ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Ear ossicles of modern humans and Neanderthals: Different shape, similar function
• Antibiotic resistance can occur naturally in soil bacteria
• 92% of the world’s population exposed to unsafe levels of air pollution
• Have more than eight dental fillings? It could increase the mercury levels in your blood
• Could excess water from oil and gas operations help farmers and reduce seismicity?
• Volcano emissions linked to increases in asthma attacks
• Fossils can help predict future species survival
• California's almond boom has ramped up water use, consumed wetlands and stressed pollinators
• Artificial blood vessels developed in the lab can grow with the recipient
• Secure passwords can be sent through your body, instead of air
• Interval exercise training improves blood vessel function in older adults
• Fertility genes required for sperm stem cells
• Missing fish catch data? Not necessarily a problem, new study says
• Deepwater Horizon oil spill caused widespread marsh erosion, study shows
• Record for perovskite/CIGS tandem solar module
• First quantum photonic circuit with an electrically driven light source
• Quantum computing a step closer to reality
• Suffering from headaches? You may be at increased risk for a thyroid condition
• Surprising findings on deadly diarrhea suggest ways to save children's lives
• Experimental imaging agent reveals concussion-linked brain disease in living brain
• Outrageous heads led to outrageously large dinosaurs
• Single-blind vs double-blind peer review and effect of author prestige
• Study compares CV risk reduction of statin vs nonstatin therapies used for lowering LDL-C
• Earlier treatment with surgery to remove blood clot linked with less disability following stroke
• Cosmic dust demystified
• Creating antimatter via lasers?
• Young people need help in understanding a parent's suicide
• Researchers uncover the skin barrier
• New switch decides between genome repair, death of cells
• High-tech future early warning system for hurricanes, tornados and volcanic eruptions
• New therapeutic treatment helps people lose more weight and keep it off
• Climate change will see some males get sexier
• Longest record of continuous carbon flux data is now publicly available
• Help needed to identify post-stroke visual impairments
• 'Missing link' found in the development of bioelectronic medicines
• Nanotech could give us safer, greener diapers and sanitary products
• Crosstalk analysis of biological networks for improved pathway annotation
• How wetlands and agriculture, not fossil fuels, could be causing a global rise in methane
• Women are less than a quarter of top one per cent, high incomes study shows
• Ancient eggshell protein breaks through DNA time barrier
• Improving protein intake in older adults
• Skin cancer: Drug combination could improve immunotherapy
• Quick test to detect inflammation in diabetic patients
• Eat, escape, love: The price of looking sexy
• Traffic noise reduces wild owls' foraging efficiency
• Poverty and perceived hardship affect cognitive function and may contribute to premature aging, say investigators
• Blood pressure drug may boost effectiveness of lung cancer treatment
• Consistency builds cohesion in the animal kingdom
• Vigilin, the lock keeper
• Old fashioned roller coasters can help patients pass kidney stones
• The spice of life: Cinnamon cools your stomach
• Ancient brain area controls eye movements
• How statins aid the immune system
• Fecal bacteria linked to body fat
• Life in ancient oceans enabled by erosion from land
• Teen girls with a family history of breast cancer do not experience increased depression or anxiety
• New theory on how insulin resistance, metabolic disease begin
• How 'hair-of-the-dog' approach works to treat allergies, mouse study shows
• Measurement helps craniofacial surgeons better evaluate children with skull deformity
• Scientists put a new twist on artificial muscles

Ear ossicles of modern humans and Neanderthals: Different shape, similar function Posted: 27 Sep 2016 12:21 PM PDT Scientists have scanned the skulls of Neanderthals and found the small middle ear ossicles, which are important for hearing, still preserved within the cavities of the ear. To their surprise, the Neanderthal ossicles are morphologically distinct from the ossicles of modern humans. Despite the differences in morphology, the function of the middle ear is largely the same in the two human species. The authors relate the morphological differences in the ossicles to different evolutionary trajectories in brain size increase and suggest that these findings might be indicative of consistent aspects of vocal communication in modern humans and Neanderthals. These findings are also of importance for shedding light on the emergence of human spoken language, which can only be inferred indirectly from the archaeological and fossil record.

Antibiotic resistance can occur naturally in soil bacteria Posted: 27 Sep 2016 12:15 PM PDT Scientists have found antibiotic-resistant bacteria in prairie soils that had little or no exposure to human or animal activity.

92% of the world’s population exposed to unsafe levels of air pollution Posted: 27 Sep 2016 11:42 AM PDT A new WHO air quality model confirms that 92% of the world's population lives in places where air quality levels exceed WHO limits. Some 3 million deaths a year are linked to exposure to outdoor air pollution. Indoor air pollution can be just as deadly. In 2012, an estimated 6.5 million deaths (11.6% of all global deaths) were associated with indoor and outdoor air pollution together.

Have more than eight dental fillings? It could increase the mercury levels in your blood Posted: 27 Sep 2016 11:30 AM PDT Dental surface restorations composed of dental amalgam, a mixture of mercury, silver, tin and other metals, significantly contribute to prolonged mercury levels in the body, according to new research.

Could excess water from oil and gas operations help farmers and reduce seismicity? Posted: 27 Sep 2016 10:58 AM PDT Water pumped from deep underground during oil and gas drilling could help farmers weather water shortages. The trick is making sure the water is safe, legal, and economically feasible to move to fields, say two groups of scientists studying what's called "produced water" from oil and gas operations in New Mexico and Colorado.

Volcano emissions linked to increases in asthma attacks Posted: 27 Sep 2016 10:56 AM PDT A new study from the active volcano K?lauea, which is on the big island of Hawaii, reports that people -- especially children -- with asthma are at greater risk of having serious asthma attacks if they live in a community with high levels of the volcanic gas sulfur dioxide than if they live upwind of the volcano.

Fossils can help predict future species survival Posted: 27 Sep 2016 10:53 AM PDT Many people are concerned about conservation of the planet's cute and cuddlies. But in a world of global climate change, sometimes we must prioritize which species we can and should save from extinction. Scientists are helping us make those determinations by looking at the fossil record.

California's almond boom has ramped up water use, consumed wetlands and stressed pollinators Posted: 27 Sep 2016 10:50 AM PDT A new study using aerial imagery across the state of California has found that converting land to grow almonds between 2007 and 2014 has led to a 27% annual increase in irrigation demands -- despite the state's historic drought. The expansion of almonds has also consumed 16,000 acres of wetlands and will likely put additional pressure on already stressed honeybee populations.

Artificial blood vessels developed in the lab can grow with the recipient Posted: 27 Sep 2016 10:48 AM PDT Biomedical engineers, artificial blood vessels bioengineered in the lab and implanted in young lambs are capable of growth within the recipient, a groundbreaking new study demonstrates. If confirmed in humans, these new vessel grafts would prevent the need for repeated surgeries in some children with congenital heart defects.

Secure passwords can be sent through your body, instead of air Posted: 27 Sep 2016 10:48 AM PDT Engineers have devised a way to send secure passwords through the human body using smartphone fingerprint sensors and laptop touchpads -- rather than over the air where they're vulnerable to hacking.

Interval exercise training improves blood vessel function in older adults Posted: 27 Sep 2016 10:48 AM PDT Researchers have found that interval exercise training (resistance-based and cardiovascular) improves endothelial function in older adults. Resistance interval training in particular could help reduce the risk of heart disease in adults with type 2 diabetes.

Fertility genes required for sperm stem cells Posted: 27 Sep 2016 10:40 AM PDT The underlying cause of male infertility is unknown for 30 percent of cases. In a pair of new studies, researchers have determined that the reproductive homeobox (RHOX) family of transcription factors -- regulatory proteins that activate some genes and inactivate others -- drive the development of stem cells in the testes in mice. The investigators also linked RHOX gene mutations to male infertility in humans.

Missing fish catch data? Not necessarily a problem, new study says Posted: 27 Sep 2016 10:40 AM PDT Recording how many fish are caught is one important requirement to measure the well-being of a fish stock -- if scientists know the number of fish taken from the ocean, they can adjust management of that fishery to keep it from being overfished. Missing catch data, however, are rampant, causing concern that fisheries around the world are overfished. In many cases, misreporting caught fish doesn't always translate to overfishing, a new study finds.

Deepwater Horizon oil spill caused widespread marsh erosion, study shows Posted: 27 Sep 2016 09:42 AM PDT The Deepwater Horizon oil spill six years ago caused widespread marsh erosion that may be permanent in some places, according to a new analysis of 270 miles of the Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama coasts. At the hardest-hit of 103 Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) sites, where oil covered more than 90 percent of plants' stems, widespread die-off of grasses at the marsh edge occurred, followed by up to two years of accelerated erosion as dying plant roots lost their grip on marsh soil.

Record for perovskite/CIGS tandem solar module Posted: 27 Sep 2016 09:23 AM PDT Thin-film technologies can dramatically reduce the cost of next-generation solar modules, say scientists. Whereas their production cost is low, it is in particular the combination of complementary absorber materials in a tandem solar module that increases the power conversion efficiency. Researchers demonstrate that a perovskite/CIGS tandem thin-film solar module that achieves 17.8 percent in efficiency, surpassing for the first time the efficiency of separate perovskite and CIGS solar modules.

First quantum photonic circuit with an electrically driven light source Posted: 27 Sep 2016 09:21 AM PDT Whether for use in safe data encryption, ultrafast calculation of huge data volumes or so-called quantum simulation of highly complex systems: Optical quantum computers are a source of hope for tomorrow's computer technology. For the first time, scientists now have succeeded in placing a complete quantum optical structure on a chip. This fulfills one condition for the use of photonic circuits in optical quantum computers.

Quantum computing a step closer to reality Posted: 27 Sep 2016 09:19 AM PDT Physicists have brought quantum computing a step closer to reality by stopping light in a new experiment. Researchers report that controlling the movement of light is critical to developing future quantum computers, which could solve problems too complex for today's most advanced computers.

Suffering from headaches? You may be at increased risk for a thyroid condition Posted: 27 Sep 2016 08:46 AM PDT Sufferers of migraines, cluster headaches, tension headaches or other headache disorders are at greater risk of developing a thyroid condition called hypothyroidism, according to a new study.

Surprising findings on deadly diarrhea suggest ways to save children's lives Posted: 27 Sep 2016 08:44 AM PDT New research offers unprecedented insights into the causes of childhood diarrhea, the second-leading cause of death of children worldwide, and suggests that the role of pathogens has been vastly underestimated.

Experimental imaging agent reveals concussion-linked brain disease in living brain Posted: 27 Sep 2016 08:44 AM PDT A protein tracer shows a distinctive pattern of brain protein deposition specific to chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a disease typically confirmed after death. A link between brain injury and long-term health has been gaining attention in recent years.

Outrageous heads led to outrageously large dinosaurs Posted: 27 Sep 2016 08:17 AM PDT Theropod dinosaur species with bony crests, horns and knobs evolved to giant body sizes 20 times faster than those species lacking such embellishments, new research has concluded.

Single-blind vs double-blind peer review and effect of author prestige Posted: 27 Sep 2016 08:17 AM PDT Scientists have examined if bias with single-blind peer review might be greatest in the setting of author or institutional prestige. The authors found that reviewers were more likely to recommend acceptance when the prestigious authors' names and institutions were visible (single-blind review) than when they were redacted (double-blind review), and also gave higher ratings for the methods and other categories. There was no difference in the number of errors detected.

Study compares CV risk reduction of statin vs nonstatin therapies used for lowering LDL-C Posted: 27 Sep 2016 08:16 AM PDT Scientists evaluated the association between lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and relative cardiovascular risk reduction across different statin and nonstatin therapies.

Earlier treatment with surgery to remove blood clot linked with less disability following stroke Posted: 27 Sep 2016 08:16 AM PDT In an analysis that included nearly 1,300 patients with large-vessel ischemic stroke, earlier treatment with endovascular thrombectomy (intra-arterial use of a micro-catheter or other device to remove a blood clot) plus medical therapy (use of a clot dissolving agent) compared with medical therapy alone was associated with less disability at 3 months, according to a study.

Cosmic dust demystified Posted: 27 Sep 2016 08:16 AM PDT Besides providing substantive information about the atmospheres of other planets, cosmic dust particles can impact radio communications, climate and even serve as fertilizer for phytoplankton in the oceans. A team of researchers has developed a new experimental Meteoric Ablation Simulator (MASI) that can help answer questions about cosmic dust and how it impacts Earth and everything on it.

Creating antimatter via lasers? Posted: 27 Sep 2016 08:16 AM PDT Intriguing calculations explain the production and dynamics of electrons and positrons from ultrahigh-intensity laser-matter interactions. In other words: They've calculated how to create matter and antimatter via lasers.

Young people need help in understanding a parent's suicide Posted: 27 Sep 2016 08:14 AM PDT Talking about suicide is associated with such strong stigma that young people whose parents have taken their own life must turn to strangers, for example people they meet on the internet, to ventilate their grief, a new doctoral thesis concludes.

Researchers uncover the skin barrier Posted: 27 Sep 2016 08:14 AM PDT Researchers can now explain how the properties of the skin change depending on the environment. The new findings explain, among other things, why people don't dehydrate in dry air. The research results can also be used in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry to make substances penetrate the skin more effectively.

New switch decides between genome repair, death of cells Posted: 27 Sep 2016 08:14 AM PDT The genetic information of every cell is encoded in the sequence of the DNA double helix. Double strand breaks in the DNA, which can be induced by radiation, are a dangerous threat to the cells, and if not properly repaired can lead to cancer. Damaged cells need to decide whether the breaks can be fixed or whether they should be removed by a cellular suicide program called "apoptosis" before initiating cancer.

High-tech future early warning system for hurricanes, tornados and volcanic eruptions Posted: 27 Sep 2016 08:14 AM PDT The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) has been able to detect a gravity wave wafting through space from two colliding black holes billions of years ago. Now a group has built a much smaller ring laser interferometer to explore how it could detect geophysical effects such as earthquake-generated ground rotation and infrasound from convective storms and have demonstrated the technology's potential as an early-warning system for natural disasters.

New therapeutic treatment helps people lose more weight and keep it off Posted: 27 Sep 2016 05:33 AM PDT A new approach to weight loss called Acceptance-Based Behavioral Treatment (ABT) helped people lose more weight and keep it off longer than those who received only Standard Behavioral Treatment (SBT) according to a new randomized controlled clinical.

Climate change will see some males get sexier Posted: 27 Sep 2016 05:33 AM PDT A common marine crustacean has shown researchers that it's all set to beat climate change -- the males will get more attractive to the females, with a resulting population explosion.

Longest record of continuous carbon flux data is now publicly available Posted: 27 Sep 2016 05:33 AM PDT The FLUXNET collaboration's most recent data release includes some of the longest continuous records of ecosystem data ever taken. The information has undergone extensive quality checks and is now publicly available for download.

Help needed to identify post-stroke visual impairments Posted: 27 Sep 2016 05:29 AM PDT A review of the methods available to screen for post-stroke visual impairments has found there is an urgent demand for the development of a tool.

'Missing link' found in the development of bioelectronic medicines Posted: 27 Sep 2016 05:29 AM PDT A nanoscale device, called a memristor, could be the 'missing link' in the development of implants that use electrical signals from the brain to help treat medical conditions, researchers have found.

Nanotech could give us safer, greener diapers and sanitary products Posted: 27 Sep 2016 05:29 AM PDT Nanofibers are more absorbent and better for the environment, say researchers, who note that their new material would have less of an environmental impact and be safer for humans than existing materials.

Crosstalk analysis of biological networks for improved pathway annotation Posted: 27 Sep 2016 05:29 AM PDT A new computer algorithm for analyzing gene function called BinoX has been developed by researchers. The method associates experimentally derived gene lists and known pathways. It does this in a new way, by employing a large gene network and determining if a gene list and a pathway has more network links than expected, using the binomial distribution. This is a significant advance over previous methods, and as a result BinoX yields substantially better accuracy.

How wetlands and agriculture, not fossil fuels, could be causing a global rise in methane Posted: 27 Sep 2016 05:29 AM PDT Recent rises in levels of methane in our atmosphere is being driven by biological sources, such as swamp gas, cow burps, or rice fields, rather than fossil fuel emissions, new research suggests.

Women are less than a quarter of top one per cent, high incomes study shows Posted: 27 Sep 2016 05:29 AM PDT Women make up a smaller and smaller fraction of those with high incomes, the closer you get to the top. Women have been increasing their representation in the top 10 per cent, but progress has been much less at the very top 0.1 per cent. Tax data from eight countries since the 1980s or earlier was used by researchers to look for the first time at the gender composition of those with top incomes from all sources, not just from earnings.

Ancient eggshell protein breaks through DNA time barrier Posted: 27 Sep 2016 05:29 AM PDT Scientists have identified fossil proteins in a 3.8 million year-old ostrich eggshell, suggesting that proteins could provide valuable new insights into the evolutionary tree, much further back in time than was previously thought.

Improving protein intake in older adults Posted: 27 Sep 2016 05:27 AM PDT Researchers have been exploring the reasons why many older people aren't eating as much protein as they should be. Findings from the study could go on to inform strategies to improve protein consumption.

Skin cancer: Drug combination could improve immunotherapy Posted: 27 Sep 2016 05:27 AM PDT The results of studies show that the effect of immunotherapy on malignant melanoma (black skin cancer) can be improved by combining it with other cancer treatments. However, the results also show that this combination can lead to an increase in side-effects. Researchers are therefore now looking for ways to improve the side-effect profile and is testing these approaches in two upcoming studies.

Quick test to detect inflammation in diabetic patients Posted: 27 Sep 2016 05:27 AM PDT A new kit that will allow doctors to find out within minutes if diabetic patients are suffering from inflammation has now been developed by scientists.

Eat, escape, love: The price of looking sexy Posted: 27 Sep 2016 05:27 AM PDT In the animal kingdom colorful traits can be both a blessing and a curse. A new study has studied the conspicuous wing coloration of two species of damselflies. Their results imply that males, but not females, pay a high cost when using color to communicate with other damselflies, both in terms of predation risk and visibility to prey.

Traffic noise reduces wild owls' foraging efficiency Posted: 27 Sep 2016 05:27 AM PDT Traffic noise reduces the foraging efficiency of wild owls by up to 89 percent, a team of researchers has found. The team's world-first study examined how different levels of such noise affect the hunting efficiency of these nocturnal predators, which employ a keen auditory sense to locate prey in the darkness.

Poverty and perceived hardship affect cognitive function and may contribute to premature aging, say investigators Posted: 27 Sep 2016 05:27 AM PDT A new study finds strong associations between sustained exposure to economic hardship and worse cognitive function in relatively young individuals.

Blood pressure drug may boost effectiveness of lung cancer treatment Posted: 27 Sep 2016 05:27 AM PDT A blood pressure drug may make a type of lung cancer treatment more effective, suggests a new study. Almost 2 million people are diagnosed with lung cancer every year worldwide and it is the top international cancer killer. The team studied a lung cancer drug called erlotinib which can be used to treat between 10 and 30 per cent of lung cancer patients.

Consistency builds cohesion in the animal kingdom Posted: 27 Sep 2016 05:27 AM PDT A wide range of animals -- from shoals of fish, to swarms of locusts, to zebras on the Serengeti -- live in tightly-coordinated social groups. This can help them avoid predation and find food, but the collective coordination it requires can be a challenge. New research indicates that fish with consistent personalities are more successful in social groups and better at helping to build tighter shoals.

Vigilin, the lock keeper Posted: 27 Sep 2016 05:27 AM PDT A molecule in liver cells that controls the release of fat into the bloodstream has now been discovered by researchers. This "lock keeper" is present in large quantities in overweight people and leads indirectly to vascular narrowing.

Old fashioned roller coasters can help patients pass kidney stones Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:35 PM PDT A urologist has discovered that riding a roller coaster helps patients pass kidney stones with nearly a 70 percent success rate.

The spice of life: Cinnamon cools your stomach Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:23 PM PDT Adding cinnamon to your diet can cool your body by up to two degrees, according to research. And the spice may also contribute to a general improvement in overall health, say authors of a new report.

Ancient brain area controls eye movements Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:21 PM PDT There is much going on around us all the time, phenomena that we perceive with our different senses, which send information to the brain. This complication is solved by an ancient part of the midbrain called the corpora quadrigemina, or tectum. This area contains a complex network of neurons that control the movements of the head and eyes. An ancient area of the midbrain of all vertebrates can independently contol and reorientate the eyes, researchers now report.

How statins aid the immune system Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:20 PM PDT Statins protect against cardiovascular disease in more ways than previously thought. In a new study, researchers are able to show the immunological effects of statins, and present a new hypothesis on why satins are effective at preventing heart attacks.

Fecal bacteria linked to body fat Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:16 PM PDT A new link between the diversity of bacteria in human poo -- known as the human fecal microbiome -- and levels of abdominal body fat, has been identified by scientists. The research provides further evidence of possible genetic influences on obesity, through heritable bacteria found in the fecal microbiome.

Life in ancient oceans enabled by erosion from land Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:16 PM PDT As scientists continue finding evidence for life in the ocean more than 3 billion years ago, those ancient fossils pose a paradox that raises questions about whether there was more land mass than previously thought.

Teen girls with a family history of breast cancer do not experience increased depression or anxiety Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:16 PM PDT More and more girls are expected to have to confront breast cancer fears as modern genomics technology makes it easier to detect strong risk factors such as inherited BRCA1/2 mutations. But a new study shows that adolescent girls in families with a history of breast cancer or a high-risk BRCA1/2 mutation do not experience negative psychological effects, on average, and even seem to have higher self-esteem than their peers.

New theory on how insulin resistance, metabolic disease begin Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:14 PM PDT Does eating too much sugar cause type 2 diabetes? The answer may not be simple, but a study adds to growing research linking excessive sugar consumption -- specifically the sugar fructose -- to a rise in metabolic disease worldwide. The study, conducted in mice and corroborated in human liver samples, unveils a metabolic process that could upend previous ideas about how the body becomes resistant to insulin and eventually develops diabetes.

How 'hair-of-the-dog' approach works to treat allergies, mouse study shows Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:14 PM PDT Using mice as the models, a new study describes the cellular processes that occur during "rush desensitization." The approach involves giving a small dose of the allergy trigger -- peanuts or bee poison or even chemotherapy -- to the susceptible patient in small, yet increasing doses over a short period.

Measurement helps craniofacial surgeons better evaluate children with skull deformity Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:14 PM PDT A baby's skull is made of several plates of bone that fuse together over time to form a single structure. Previous research has shown that approximately one in 2,000 babies have plates that fuse too early — a condition called craniosynostosis — causing cranial deformities that can lead to learning impairments and other neurodevelopmental problems. Craniofacial surgeons across the country differ on when surgical intervention is needed for some abnormalities. Now, researchers are recommending a new method to help determine when surgery is needed.

Scientists put a new twist on artificial muscles Posted: 26 Sep 2016 07:14 PM PDT A high-tech twist has been put on the ancient art of fiber spinning, using modern materials to create ultra-strong, powerful, shape-shifting yarns. A new report describes the path to developing a new class of artificial muscles made from highly twisted fibers of various materials, ranging from exotic carbon nanotubes to ordinary nylon thread and polymer fishing line.

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