ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Regulatory RNA essential to DNA damage response
• Iron nanoparticles make immune cells attack cancer
• Poaching behind worst African elephant losses in 25 years
• Vaccine vs many common cold viruses achievable
• Tapping evolution to improve biotech products
• Hubble spots possible water plumes erupting on Jupiter's moon Europa
• Broadly neutralizing HIV antibodies pave the way for vaccine
• Why belly fat is dangerous for the heart
• Crystalline fault lines provide pathway for solar cell current
• Yeast knockouts peel back secrets of cell protein function
• Excess dietary zinc worsens C. diff infection
• Photons do the twist, and scientists can now measure it
• Rising ocean temperatures threaten baby lobsters
• New discovery may benefit farmers worldwide
• Scientists' finding supports moon creation hypothesis
• New genetic links for heart disease risk factors identified
• Morning sickness linked to lower risk of pregnancy loss
• Scientists track down possible new treatment for epilepsy
• The language of senses
• 'Teashirt' gene links autism and kidney problems, new study finds
• New low-mass objects could help refine planetary evolution
• How cancer’s 'invisibility cloak' works
• Lowering the heat makes new materials possible while saving energy
• Consuming fewer calories reduces the risk of abdominal aortic aneurysm, study suggests
• How the anthrax toxin forms a deadly 'conveyer belt'
• Unknown exposure to second-hand smoke associated with increased mortality
• Enzyme hyaluronidase shows promise as treatment for muscle stiffness caused by brain injury
• Computer engineers boost app speeds by more than 9 percent
• Healthcare leaders recommend restructuring health care system to better serve needs of U.S. throughout 21st century
• Medulloblastoma patients should receive both chemotherapy and radiation post-surgery
• Widespread adoption of SBRT has improved survival rates for elderly patients with early stage lung cancer
• Shrubs more expansive than trees
• Young cancer survivors in economic struggle
• Rapid adaptation of Aspergillus fungus presents doctors with a dilemma
• Exercise can increase levels of hunger-promoting endocannabinoids even if you are sleep-deprived
• X-rays that don't come from any known source
• Having a happy spouse could be good for your health
• Gaps in data place thousands of illegally traded wild animals at risk, say researchers
• Closing the gender gap: Young women with premature acute coronary syndrome now do as well as men
• What happens when the brain is artificially stimulated?
• Students in bilingual elementary school programs present worse academic results, according to study
• UTI testing technology cuts screening time to four hours
• Start training for retirement as early as 50, research urges
• Custom-tailored strategy against glioblastomas
• A world first: Cardiovascular team carries out a new type of procedure on a heart valve
• How to merge two black holes in a simple way
• How plants grow new lateral roots: New method uses 3D live imaging
• Soil modeling to help curb climate change
• An algorithm for taxi sharing
• Single photon light emitting diodes for on-chip integration
• Birth of politics in children: The case of dominance
• Women with hearing loss more likely to have preterm or low birth weight babies
• Ancestor of arthropods had the mouth of a penis worm

Regulatory RNA essential to DNA damage response Posted: 26 Sep 2016 12:28 PM PDT It iss essential for cells to quickly ascertain whether it's possible to repair mistakes or to self-destruct for the good of the organism. That's because cells with a damaged genome often begin to flout the standard rules of growth and become cancerous. Now, researchers have discovered a new player in this high-stakes molecular game in the form of a novel regulatory RNA they've named DINO. This RNA molecule binds to and stabilizes a well-known tumor suppressor protein called p53 that mobilizes a cell's response to DNA damage. When mutated, p53 is one of the most infamous bad guys in the cancer world.

Iron nanoparticles make immune cells attack cancer Posted: 26 Sep 2016 12:27 PM PDT Iron nanoparticles can activate the immune system to attack cancer cells, according to a study. The nanoparticles, which are commercially available as the injectable iron supplement ferumoxytol, are approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat iron deficiency anemia.

Poaching behind worst African elephant losses in 25 years Posted: 26 Sep 2016 12:18 PM PDT Africa's overall elephant population has seen the worst declines in 25 years, mainly due to poaching over the past ten years -- according to IUCN's African Elephant Status Report.

Vaccine vs many common cold viruses achievable Posted: 26 Sep 2016 12:13 PM PDT Scientists are making the case that a vaccine against rhinoviruses, the predominant cause of the common cold, is achievable, saying that the immune system can handle the challenge.

Tapping evolution to improve biotech products Posted: 26 Sep 2016 12:13 PM PDT Scientists can improve protein-based drugs by reaching into the evolutionary past, a new paper proposes. As a proof of concept for this approach, the research team showed how "ancestral sequence reconstruction" or ASR can guide engineering of the blood clotting protein known as factor VIII, which is deficient in the inherited disorder hemophilia A.

Hubble spots possible water plumes erupting on Jupiter's moon Europa Posted: 26 Sep 2016 11:29 AM PDT Astronomers have imaged what may be water vapor plumes erupting off the surface of Jupiter's moon Europa. This finding bolsters other Hubble observations suggesting the icy moon erupts with high altitude water vapor plumes.

Broadly neutralizing HIV antibodies pave the way for vaccine Posted: 26 Sep 2016 11:28 AM PDT A small number of people infected with HIV produce antibodies with an amazing effect: Not only are the antibodies directed against the own virus strain, but also against different sub-types of HIV that circulate worldwide. Researchers now reveal which factors are responsible for the human body forming such broadly neutralizing HIV antibodies, thereby opening new avenues for the development of an HIV vaccine.

Why belly fat is dangerous for the heart Posted: 26 Sep 2016 11:28 AM PDT Increasing stomach fat – especially the "hidden fat" in your abdomen – is associated with newly identified and worsening heart disease risk factors, according to a study. These adverse changes in cardiovascular risk were evident over a relatively short period of time and persisted even after accounting for changes in body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference, two commonly used methods to estimate whether someone is a healthy weight or not.

Crystalline fault lines provide pathway for solar cell current Posted: 26 Sep 2016 08:55 AM PDT A team of scientists studying solar cells made from cadmium telluride, a promising alternative to silicon, has discovered that microscopic "fault lines" within and between crystals of the material act as conductive pathways that ease the flow of electric current. This research may help explain how a common processing technique turns cadmium telluride into an excellent material for transforming sunlight into electricity, and suggests a strategy for engineering more efficient solar devices that surpass the performance of silicon.

Yeast knockouts peel back secrets of cell protein function Posted: 26 Sep 2016 08:53 AM PDT To fill in the blanks on mitochondria, researchers deleted 174 genes, one by one, in yeast. They then subjected the yeast to high-intensity mass spectrometry to measure unprecedented detail on thousands of metabolic products, including proteins, intermediate chemicals called metabolites, and lipids.

Excess dietary zinc worsens C. diff infection Posted: 26 Sep 2016 08:53 AM PDT The consumption of dietary supplements and cold therapies containing high concentrations of zinc is now being called into question, following research that suggests it may worsen Clostridium difficile infection.

Photons do the twist, and scientists can now measure it Posted: 26 Sep 2016 08:53 AM PDT Researchers have measured the twisting force, or torque, generated by light on a silicon chip. Their work holds promise for applications such as miniaturized gyroscopes and torsional sensors to measure magnetic field, which can have significant industrial and consumer impact.

Rising ocean temperatures threaten baby lobsters Posted: 26 Sep 2016 08:53 AM PDT If water temperatures in the Gulf of Maine rise a few degrees by end of the century, it could mean trouble for lobsters and the industry they support, according to newly published research.

New discovery may benefit farmers worldwide Posted: 26 Sep 2016 08:53 AM PDT Plant scientists have shown for the first time how an ancient crop teams up with a beneficial microbe to protect against a devastating fungal infection, a discovery that may benefit millions of subsistence farmers and livestock in developing countries.

Scientists' finding supports moon creation hypothesis Posted: 26 Sep 2016 08:53 AM PDT A layer of iron and other elements deep underground is the evidence scientists have long been seeking to support the hypothesis that the moon was formed by a planetary object hitting the infant Earth some 4.5 billion years ago, a new study argues.

New genetic links for heart disease risk factors identified Posted: 26 Sep 2016 08:51 AM PDT 17 rare human genetic variations associated with risk factors for diseases such as heart disease and diabetes have now been uncovered by scientists.

Morning sickness linked to lower risk of pregnancy loss Posted: 26 Sep 2016 08:51 AM PDT Nausea and vomiting that occurs in pregnancy is often called "morning sickness," as these symptoms typically begin in the morning and usually resolve as the day progresses. For most women, nausea and vomiting subside by the 4th month of pregnancy. Others may have these symptoms for the duration of their pregnancies. The cause of morning sickness is not known, but researchers have proposed that it protects the fetus against toxins and disease-causing organisms in foods and beverages.

Scientists track down possible new treatment for epilepsy Posted: 26 Sep 2016 08:51 AM PDT Increasing the concentration of specific fats in the brain could suppress epileptic seizures, ground-breaking new research shows. On the basis of this discovery, scientists were able to completely suppress epileptic seizures in fruit flies.

The language of senses Posted: 26 Sep 2016 08:51 AM PDT Sight, touch and hearing are our windows to the world: these sensory channels send a constant flow of information to the brain, which acts to sort out and integrate these signals, allowing us to perceive the world and interact with our environment. But how do these sensory pathways emerge during development?

'Teashirt' gene links autism and kidney problems, new study finds Posted: 26 Sep 2016 08:51 AM PDT A gene dubbed the 'Teashirt' by its discoverers has been identified as a link between children with kidney problems and autism, in a new study which has implications for how doctors working on both conditions administer tests to their patients.

New low-mass objects could help refine planetary evolution Posted: 26 Sep 2016 08:18 AM PDT When a star is young, it is often still surrounded by a primordial rotating disk of gas and dust, from which planets can form. Astronomers like to find such disks because they might be able to catch the star partway through the planet formation process, but it's highly unusual to find such disks around brown dwarfs or stars with very low masses. New work has discovered four new low-mass objects surrounded by disks.

How cancer’s 'invisibility cloak' works Posted: 26 Sep 2016 08:13 AM PDT Researchers have discovered how cancer cells become invisible to the body's immune system, a crucial step that allows tumors to metastasize and spread throughout the body.

Lowering the heat makes new materials possible while saving energy Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:58 AM PDT A low-temperature process has been developed that has opened a window on the ability to combine incompatible materials, such as ceramics and plastics, into new, useful compound materials.

Consuming fewer calories reduces the risk of abdominal aortic aneurysm, study suggests Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:58 AM PDT Mice placed on a low-calorie diet are less likely to develop abdominal aortic aneurysms, according to a new stud. The paper suggests new ways to prevent the often fatal condition from occurring in humans.

How the anthrax toxin forms a deadly 'conveyer belt' Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:58 AM PDT Researchers have built a three-dimensional map of the anthrax toxin that may explain how it efficiently transfers its lethal components into the cytoplasm of infected cells. The study suggests that the bacterial protein acts as a "conveyer belt" that allows toxic enzymes to continuously stream across cell membranes.

Unknown exposure to second-hand smoke associated with increased mortality Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:57 AM PDT A new biomarker has identified known and unknown exposure to second-hand smoke and confirmed a strong association to increased mortality in non-smokers, according to a new study. The results provide a more accurate way to gauge second-hand smoke exposure than questionnaires, and present a strong case for more stringent limits on smoking and increased preventive screenings for those more likely to have been exposed to second-hand smoke.

Enzyme hyaluronidase shows promise as treatment for muscle stiffness caused by brain injury Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:57 AM PDT A naturally occurring enzyme called hyaluronidase may be an effective alternative treatment for spasticity, or muscle stiffness, a disabling condition in people who have had a stroke or other brain injury, researchers report.

Computer engineers boost app speeds by more than 9 percent Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:57 AM PDT Researchers have found a way to boost the speed of computer applications by more than 9 percent. The improvement results from techniques that allow computer processors to retrieve data more efficiently.

Healthcare leaders recommend restructuring health care system to better serve needs of U.S. throughout 21st century Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:57 AM PDT To keep up with the evolving needs of our nation's health and health care system, a series of papers recommends restructuring the U.S. health care system in ways that will support more efficient, targeted health care delivery.

Medulloblastoma patients should receive both chemotherapy and radiation post-surgery Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:57 AM PDT The addition of chemotherapy to postoperative treatment for adults with medulloblastoma improves survival, new research demonstrates. Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common brain tumor in children, but is relatively rare in adults. Chemotherapy use in adult MB is largely based on pediatric outcomes, and its effectiveness has been unclear.

Widespread adoption of SBRT has improved survival rates for elderly patients with early stage lung cancer Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:57 AM PDT Survival rates for elderly patients who received stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) rose from roughly 40 to 60 percent over the past decade, concurrent with the increasing adoption of SBRT, according to research.

Shrubs more expansive than trees Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:55 AM PDT Shrubs are more widespread than trees in nature and on Earth. A new study explains their global success. It turns out that the multiple stems of shrubs are of key importance. This feature contributes to both better growth and better survival than in trees of similar size, according to the research team behind the study.

Young cancer survivors in economic struggle Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:55 AM PDT Young cancer survivors have a 40 per cent higher risk of becoming unemployed, than others, say researchers, noting that they also have a 40 per cent higher risk of receiving governmental financial assistance.

Rapid adaptation of Aspergillus fungus presents doctors with a dilemma Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:55 AM PDT The fungus Aspergillus fumigatus is capable of rapid genetic adaptation in both natural environments and in humans according to a study. This presents doctors with a dilemma: prescribe medication that may increase drug resistance or not providing treatment and increase the likelihood of the fungus settling in the lungs?

Exercise can increase levels of hunger-promoting endocannabinoids even if you are sleep-deprived Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:55 AM PDT A research group has investigated how levels of endocannabinoids -- which target the same receptors as cannabis -- are affected by short sleep duration, and whether acute exercise can modulate this effect.

X-rays that don't come from any known source Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:47 AM PDT Space is filled with types of light we can't see -- from infrared signals released by hot stars and galaxies, to the cosmic microwave background. Some of this invisible light that fills space takes the form of X-rays, the source of which has been hotly contended over the past few decades. A new study confirms some ideas about where these X-rays come from, shedding light on our solar neighborhood's early history. But it also reveals a new mystery -- an entire group of X-rays that don't come from any known source.

Having a happy spouse could be good for your health Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:35 AM PDT New research finds that having a happy spouse may be related to better health, at least among middle-aged and older adults.

Gaps in data place thousands of illegally traded wild animals at risk, say researchers Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:34 AM PDT The fate of over 64,000 live wild animals officially reported to have been confiscated by enforcement agencies remains untraceable, according to a new report. Between 2010 and 2014, more than 64,000 live wild animals were officially reported as seized by wildlife enforcement agencies according to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) trade database.

Closing the gender gap: Young women with premature acute coronary syndrome now do as well as men Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:06 AM PDT It has become commonly accepted that women do worse than men following a heart attack or other coronary event. Earlier studies have documented that young women are more likely to die from cardiac-related events compared to men in the twelve months after hospital discharge. A new study, drawing on contemporary data from 26 hospitals, reports that young patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have good one-year prognosis and that both men and women now do equally well.

What happens when the brain is artificially stimulated? Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:04 AM PDT Stimulating the brain via electricity or other means may help ease symptoms of various neurological and psychiatric disorders, with the method already used to treat conditions from epilepsy to depression. But what really happens when doctors zap the brain?

Students in bilingual elementary school programs present worse academic results, according to study Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:01 AM PDT Bilingual education programs, in which a substantial part of the teaching is done in a language different from the mother tongue and from the language of the students' surroundings, have been fully established for years in countries such as India, Spain and the United States. In order to analyze the effects of these programs, these researchers evaluated the program that the Autonomous Community of Madrid introduced in a group of public primary schools in 2004.

UTI testing technology cuts screening time to four hours Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:01 AM PDT Researchers using DNA sequencing to profile antibiotic resistance in infection have achieved a turnaround time from 'sample to answer' of less than four hours for urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Start training for retirement as early as 50, research urges Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:00 AM PDT The results of a project to establish European guidelines for preparing the population for life after full-time employment urge people to start planning as soon as 50.

Custom-tailored strategy against glioblastomas Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:00 AM PDT Glioblastomas are incurable malignant brain tumors. Usually the patients affected survive for only a few months. In addition, every tumor is quite different, which makes treatment very difficult. Researchers have now developed a completely new method as the basis for creating custom-tailored, two-stage therapies. Using tumor samples from a patient, they do lab tests to determine which substances can first make the different types of cancer cells uniform and then effectively kill them.

A world first: Cardiovascular team carries out a new type of procedure on a heart valve Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:00 AM PDT A team of heart surgeons and cardiologists used new catheter technology to repair a leaky tricuspid valve for the very first time. The Cardioband serves as an innovative and low-impact method of repairing leaky mitral valves in the left atrium of the heart. It offers a minimally invasive alternative to open heart surgery.

How to merge two black holes in a simple way Posted: 26 Sep 2016 06:59 AM PDT The merger of two black holes, such as the one that produced the gravitational waves discovered by the LIGO Observatory, is considered an extremely complex process that can only be simulated by the world's most powerful supercomputers. However, two theoretical physicists have demonstrated that what occurs on the space-time boundary of the two merging objects can be explained using simple equations, at least when a giant black hole collides with a tiny black hole.

How plants grow new lateral roots: New method uses 3D live imaging Posted: 26 Sep 2016 06:59 AM PDT Researchers have used 3D live imaging to observe the formation process of lateral roots in plants, and clarified part of the mechanism that creates new meristematic tissue. If the root formation mechanism in plants is revealed further, this could potentially be used to control plant growth by artificially altering root system architecture.

Soil modeling to help curb climate change Posted: 26 Sep 2016 06:58 AM PDT Soil is a major carbon pool, whose impact on climate change is still not fully understood. According to a recent study, however, soil carbon stocks and could be modeled more accurately by factoring in the impacts of both soil nutrient status and soil composition. Determining the volume of carbon dioxide efflux from soil is important to enabling better choices in forest management with respect to curbing climate change.

An algorithm for taxi sharing Posted: 26 Sep 2016 06:58 AM PDT Researchers in Uruguay have developed an evolutionary algorithm to allow a smart city to facilitate efficient taxi sharing to cut an individual's transport costs as well as reduce congestion and traffic pollution.

Single photon light emitting diodes for on-chip integration Posted: 26 Sep 2016 06:58 AM PDT Researchers have used layered materials to create an all-electrical quantum light emitting diodes (LED) with single-photon emission. These LEDs have potential as on-chip photon sources in quantum information applications.

Birth of politics in children: The case of dominance Posted: 26 Sep 2016 06:58 AM PDT As they grow up, do children become young Robin Hoods? Depending on their age, they do not allocate resources in the same way between dominant and subordinate individuals. Thus a tendency towards egalitarianism develops and becomes even stronger between the ages of 5 and 8 years. These findings provide a clearer understanding of how the notion of equality develops in human beings, and of their sense of justice.

Women with hearing loss more likely to have preterm or low birth weight babies Posted: 26 Sep 2016 06:58 AM PDT The first study of birth outcomes in women with hearing loss finds significant differences when compared to women without hearing loss, scientists report.

Ancestor of arthropods had the mouth of a penis worm Posted: 26 Sep 2016 06:57 AM PDT Imagine a meter long worm with 12 stubby legs and matching sets of flaps running down the body. On the head is a large pair of spiny appendages used for grasping prey that transport victims into a circular mouth with several rows of teeth. For years, scientists have disagreed over whether this mouth belonged to the Anomalocaris, the largest sea predator from the Cambrian Period, or was comparable to the penis worm, a subset of priapulids, a category of marine worms that were diverse in the Cambrian.

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