ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Environmental DNA uncovers biodiversity in rivers
• Quest to find the 'missing physics' at play in landslides
• Female fiddler crabs want protection not sex
• Increasing nursing mothers' vitamin D levels may benefit babies
• 'Animal Farm' immunity receptors only work in a crowd, researchers find
• Flywheel technology could create new savings for light rail transit
• Amputees' brains remember missing hands even years later
• Two-photon imaging of Meissner's corpuscle mechanoreceptors in living tissue
• Emoticons in ancient Egypt
• Female mosquitoes can transmit Zika virus to their eggs, offspring
• Antipsychotic medications linked to increased risk of pneumonia in persons with Alzheimer's disease
• Mitosis study finds potential cancer target
• Swelling obesity rates may be tied to childhood antibiotic use
• Colors from darkness: Alternative approach to quantum computing
• Cows in glass tanks help to reduce methane emissions
• Planet Nine could spell doom for solar system
• Change in the immune system can lead to success
• New iPad game could help diagnose autism in children
• Caution urged in the use of blood pressure lowering treatment for heart disease patients
• 'Helix-to-tube' a simple strategy to synthesize covalent organic nanotubes
• Brain's internal compass also navigates during imagination
• Results of trial into anticoagulants for cardioversion in atrial fibrillation patients published
• More tomatoes, faster: Accelerating tomato engineering
• Cell phone conversations hinder child pedestrian crossing abilities
• A new animal model to understand metastasis in sarcomas
• New species of pterosaur discovered in Patagonia
• People with alcohol dependency lack important enzyme
• System may help treat rare genetic disorder, reduce severe side effects
• Technique could assess historic changes to Antarctic sea ice, glaciers
• Swarm robots can learn by simply observing
• Critical protein shows promise for the treatment of Alzheimer's
• Progress in refining the genetic causes of schizophrenia
• Dogs understand both vocabulary and intonation of human speech
• Super cement's secret
• Molecular switch may sensitize triple-negative breast cancers to immunotherapy
• Five-year study reveals patients operated on at night twice as likely to die as patients who have daytime operations
• Interactive map shows where animals will move under climate change
• Shark fins and meat contain high levels of neurotoxins linked to Alzheimer's disease
• NASA team probes peculiar age-defying star
• Cellular communication processes that make life possible
• Ancient dental plaque sheds new light on the diet of Mesolithic foragers in the Balkans
• Characteristic chemical signature for chronic fatigue syndrome identified
• Radiologists detect breast cancer in 'blink of an eye'
• Proxima b is in host star's habitable zone, but could it really be habitable?
• Poof! The weird case of the X-ray that came out blank
• First two weeks of football practice the most dangerous for heat-related illness
• Use it or lose it: Stopping exercise decreases brain blood flow
• Blinding disease in canines and humans shares causative gene, pathology
• How aged wine gets its aroma
• America's wars take uneven toll, study finds
• Anti-friction solutions? Very thin layers of water can become ice-like at room temperature
• Cracking the coldest case: How Lucy, the most famous human ancestor, died
• Majority of older adults in jail have distressing health symptoms
• Alzheimer's: Nicotinic receptors as a new therapeutic target
• Outpatient bloodstream infections costly for pediatric transplant and cancer patients
• New hope for Zika treatment found in large-scale screen of existing drugs
• Continuous roll-process technology for transferring and packaging flexible LSI
• Researchers unravel process for the formation of rainstorms
• Amazon forests: Biodiversity can help mitigate climate risks
• New window to understanding the brain

Environmental DNA uncovers biodiversity in rivers Posted: 30 Aug 2016 08:33 AM PDT Researchers have used 'environmental DNA' to determine the biodiversity of a river. Previously, this involved collecting and identifying all the organisms living in it. Using environmental DNA, however, not only is it possible to characterize the river's biodiversity, but also that of the surrounding landscape.

Quest to find the 'missing physics' at play in landslides Posted: 30 Aug 2016 08:32 AM PDT A recent discovery in the study of landslides, using annular shear cell measurements of granular flows, confirms that two flow regimes -- an 'elastic regime' and an 'inertial regime' exist.

Female fiddler crabs want protection not sex Posted: 30 Aug 2016 07:13 AM PDT New research has resolved a mystery over why female fiddler crabs visit and leave many males during mating season, and found the females aren't just being picky.

Increasing nursing mothers' vitamin D levels may benefit babies Posted: 30 Aug 2016 07:13 AM PDT New research has found that giving breastfeeding mothers monthly high-dose vitamin D supplements may be a possible way to improve their babies' vitamin D status. Vitamin D is essential for calcium and bone metabolism and is mainly obtained from exposure to sunlight, with only low levels found in food and breast milk. Risk factors for infant vitamin D deficiency -- which can lead to the bone disorder rickets -- include being exclusively breastfed.

'Animal Farm' immunity receptors only work in a crowd, researchers find Posted: 30 Aug 2016 07:13 AM PDT Scientists have discovered how human immune receptors become activated in the presence of harmful substances, paving the way for new technologies to fight against deadly diseases.

Flywheel technology could create new savings for light rail transit Posted: 30 Aug 2016 07:13 AM PDT Two engineering professors have examined the use of flywheel technology to store energy generated when light rail transit trains decelerate and stop. Trains such as the LRT used in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, are designed with so-called dynamic braking. The deceleration generates electrical energy, which needs to go somewhere.A flywheel system could store it as mechanical energy. This energy could be converted to electrical energy when the train is ready to leave the station.

Amputees' brains remember missing hands even years later Posted: 30 Aug 2016 07:13 AM PDT Our brains have a detailed picture of our hands and fingers, and that persists even decades after an amputation, researchers have found. The finding could have implications for the control of next generation prosthetics.

Two-photon imaging of Meissner's corpuscle mechanoreceptors in living tissue Posted: 30 Aug 2016 07:12 AM PDT Researchers have demonstrated that Meissner's corpuscle mechanoreceptors can be observed in living tissue using two-photon microscopy.

Emoticons in ancient Egypt Posted: 30 Aug 2016 06:16 AM PDT The advent of script has never managed to eliminate the use of symbols. This is the finding of research carried out on Ancient Egyptian identity marks.

Female mosquitoes can transmit Zika virus to their eggs, offspring Posted: 30 Aug 2016 06:15 AM PDT Female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes can pass the Zika virus to their eggs and offspring, new research shows. The recent Zika virus outbreak in Florida has dramatically increased efforts to remove A. aegypti mosquitoes. The new findings highlight the importance of including larvicide in the efforts to curb the spread of the Zika virus.

Antipsychotic medications linked to increased risk of pneumonia in persons with Alzheimer's disease Posted: 30 Aug 2016 06:15 AM PDT Antipsychotic medications are associated with an increased risk of pneumonia in persons with Alzheimer's disease, according to new research. The risk of pneumonia was the highest at the beginning of antipsychotic treatment, remaining elevated also in long-term use. No major differences were observed between the most commonly used antipsychotics.

Mitosis study finds potential cancer target Posted: 30 Aug 2016 06:15 AM PDT By drilling down to the atomic level of how specific proteins interact during cell division, or mitosis, a team of scientists has found a unique new target for attacking cancer.

Swelling obesity rates may be tied to childhood antibiotic use Posted: 30 Aug 2016 05:44 AM PDT As the nation's obesity rate continues to skyrocket, scientists across the country are combing the health records of 1.6 million kids to determine if childhood antibiotic use causes weight gain later in life.

Colors from darkness: Alternative approach to quantum computing Posted: 30 Aug 2016 05:43 AM PDT Microwaves created at near absolute zero temperature provide uniquely correlated and controllable states.

Cows in glass tanks help to reduce methane emissions Posted: 30 Aug 2016 05:43 AM PDT In the future, the breeding of the climate-friendly cow can be sped up by using genetic information. A recent study identifies areas in the cow's genotype which are linked to the amount of methane it produces. Cows subjected to study did not unnecessarily chew their cuds when being placed in glass cases.

Planet Nine could spell doom for solar system Posted: 30 Aug 2016 05:43 AM PDT The solar system could be thrown into disaster when the sun dies if the mysterious 'Planet Nine' exists, according to new research.

Change in the immune system can lead to success Posted: 30 Aug 2016 05:43 AM PDT The sequencing of the Atlantic cod genome in 2011 demonstrated that this species lacks a crucial part of its immune system. In a follow-up study, researchers have investigated a large number of additional fish species and found that this is a trait that Atlantic cod have in common with its close relatives – the codfishes. Further analyses show that the alternate immune system observed is associated with increased speciation rates, and a key to the success of this group of fishes.

New iPad game could help diagnose autism in children Posted: 30 Aug 2016 05:41 AM PDT Autism could be diagnosed by allowing children to play games on smart phones and tablets, a study has found. Researchers used fun iPad games to track players' hand movements – gathering information that can help identify autism.

Caution urged in the use of blood pressure lowering treatment for heart disease patients Posted: 30 Aug 2016 05:41 AM PDT Caution has been urged in the use of blood pressure lowering treatment for heart disease patients after a study in more than 22,000 patients with coronary artery disease found that too low blood pressure was associated with worse outcomes.

'Helix-to-tube' a simple strategy to synthesize covalent organic nanotubes Posted: 30 Aug 2016 05:40 AM PDT Organic nanotubes (ONTs) are tubular nanostructures composed of organic molecules that have unique properties and have found various applications, such as electro-conductive materials and organic photovoltaics. A group of scientists have now developed a simple and effective method for the formation of robust covalent ONTs from simple molecules. This method is expected to be useful in generating a range of nanotube-based materials with desirable properties.

Brain's internal compass also navigates during imagination Posted: 30 Aug 2016 05:40 AM PDT When you try to find your way in a new place, your brain creates a spatial map that represents that environment. Neuroscientists now show that the brain's 'navigation system' is not only active during actual or virtual movement, but also when imagining view directions. This suggests that the brain's spatial navigation system might also be important for cognitive functions such as imagination and memory.

Results of trial into anticoagulants for cardioversion in atrial fibrillation patients published Posted: 30 Aug 2016 05:40 AM PDT Clinical trial finds edoxaban to be equally effective as current use of warfarin.

More tomatoes, faster: Accelerating tomato engineering Posted: 30 Aug 2016 05:38 AM PDT While looking for ways to make tomatoes and other crop plants more productive, researchers developed a way to cut the time required to modify a tomato's genes by six weeks. The improvement will save on money and resources while accelerating tomato research.

Cell phone conversations hinder child pedestrian crossing abilities Posted: 30 Aug 2016 05:38 AM PDT A new study from one of the world's most sophisticated traffic research facilities enables researchers to measure pedestrian reactions to virtual reality scenarios. Researchers have determined that a child pedestrian's ability to safely cross the road is hindered more during a cell phone conversation than an adult's.

A new animal model to understand metastasis in sarcomas Posted: 30 Aug 2016 05:37 AM PDT Researchers have developed a modified version of an orthotopic model to recreate the metastatic steps in Ewing sarcoma, the second most common bone tumor in children and adolescents. This new model may become a valuable experimental tool to analyze metastatic potential in different kinds of sarcomas.

New species of pterosaur discovered in Patagonia Posted: 30 Aug 2016 05:37 AM PDT Scientists today announced the discovery of a new species of pterosaur from the Patagonia region of South America. The cranial remains were in an excellent state of preservation and belonged to a new species of pterosaur from the Early Jurassic. The researchers have named this new species 'Allkauren koi' from the native Tehuelche word 'all' for 'brain' and 'karuen' for 'ancient.'

People with alcohol dependency lack important enzyme Posted: 30 Aug 2016 05:37 AM PDT A research group has identified an enzyme whose production is turned off in nerve cells of the frontal lobe when alcohol dependence develops. The deficiency in this enzyme leads to continued use of alcohol despite adverse consequences.

System may help treat rare genetic disorder, reduce severe side effects Posted: 30 Aug 2016 05:37 AM PDT Researchers have discovered a type of drug delivery system that may offer new hope for patients with a rare, ultimately fatal genetic disorder -- and make what might become a terrible choice a little easier.

Technique could assess historic changes to Antarctic sea ice, glaciers Posted: 30 Aug 2016 05:36 AM PDT Historic changes to Antarctic sea ice could be unraveled using a new technique, say scientists. The new method builds on an existing technique developed over the last 10 years, which identified a means by which scientists could measure changes to sea ice in the Arctic.

Swarm robots can learn by simply observing Posted: 30 Aug 2016 05:36 AM PDT It is now possible for machines to learn how natural or artificial systems work by simply observing them, without being told what to look for, according to researchers.

Critical protein shows promise for the treatment of Alzheimer's Posted: 30 Aug 2016 05:36 AM PDT In new research, researchers examine p62 -- a critical protein associated with tell-tale symptoms of Alzheimer's. The study demonstrates for the first time that p62 may have a role in reversing the effects of damaged plaques in the brain.

Progress in refining the genetic causes of schizophrenia Posted: 29 Aug 2016 07:59 PM PDT An international study has made advances in understanding the ways in which genetic risk factors alter gene function in schizophrenia. The study combined genetic sequence information with measures of gene regulation in schizophrenia patients and matched controls.

Dogs understand both vocabulary and intonation of human speech Posted: 29 Aug 2016 04:27 PM PDT Dogs have the ability to distinguish vocabulary words and the intonation of human speech through brain regions similar to those that humans use, a new study reports.

Super cement's secret Posted: 29 Aug 2016 04:26 PM PDT Mayenite is one smart cement -- it can be turned from an insulator to a transparent conductor and back. It is also suitable for use as semiconductors in flat panel displays. The secret behind mayenite's magic is a tiny change in its chemical composition. In new work, researchers show how components called electron anions help to transform crystalline mayenite, also called C12A7, into semiconducting glass.

Molecular switch may sensitize triple-negative breast cancers to immunotherapy Posted: 29 Aug 2016 04:26 PM PDT A new study offers compelling evidence that enzyme PRL-3 is 'switch' in TNF-R1 pathway, determining whether pathway helps cancer cells survive or die when challenged with immunotherapy.

Five-year study reveals patients operated on at night twice as likely to die as patients who have daytime operations Posted: 29 Aug 2016 04:26 PM PDT New research shows that patients who have surgery during the night are twice as likely to die as patients operated on during regular working hours.

Interactive map shows where animals will move under climate change Posted: 29 Aug 2016 01:36 PM PDT Researchers have created an animated map showing where mammals, birds and amphibians are projected to move in the Western Hemisphere in response to climate change.

Shark fins and meat contain high levels of neurotoxins linked to Alzheimer's disease Posted: 29 Aug 2016 01:35 PM PDT Scientists found high concentrations of toxins linked to neurodegenerative diseases in the fins and muscles of 10 species of sharks. The research team suggests that restricting consumption of sharks can have positive health benefits for consumers and for shark conservation, since several of the sharks analyzed in the study are threatened with extinction due to overfishing.

NASA team probes peculiar age-defying star Posted: 29 Aug 2016 01:35 PM PDT For years, astronomers have puzzled over a massive star lodged deep in the Milky Way that shows conflicting signs of being extremely old and extremely young. Researchers initially classified the star as elderly, perhaps a red supergiant. But a new study by a NASA-led team of researchers suggests that the object, labeled IRAS 19312+1950, might be something quite different -- a protostar, a star still in the making.

Cellular communication processes that make life possible Posted: 29 Aug 2016 01:35 PM PDT Researchers have discovered a mechanism of intercellular communication that helps explain how biological systems and actions -- ranging from a beating heart to the ability to hit a home run -- function properly most of the time, and in some scenarios quite remarkably.

Ancient dental plaque sheds new light on the diet of Mesolithic foragers in the Balkans Posted: 29 Aug 2016 01:33 PM PDT Micro-fossils trapped in dental calculus reveal that Late Mesolithic foragers were consuming domesticated plant foods c. 6600 BC, almost 400 years earlier than previously thought.

Characteristic chemical signature for chronic fatigue syndrome identified Posted: 29 Aug 2016 01:32 PM PDT Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a mysterious and maddening condition, with no cure or known cause. But researchers, using a variety of techniques to identify and assess targeted metabolites in blood plasma, have identified a characteristic chemical signature for the debilitating ailment and an unexpected underlying biology: It is similar to the state of dauer, and other hypometabolic syndromes like caloric restriction, diapause and hibernation.

Radiologists detect breast cancer in 'blink of an eye' Posted: 29 Aug 2016 01:32 PM PDT Visual attention researchers showed radiologists mammograms for half a second and found that they could identify abnormal mammograms at better than chance levels. They further tested this ability through a series of experiments to explore what signal may alert radiologists to the presence of a possible abnormality, in the hopes of using these insights to improve breast cancer screening and early detection.

Proxima b is in host star's habitable zone, but could it really be habitable? Posted: 29 Aug 2016 12:53 PM PDT The world's attention is now on Proxima Centauri b, a possibly Earth-like planet orbiting the closest star, 4.22 light-years away. The planet's orbit is just right to allow liquid water on its surface, needed for life. But could it in fact be habitable? If so, the planet evolved very differently than Earth, say researchers say astronomers, geophysicists, climatologists, evolutionary biologists and others who study how distant planets might host life.

Poof! The weird case of the X-ray that came out blank Posted: 29 Aug 2016 11:13 AM PDT Imagine getting a medical X-ray that comes out blank – as if your bones had vanished. That's what happened when scientists cranked up the intensity of the world's first X-ray laser to get a better look at a sample they were studying: The X-rays seemed to go right through it as if it were not there.

First two weeks of football practice the most dangerous for heat-related illness Posted: 29 Aug 2016 11:13 AM PDT Football players are more likely to suffer from heat-related illness during the first two weeks of practice, especially those in the Southeastern U.S.

Use it or lose it: Stopping exercise decreases brain blood flow Posted: 29 Aug 2016 11:04 AM PDT Researchers examined cerebral blood flow in master athletes (ages 50-80 years) before and after a 10-day period during which they stopped all exercise. Using MRI brain imaging techniques, they found a significant decrease in blood flow to several brain regions important for cognitive health, including the hippocampus, after they stopped their exercise routines.

Blinding disease in canines and humans shares causative gene, pathology Posted: 29 Aug 2016 11:04 AM PDT Scientists report that they've directly compared the disease course of a blinding ciliopathy between humans and dogs and found remarkable similarities.

How aged wine gets its aroma Posted: 29 Aug 2016 11:04 AM PDT Researchers have discovered an enzyme that plays a leading role in the formation of compounds that give aged wines their sought-after aroma.

America's wars take uneven toll, study finds Posted: 29 Aug 2016 11:04 AM PDT In today's wars, Americans who die or are wounded in battle are disproportionately coming from poorer parts of the country, according to a new study released this week. By analyzing over 500,000 American combat casualties from World War II through Iraq and Afghanistan, researchers found growing socioeconomic inequality in military sacrifice.

Anti-friction solutions? Very thin layers of water can become ice-like at room temperature Posted: 29 Aug 2016 11:04 AM PDT New research shows that a nanometer-thin layer of water between two charged surfaces exhibits ice-like tendencies that allow it to withstand pressures of hundreds of atmospheres. The discovery could lead to better ways to minimize friction in a variety of settings.

Cracking the coldest case: How Lucy, the most famous human ancestor, died Posted: 29 Aug 2016 11:04 AM PDT Lucy, the most famous fossil of a human ancestor, probably died after falling from a tree, according to a new study. Researchers have found that the injury Lucy sustained was consistent with a four-part proximal humerus fracture, caused by a fall from considerable height when the conscious victim stretched out an arm in an attempt to break the fall.

Majority of older adults in jail have distressing health symptoms Posted: 29 Aug 2016 09:31 AM PDT According to the study, of the older inmates, 49 percent said they experience poor or fair health, 20 percent have chronic lung disease, and 54 percent have trouble performing daily activities such as bathing, eating, using the toilet, and walking around the house. The researchers said that these rates are similar to those reported by lower income older adults who are not incarcerated.

Alzheimer's: Nicotinic receptors as a new therapeutic target Posted: 29 Aug 2016 09:31 AM PDT Studies have indicated that nicotine may be beneficial for memory function. Scientists are set out to shed further light on the properties attributed to nicotine by determining the precise structure of the nicotinic receptors in the hippocampus region of the brain. Using mouse models for Alzheimer's disease, they identified the a subunit of the nicotinic receptor as a target that, if blocked, prevents the memory loss associated with Alzheimer's.

Outpatient bloodstream infections costly for pediatric transplant and cancer patients Posted: 29 Aug 2016 09:31 AM PDT Pediatric stem cell transplant and cancer patients often are discharged from the hospital with an external central venous line for medications that parents or other caregivers must clean and flush daily to avoid potentially life-threatening infections. If an outpatient develops a bloodstream infection associated with the central line, median charges to treat it total $37,000 for a six-day hospital stay for young patients whose disease treatments have weakened their immune systems and infection-fighting abilities.

New hope for Zika treatment found in large-scale screen of existing drugs Posted: 29 Aug 2016 09:22 AM PDT Scientists report that a specialized drug screen test using lab-grown human cells has revealed two classes of compounds already in the pharmaceutical arsenal that may work against mosquito-borne Zika virus infections.

Continuous roll-process technology for transferring and packaging flexible LSI Posted: 29 Aug 2016 09:22 AM PDT A research team has developed a continuous roll-processing technology that transfers and packages flexible large-scale integrated circuits (LSI), the key element in constructing the computer's brain such as CPU, on plastics to realize flexible electronics.

Researchers unravel process for the formation of rainstorms Posted: 29 Aug 2016 09:22 AM PDT Violent thunderstorms can often cause torrential rain, which pose a threat for both humans and the infrastructure. Until now such extreme weather phenomena have been very poorly understood. However, using advanced simulations for cloud systems, researchers have determined how complex cloud systems build up in the atmosphere, which then interact with each other and strengthen the further build up of heavy rain and severe thunderstorms.

Amazon forests: Biodiversity can help mitigate climate risks Posted: 29 Aug 2016 09:22 AM PDT A forest with greater diversity of plants can better adjust to climatic stress. Now for the first time, a team of scientists can show this in computer simulations of the Amazon region by accounting for its amazing diversity of trees. Biodiversity can hence be an effective means to mitigate climate risks and should not only be seen in the context of nature conservation.

New window to understanding the brain Posted: 29 Aug 2016 09:21 AM PDT A team of researchers has demonstrated that syringe-injectable mesh electronics can stably record neural activity in mice for eight months or more, with none of the inflammation produced by traditional implanted probes.

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