most common form of pancreatic cancer and also identify a treatment strategy that may inhibit the process.

Scientists use mass spectrometry to 'look inside' an ancient Greek amphora Posted: 06 Jul 2016 02:44 PM PDT Scientists have used mass spectrometry to analyze bitumen samples from an ancient Greek amphora found on the Taman peninsula. Judging by the level of oxygen in the sample, they managed to accurately identify it's age: 2,500 years. Authors of the study believe that using this method in archaeology will lead to even more interesting discoveries. For instance, we may obtain valuable information about the goods traffic and trade routes in the ancient world.

Dopamine receptor blockade seen as cause for antipsychotic drug side-effects Posted: 06 Jul 2016 02:43 PM PDT Scientists have discovered the key cellular mechanism that underlies the antipsychotic-induced parkinsonism -- which includes involuntary movements, tremors and other severe physical conditions. These studies present evidence that will stimulate a targeted approach for the design of novel antipsychotics without side-effects.

A sharper focus for plasmonic lasers Posted: 06 Jul 2016 02:42 PM PDT Researchers have demonstrated that it is possible to induce plasmonic lasers to emit a narrow beam of light by adapting a technique called distributed feedback. They have experimentally implemented a scheme for terahertz plasmonic lasers that emit radiation at extremely long wavelengths (approximately 100 microns).

Agroforestry helps farmers branch out Posted: 06 Jul 2016 02:42 PM PDT Researchers have looked into the practice of alley cropping, planting long-term tree crops alongside short-term cash crops, for sustainability. Alley cropping is a type of agroforestry, which is the practice of combining crops and trees into one farming system. The dual income from the land can bring greater economic security to farmers.

Radiocarbon dating suggests joint cartilage can't renew Posted: 06 Jul 2016 02:20 PM PDT Using radiocarbon dating as a forensic tool, researchers have found that human cartilage rarely renews in adulthood, suggesting that joint diseases may be harder to treat than previously thought.

Lessons of lager: Yeast origin becomes a complex tale Posted: 06 Jul 2016 02:20 PM PDT The story of hybridization that produced the lager yeast is far more complex and potentially richer than first imagined, investigators have discovered.

Not blowing smoke: Research finds medical marijuana lowers prescription drug use Posted: 06 Jul 2016 02:20 PM PDT Medical marijuana is having a positive impact on the bottom line of Medicare's prescription drug benefit program in states that have legalized its use for medicinal purposes, according to new research.The savings, due to lower prescription drug use, were estimated to be $165.2 million in 2013, a year when 17 states and the District of Columbia had implemented medical marijuana laws.

Ancient Brazilians occupied the same homes for centuries Posted: 06 Jul 2016 02:20 PM PDT Ancient inhabitants of the southern Brazilian highlands were no strangers to the types of home improvements we enjoy today, academics have found.

Blood test to detect DNA fragments shed from colon cancers accurately predicts disease recurrence Posted: 06 Jul 2016 02:20 PM PDT Scientists report they have used a genetic test that spots bits of cancer-related DNA circulating in the blood to accurately predict the likelihood of the disease's return in some -- but not all -- of a small group of patients with early-stage colon cancer.

ACA's tobacco surcharges reduce smokers' insurance take-up, study finds Posted: 06 Jul 2016 02:20 PM PDT A new study reveals an unexpected consequence of the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) tobacco surcharges: high surcharges resulted in lower rates of insurance enrollment among smokers in the first year of the ACA's implementation, without increasing smoking cessation. These effects are at odds with the ACA's mission of universal coverage.

Astronomers find evidence of water clouds in first spectrum of coldest brown dwarf Posted: 06 Jul 2016 12:18 PM PDT Since its detection in 2014, the brown dwarf known as WISE 0855 has fascinated astronomers. Only 7.2 light-years from Earth, it is the coldest known object outside of our solar system. Astronomers have now obtained an infrared spectrum of the brown dwarf using the Gemini North telescope in Hawaii. Among the findings is strong evidence for the existence of clouds of water or water ice, the first such clouds detected outside of our solar system.

Small molecule keeps new adult neurons from straying, may be tied to schizophrenia Posted: 06 Jul 2016 10:59 AM PDT The microRNA miR-19 helps budding adult brain cells stay on track, new research indicates. The findings pave the way toward a better understanding of how the adult brain controls the growth of new neurons and how it can go wrong.

New consensus guidelines on the management of metastatic colorectal cancer Posted: 06 Jul 2016 10:59 AM PDT New consensus guidelines have been released for the management of metastatic colorectal cancer that reflect an increasingly personalized approach to treatment.

New angle for countering severe bacterial infections, sepsis Posted: 06 Jul 2016 10:59 AM PDT Bacterial infections that don't respond to antibiotics are of rising concern, as is sepsis -- the immune system's last-ditch, failed attack on infection that ends up being lethal itself. Researchers describe new potential avenues for controlling both sepsis and the runaway bacterial infections that provoke it.

Anatomy of a decision: Mapping early development Posted: 06 Jul 2016 10:59 AM PDT A new atlas of gene expression during the earliest stages of life boosts studies of development. Understanding very early points of development is vital to understanding how animals develop and how things go wrong.

A new look at the galaxy-shaping power of black holes Posted: 06 Jul 2016 10:59 AM PDT Data from a now-defunct satellite is providing new insights into the complex tug-of-war between galaxies, the hot plasma that surrounds them, and the giant black holes that lurk in their centers. The Japanese space agency Hitomi X-ray Observatory functioned for just over a month before contact was lost and the craft disintegrated. But data obtained during those few weeks was enough to paint a startling new picture of the dynamic forces at work within galaxies.

Interaction between our two genomes, nuclear and mitochondrial, is the key to healthy aging Posted: 06 Jul 2016 10:59 AM PDT Non-pathogenic mitochondrial DNA variants impact metabolism and the way that individuals age, new research shows. The study provides information with important implications for mitochondrial donation therapies, which produce children with three genetic parents.

Liraglutide reduces blood sugars in patients taking large amounts of insulin Posted: 06 Jul 2016 10:21 AM PDT A new drug called Liraglutide has several effects on the body: It increases insulin secretion; it reduces hunger; and it decreases glucagon secretion. Insulin and glucagon are molecules produced by the pancreas that have opposing effects, with insulin reducing blood sugar levels and glucagon increasing blood sugar levels. Insulin is secreted by beta cells in the pancreas and glucagon is secreted by alpha cells in the pancreas.

Flipping crystals triples solar-cell performance Posted: 06 Jul 2016 10:21 AM PDT In a step that could bring perovskite crystals closer to use in the burgeoning solar power industry, researchers have tweaked their crystal production method and developed a new type of two-dimensional layered perovskite with outstanding stability and more than triple the material's previous power conversion efficiency.

New microfluidic device offers means for studying electric field cancer therapy Posted: 06 Jul 2016 10:19 AM PDT A new microfluidic device with implantable electrodes slows tumor progression while leaving healthy cells intact, report researchers. The device, about the size of a U.S. dollar coin, is designed to help scientists narrow in on safe ranges of electric fields to noninvasively treat breast, lung, and other forms of cancer.

Your smartwatch is giving away your ATM PIN Posted: 06 Jul 2016 10:19 AM PDT Wearable devices can give away your passwords, according to new research. In a new paper, researchers combined data from embedded sensors in wearable technologies, such as smartwatches and fitness trackers, along with a computer algorithm to crack private PINs and passwords with 80-percent accuracy on the first try and more than 90-percent accuracy after three tries.

Local consumption, global consequences: Examining impacts of an interconnected world Posted: 06 Jul 2016 10:19 AM PDT A new study examines the virtual shrinking of distances between places -- arising because of trade, telecommunication and travel -- and the widening gap between where products are made, where they're used, and where the impacts occur.

Bees' ability to forage decreases as air pollution increases Posted: 06 Jul 2016 10:19 AM PDT Air pollutants interact with and break down plant-emitted scent molecules, which insect pollinators use to locate needed food, according to a team of researchers. The pollution-modified plant odors can confuse bees and, as a result, bees' foraging time increases and pollination efficiency decreases. This happens because the chemical interactions decrease both the scent molecules' life spans and the distances they travel.

Science could help search for the next tennis champions Posted: 06 Jul 2016 10:19 AM PDT Grouping young tennis players according to their physical maturity rather than their chronological age could help us develop future tennis champions.

Researchers, farmers collaborate to prevent E. coli Posted: 06 Jul 2016 10:19 AM PDT A collaborative study involving microbiologists, epidemiologists, animal scientists, veterinarians, graduate students, undergraduates and farmers could lead to better prevention practices to limit dangerous E. coli bacteria transmissions, say researchers.

Cells send out stop signs Posted: 06 Jul 2016 10:14 AM PDT Eph receptors and their partner proteins, the ephrins, are vital for intercellular communication. In the developing brain, they guide young neurons to the right partner cells by repulsion. They also play important roles in cell migration, regeneration, neurodegenerative diseases and the development of cancer. Until recently, scientists assumed that ephrin/Eph signal transmission could only occur through direct cell-cell contact. However, researchers have now shown that cells can also pack and release active ephrins and Eph receptors through extracellular vesicles. Not only does this discovery improve our understanding of this communication system, it may also pave the way for new therapeutic strategies.

'Omics' data improves breast cancer survival prediction Posted: 06 Jul 2016 10:14 AM PDT Precise predictions of whether a tumor is likely to spread would help clinicians and patients choose the best course of treatment. But current methods fall short of the precision needed. New research reveals that profiling primary tumor samples using genomic technologies can improve the accuracy of breast cancer survival predictions compared to clinical information alone.

HBOT for diabetic foot: Hint of benefit for wound closure Posted: 06 Jul 2016 10:14 AM PDT Diabetic foot wounds can heal better with additional HBOT, report investigators, but no advantages were found for other aspects of treatment.

Experts listen in on noisy Falmouth seas Posted: 06 Jul 2016 10:14 AM PDT A long-term plan for managing noise in shallow parts of the ocean such as Falmouth Bay is needed to protect the environment, scientists say. Humanmade noise in the marine environment can increase stress in animals, alter their behavior, and displace them from habitats important to their daily lives.

Benefits from freeze-all embryo strategy in older IVF patients Posted: 06 Jul 2016 10:14 AM PDT Conventional IVF protocols involve the transfer of a fresh embryo to the uterus during the same cycle in which the eggs were collected and freezing extra embryos for future use. A novel approach to improving IVF outcomes has recently emerged in which all embryos generated from an egg collection cycle are electively frozen and transferred in a subsequent cycle.

Chemical trail on Saturn's Moon Titan may be key to prebiotic conditions Posted: 06 Jul 2016 08:51 AM PDT Scientists have uncovered a chemical trail that suggests prebiotic conditions may exist on Saturn's largest moon Titan. This moon features terrain with Earthlike attributes such as lakes, rivers and seas, although filled with liquid methane and ethane instead of water.

Does chronic pain run in families? Posted: 06 Jul 2016 08:51 AM PDT Can an increased risk of chronic pain be transmitted from parents to children? Several factors may contribute, including genetics, effects on early development, social learning, and more according to a new report.

Evolution may have moved at a furious pace on a much warmer earth Posted: 06 Jul 2016 08:51 AM PDT The rate of a certain chemical change in DNA -- a key driver of spontaneous mutation and thus of evolution's pace -- increases rapidly with temperature, researchers have discovered. The scientists concluded that the rate of spontaneous mutation was at least 4,000 times higher than it is today.

Your kids are what you eat, researchers show Posted: 06 Jul 2016 08:50 AM PDT Parent-child diet quality and calories consumed are related in significant ways, research indicates. This discovery could lead to better strategies as the nation works to address the growing public health problems of obesity and related conditions such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

Zinc lozenges help most patients recover earlier from the common cold Posted: 06 Jul 2016 08:49 AM PDT Zinc acetate lozenges may reduce the duration of the common cold by nearly 3 days, according to a recent analysis.

A faster future: Graphene based optoelectronics Posted: 06 Jul 2016 08:49 AM PDT As an important step towards graphene integration in silicon photonics, researchers have published a paper that shows how graphene can provide a simple solution for silicon photodetection in the telecommunication wavelengths.

Moderate and vigorous exercise have comparable effects on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease Posted: 06 Jul 2016 08:47 AM PDT A brisk walk is just as good as a jog when it comes to fighting nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, researchers finds. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease independent of metabolic risk factors, such as diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidemia.

It's automatic: Smartphone app manages your privacy preferences Posted: 06 Jul 2016 08:47 AM PDT A field study suggests a personalized privacy assistant app currently under development can simplify the chore of setting privacy permissions for your smartphone apps. That's a task that requires well over a hundred decisions, an unmanageable number for the typical user.

Songbird dads vary their 'catering' duties according to circumstances Posted: 06 Jul 2016 08:47 AM PDT Expecting songbird dads do not always work themselves into frenzy to provide food to their partners sitting on the nest. They take breaks on warmer days, when food is more readily available or if their partner is older and more experienced in successfully hatching eggs.

Female bonobos send mixed messages to males Posted: 06 Jul 2016 08:47 AM PDT In several species of primates, males often discern when to mate with a female based on cyclical changes in the size and firmness of her sexual swelling -- a visual signal of a female's probability to conceive. Primatologists have now investigated for the first time the relationship between ovarian hormones and sexual swellings in wild female bonobos. The likelihood that a female bonobo ovulates during her maximum swelling phase is much lower than in the closely related chimpanzees. Swellings are thus no reliable fertility signal for males and allow females to follow their own agenda when choosing a mate.

Drought stalls tree growth and shuts down Amazon carbon sink, researchers find Posted: 06 Jul 2016 08:46 AM PDT A recent drought completely shut down the Amazon Basin's carbon sink, by killing trees and slowing their growth, a ground-breaking study has found.

What does a healthy ageing cat look like? Posted: 06 Jul 2016 08:46 AM PDT Just as improved diet and medical care have resulted in increased life expectancy in humans, advances in nutrition and veterinary care have increased the life span of pet cats. The result is a growing population of ageing cats; in the USA, for example, it is estimated that 20 percent of pet cats are 11 years of age or older.

Children's purchasing behavior 'significantly impacted' by social media, mobile apps Posted: 06 Jul 2016 08:46 AM PDT A new study examines how children in European countries are influenced by online marketing. The study focused on the impact on children of in-game adverts in advergames, mobile apps and social media games.

Penguin colonies at risk from erupting volcano Posted: 06 Jul 2016 08:46 AM PDT A volcano erupting on a small island in the Sub Antarctic is depositing ash over one of the world's largest penguin colonies. Zavodovski Island is a small island in the South Sandwich archipelago and its volcano Mt Curry has been erupting since March 2016. The island is home to over one million chinstrap penguins -- the largest colony for this species in the world.

Why important innovations stall Posted: 06 Jul 2016 08:44 AM PDT A new study chronicles the history of opposition to innovations ranging from tractors to coffee and margarine -- and its underlying reasons.

Cannibalism among late Neanderthals in northern Europe Posted: 06 Jul 2016 06:28 AM PDT Grisly evidence has been uncovered by researchers that Neanderthals butchered their own kind some 40,000 years ago, opening up many possibilities regarding the way late Neanderthals dealt with their dead in this last period before they died out.

'Radical' approach yields catalyst for sustainable indene synthesis Posted: 06 Jul 2016 06:28 AM PDT A team of scientists has developed a new catalyst for the easy synthesis of substituted 1H-indenes. Based on the abundant element cobalt their cheap and easy to prepare catalytic complex is capable of the sustainable concept of metalloradical catalysis.

A sense of direction in the brain: Seeing the inner compass Posted: 06 Jul 2016 06:28 AM PDT Head direction cells in rodents are directly connected with other neuronal structures used in navigation, most importantly the 'grid cell area,' report investigators.

Neural networks to obtain synthetic petroleum Posted: 06 Jul 2016 06:22 AM PDT A research group has made progress in obtaining bio-oils and raw materials from biomass using its patented reactor. Biomass is one of the main sources of energy and heat in the field of renewable energy production: it is any type of non-fossil organic matter, such as living plants, timber, agricultural and livestock waste, wastewater, solid urban organic waste, etc.

Public urinal generates electricity from urine Posted: 06 Jul 2016 06:22 AM PDT Urine can be transformed into electricity with the help of bacterial metabolism, thanks to a new device. A test cubicle was installed at Glastonbury festival, but the final aim is to improve sanitation facilities in Developing World countries or in areas where there is limited electricity generation, such as refugee camps.

Combining technologies cracks vaccine chiller issue Posted: 06 Jul 2016 06:22 AM PDT Vaccines against killer diseases from polio to hepatitis are fragile and can easily be made useless if they get too hot or too cold. Now scientists and engineers have developed a cost-effective vaccine storage device which perfectly preserves vaccines for an astonishing 35 days using just 30 litres of ice and without needing electricity.

Cell migration: Cadherin-11 provides the right hold Posted: 06 Jul 2016 06:22 AM PDT Cadherins are part of the protein family of adhesion molecules. Just like mortar between the bricks in a wall, they ensure that cells stay together, preventing them from breaking away and migrating from a group of cells. Especially in tumor cells, however, cadherin-11 behaves in exactly the opposite way – it triggers the migration of cells – explain researchers.

New type of rare brittle-bone disease discovered Posted: 06 Jul 2016 06:17 AM PDT Researchers have discovered the first X-chromosome-inherited type of the congenital disease osteogenesis imperfecta, also known as brittle-bone disease. The new discovery improves the genetic diagnosis of the disease and paves the way to possible improved treatment options for patients.

One reaction, two results, zero waste Posted: 06 Jul 2016 06:17 AM PDT From a single ester, the same chemical process can create either an alcohol or multiple esters by slightly tweaking the reaction conditions, explain scientists in a new report.

Earth-size telescope tracks the aftermath of a star being swallowed by a supermassive black hole Posted: 06 Jul 2016 06:17 AM PDT Radio astronomers have used a radio telescope network the size of the Earth to zoom in on a unique phenomenon in a distant galaxy: a jet activated by a star being consumed by a supermassive black hole. The record-sharp observations reveal a compact and surprisingly slowly moving source of radio waves.

Replacing oil with wood for the production of chemicals Posted: 06 Jul 2016 06:17 AM PDT Two research projects have developed new processes to replace petroleum with wood for the production of important chemicals. These precursors are used in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, plastics or fertilizers, report researchers.

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