ScienceDaily: Top News

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• New treatment leaves liver cancer cells in limbo
• Targeting the host to get rid of unwanted guests
• Catalog of known near-Earth asteroids tops 15,000
• Weakness is good when controlling light
• This new technology could prevent a leading cause of death
• Zika infection causes reduced fertility, low testosterone in male mice
• Making sense of the seneses: 'Context' matters when the brain interprets sounds
• New study suggests way to slow skin fibrosis in scleroderma
• Acupuncture lowers hypertension by activating opioids, study finds
• First-in-human of new polymer-free stent demonstrates favorable angiographic, imaging-based outcomes at nine-months
• Social media proves effective as a tool for antimicrobial stewardship
• Artificial muscles show more flex
• Does the mother know her child the best?
• Hospitalizations for children, teens attributed to opioid poisoning jump
• Thinking of loved ones lessens our need to 'reconnect' through anthropomorphism
• Drones take off in plant ecological research
• Understanding mind-wandering could shed light on mental illness
• Researchers bring eyewear-free 3-D capabilities to small screen
• Chinese medical education rising unevenly from Cultural Revolution rubble
• Where is my mind? New study looks for the cortical conscious network
• Vaccinating against dengue may increase Zika outbreaks
• Missing link between smoking and inflammation identified
• How pygmy moths started to diversify 100 million years ago
• Physicists leapfrog accelerators with ultrahigh energy cosmic rays
• Key protein implicated in negative side effects of senescence
• Study reveals that adrenergic nerves control immune cells' daily schedule
• Wild cat brains: An evolutionary curveball
• Silencing SIRT2, a sirtuin enzyme, reduces malignancy in deadly breast cancer subtype
• Into the gray zone: New report analyzes potential of active defense as a response to sophisticated cyber threats in the private sector
• Studying stents for coronary artery disease
• Guiding coronary stent implantation
• State policies will determine whether or not most Americans smoke marijuana
• Nearly 600 Zika investigations force public health department in Harris County, Texas to improvise
• Sports injury app detects 99% more health conditions for college athletes than traditional medicine
• Sudden cardiac death of teen reminds physicians of promises, challenges of precision medicine
• New MutChromSeq technique makes valuable genes easier to find
• Research into extreme weather effects may explain recent butterfly decline
• Few children born to parents with serious mental illness live with both parents while growing up
• New sperm research could lead to cut in infertility rate
• Cell extrusion mechanisms: Making sure to expel an unwanted cell
• Mystery solved behind birth of Saturn’s rings
• Study identifies molecule that limits excessive expansion of heart muscle cells
• Researchers nearly reached quantum limit with nanodrums
• DNA methylation affects superiority of hybrid plants
• Close up of the new mineral merelaniite
• Structure of toxic tau aggregates determines type of dementia, rate of progression
• Helping dam north of Grand Canyon balance environment, hydropower needs

New treatment leaves liver cancer cells in limbo Posted: 31 Oct 2016 10:38 AM PDT Scientists have shown that a mutation in a gene called Arid1b can cause liver cancer. The gene normally protects against cancer by limiting cell growth, but when mutated it allows cells to grow uncontrollably. The researchers have shown that two existing drugs can halt this growth in human cells. This points to a new approach to treating liver cancer, say researchers.

Targeting the host to get rid of unwanted guests Posted: 31 Oct 2016 10:37 AM PDT A new approach has been developed to combat diseases caused by herpesvirus infections, including everything from cold sores to cancer.

Catalog of known near-Earth asteroids tops 15,000 Posted: 31 Oct 2016 09:59 AM PDT The number of discovered near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) now tops 15,000, with an average of 30 new discoveries added each week. The number of discovered near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) now tops 15,000, with an average of 30 new discoveries added each week. This milestone marks a 50 percent increase in the number of known NEAs since 2013, when discoveries reached 10,000 in August of that year. Surveys funded by NASA's Near Earth Object (NEO) Observations Program (NEOs include both asteroids and comets) account for more than 95 percent of discoveries so far. The 15,000th near-Earth asteroid is designated 2016 TB57. 2016 TB57 is a rather small asteroid -- about 50 to 115 feet (16 to 36 meters) in size -- that will come closest to Earth on Oct. 31 at just beyond five times the distance of the moon. It will safely pass Earth.

Weakness is good when controlling light Posted: 31 Oct 2016 09:52 AM PDT Researchers have demonstrated a way to control light with light using one third — in some cases, even less — of the energy typically required. The advancement, coupled with other developments, could lead to more powerful, energy-efficient computer chips.

This new technology could prevent a leading cause of death Posted: 31 Oct 2016 09:52 AM PDT Sepsis can kill a person in two days. Normal methods of detecting sepsis take at least that long. But researchers have found a new way to significantly reduce that detection time, giving medical professionals more time to treat the patient.

Zika infection causes reduced fertility, low testosterone in male mice Posted: 31 Oct 2016 09:50 AM PDT Zika targets the male reproductive system, at least in mice, say researchers. Three weeks after Zika infection, male mice had shrunken testicles, low levels of sex hormones and reduced fertility. The results suggest that Zika infection may interfere with men's ability to have children.

Making sense of the seneses: 'Context' matters when the brain interprets sounds Posted: 31 Oct 2016 09:50 AM PDT The brain's interpretation of sound is influenced by cues from other senses, explaining more precisely how we interpret what we hear at a particular moment, according to a report.

New study suggests way to slow skin fibrosis in scleroderma Posted: 31 Oct 2016 09:50 AM PDT A possible mechanism behind the fibrosis that occurs in scleroderma has now been identified, a mechanism, researchers say, that may one day lead to a treatment for the disease.

Acupuncture lowers hypertension by activating opioids, study finds Posted: 31 Oct 2016 09:50 AM PDT Regular electroacupunture treatment can lower hypertension by increasing the release of a kind of opioid in the brainstem region that controls blood pressure, investigators have found.

First-in-human of new polymer-free stent demonstrates favorable angiographic, imaging-based outcomes at nine-months Posted: 31 Oct 2016 09:50 AM PDT A first-in-human study of a new polymer-free drug-filled stent, which provides controlled drug elution from an internal lumen, indicated non-inferior in-stent late lumen loss at nine-months compared with historical zotarolimus-eluting stent (Resolute) data. In addition, there was no binary restenosis, and a high degree of early stent strut coverage with minimal malapposition.

Social media proves effective as a tool for antimicrobial stewardship Posted: 31 Oct 2016 09:49 AM PDT A new study examines the use of social media platforms to inform young physicians about proper use of antimicrobial agents such as antibiotics. Currently, as much as 50 percent of all antibiotic use is inappropriate, leading to such unintended consequences such as antibiotic toxicity and increased antimicrobial resistance. Ensuring optimal use of antibiotics continues to be a central public health concern, and medical residents are a central focus of efforts to improve education in this field. But the question remains as to the best way to reach them.

Artificial muscles show more flex Posted: 31 Oct 2016 09:49 AM PDT Artificial muscles made significant gains when a literal twist in the development approach uncovered the tensile or stretchy abilities of polymer fibers once they were twisted and coiled into a spring-like geometry. In a similar manner to the powerful climbing tendrils of cucumber plants, the unique geometry gives the coil a flexing motion when fiber material shrinks a reaction that can be controlled with heat. Now, researchers have improved these tensile properties even further by focusing on the thermal properties of the polymer fiber and the molecular structure that makes best use of the chiral configuration.

Does the mother know her child the best? Posted: 31 Oct 2016 08:39 AM PDT New research shows that mental problems affect the mother's judgement and that dad is just as good as mum at evaluating the child's scholastic and social skills. This is important to consider in parental rights cases, claim the researchers behind the study.

Hospitalizations for children, teens attributed to opioid poisoning jump Posted: 31 Oct 2016 08:37 AM PDT The overall incidence of hospitalizations for prescription opioid poisonings in children and adolescents has more than doubled from 1997 to 2012, with increasing incidence of poisonings attributed to suicide or self-inflicted injury and accidental intent, according to a new study.

Thinking of loved ones lessens our need to 'reconnect' through anthropomorphism Posted: 31 Oct 2016 08:36 AM PDT Reminding people of their close, caring relationships can reduce their tendency to anthropomorphize objects as a way of feeling socially connected, according to new research. The study replicates and extends earlier findings showing that people who report feeling lonely are more likely to ascribe humanlike characteristics to inanimate objects than those who aren't lonely.

Drones take off in plant ecological research Posted: 31 Oct 2016 08:35 AM PDT Long-term, broad-scale ecological data are critical to plant research, but often impossible to collect on foot. Traditional data-collection methods can be time consuming or dangerous, and can compromise habitats that are sensitive to human impact. Micro-unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, eliminate these data-collection pitfalls by flying over landscapes to gather unobtrusive aerial image data.

Understanding mind-wandering could shed light on mental illness Posted: 31 Oct 2016 08:33 AM PDT If you think the mind grinds to a halt when you're doing nothing, think again. Spontaneous thought processes -- including mind-wandering, but also creative thinking and dreaming -- arise when thoughts are relatively free from deliberate and automatic constraints. Mind-wandering is not far from creative thinking.

Researchers bring eyewear-free 3-D capabilities to small screen Posted: 31 Oct 2016 08:32 AM PDT Technology will benefit display companies in manufacturing low cost and light weight 2-D/3-D convertible displays for mobile applications, say investigators.

Chinese medical education rising unevenly from Cultural Revolution rubble Posted: 31 Oct 2016 08:32 AM PDT For scores of years after the first medical school opened in China in 1886, the country progressed in building a medical education system for its fast-growing population. Then 50 years ago, it not only came to a screeching halt, but to a full reversal with the Cultural Revolution.

Where is my mind? New study looks for the cortical conscious network Posted: 31 Oct 2016 08:31 AM PDT Our brain is a very complex network, with approximately 100 billion neurons and 100 trillion synapses between the neurons. In order to cope with its enormous complexity, and understand how the brain works and eventually forms our conscious mind, science uses advanced mathematical tools. Ultimately, scientists seek to understand how a global phenomenon such as consciousness can emerge from our neuronal network.

Vaccinating against dengue may increase Zika outbreaks Posted: 31 Oct 2016 08:08 AM PDT Vaccinating against dengue fever could increase outbreaks of Zika, suggests new research. The study identifies a potentially serious public health concern. More than a third of the world's population lives in areas where dengue is endemic and cases of co-infection with Zika have already been reported.

Missing link between smoking and inflammation identified Posted: 31 Oct 2016 08:08 AM PDT It's no secret that using tobacco is bad for you, but what has been a mystery until now is how tobacco causes increased inflammation throughout the body. Now, a team of researchers has learned why. Scientists show that nicotine activates certain white blood cells, called neutrophils, which in turn release molecules that lead to increased inflammation.

How pygmy moths started to diversify 100 million years ago Posted: 31 Oct 2016 08:07 AM PDT The leaf-mining pygmy moths (family Nepticulidae) and the white eyecap moths (family Opostegidae) are among the smallest moths in the world with a wingspan of just a few millimeters. Their caterpillars make characteristic patterns in leaves: leaf mines. For the first time, the evolutionary relationships of the more than 1000 species have been analyzed on the basis of DNA, resulting in a new classification.

Physicists leapfrog accelerators with ultrahigh energy cosmic rays Posted: 31 Oct 2016 08:01 AM PDT An international team of physicists has developed a pioneering approach to using Ultrahigh Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECRs)—the highest energy particles in nature since the Big Bang—to study particle interactions far beyond the reach of human-made accelerators.

Key protein implicated in negative side effects of senescence Posted: 31 Oct 2016 07:37 AM PDT A protein that plays a critical role in the expression of cytokines and chemokines has been identified by researchers. They have noted that decreasing this protein suppresses the expression of these secreted factors. This suggests that there may be ways of promoting the positive effects of senescence while suppressing its negative effects.

Study reveals that adrenergic nerves control immune cells' daily schedule Posted: 31 Oct 2016 07:35 AM PDT The adrenergic nervous system controls when white blood cells circulate through the body, boosting the immune response by retaining T and B cells in lymph nodes at the time of day when they are most likely to encounter foreign antigens, scientists have discovered.

Wild cat brains: An evolutionary curveball Posted: 31 Oct 2016 07:35 AM PDT The brains of wild cats don't necessarily respond to the same evolutionary pressures as those of their fellow mammals, humans and primates, indicates a surprising new study.

Silencing SIRT2, a sirtuin enzyme, reduces malignancy in deadly breast cancer subtype Posted: 31 Oct 2016 07:35 AM PDT Silencing SIRT2, a member of the sirtuin family of enzymes, reduces the invasiveness of basal-like breast cancer cells in culture and inhibits tumor growth in mice, according to new research.

Into the gray zone: New report analyzes potential of active defense as a response to sophisticated cyber threats in the private sector Posted: 31 Oct 2016 07:35 AM PDT A new report offers the most comprehensive assessment to date of the legal, policy and technological contexts that surround private sector cybersecurity and active defense measures to improve U.S. responses to evolving threats.

Studying stents for coronary artery disease Posted: 31 Oct 2016 06:03 AM PDT Results of a large-scale, multicenter study found that treatment with two thin-strut drug-eluting stents were both non-inferior to a durable polymer drug-eluting stent and showed favorable clinical outcomes at one year in treating an all-comers population with a high proportion of patients with acute coronary syndromes.

Guiding coronary stent implantation Posted: 31 Oct 2016 06:03 AM PDT Although percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is most commonly guided by angiography alone, results from a new study investigating adjunctive imaging modalities showed that the use of a novel optical coherence tomography (OCT)-based stent sizing strategy results in similar minimal stent area (MSA) compared to intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided PCI. Imaging-guided PCI (with both OCT and IVUS) also resulted in improved stent expansion and acute stent-based procedural success compared to angiography-guided PCI.

State policies will determine whether or not most Americans smoke marijuana Posted: 31 Oct 2016 06:02 AM PDT More than 50 percent of Americans changed their minds about intentions to smoke marijuana based on ramifications — or lack thereof — set forth by their state of residency, according to new research.

Nearly 600 Zika investigations force public health department in Harris County, Texas to improvise Posted: 31 Oct 2016 06:02 AM PDT The Harris County Public Health Department -- which this past summer confirmed the state of Texas' first Zika-associated death -- has investigated nearly 600 suspected cases this year, 55 percent of which were pregnancy-related, according to new research.

Sports injury app detects 99% more health conditions for college athletes than traditional medicine Posted: 31 Oct 2016 06:02 AM PDT A new cell phone app specializing in sports injury detection captured 99 percent more physical and mental health symptoms for college athletes than traditional sports medicine surveillance, according to new research.

Sudden cardiac death of teen reminds physicians of promises, challenges of precision medicine Posted: 31 Oct 2016 06:02 AM PDT The sudden death of a 13-year-old boy resulted in more than 20 relatives to be incorrectly diagnosed as having a potentially lethal heart rhythm condition. This erroneous diagnosis occurred as a result of inappropriate use of genetic testing and incorrect interpretation of genetic test results, according to research.

New MutChromSeq technique makes valuable genes easier to find Posted: 31 Oct 2016 06:00 AM PDT Scientists have applied an innovative technique to the analysis of wheat and barley genomes that makes it easier to pinpoint specific genes that might be used in crop improvement programs.

Research into extreme weather effects may explain recent butterfly decline Posted: 31 Oct 2016 06:00 AM PDT Increasingly frequent extreme weather events could threaten butterfly populations in the UK and could be the cause of recently reported butterfly population crashes, according to research.

Few children born to parents with serious mental illness live with both parents while growing up Posted: 31 Oct 2016 05:59 AM PDT Serious mental illness such as depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia has been shown to affect relationships and parenting capabilities. Children of parents with serious mental illness are vulnerable, and therefore comprehensive knowledge about their life circumstances is warranted for public health strategies to provide helpful supportive services.

New sperm research could lead to cut in infertility rate Posted: 31 Oct 2016 05:59 AM PDT Sperm and mathematics don't appear to be the likeliest of bedfellows, but new research bringing the two together could lead to devices that could cut infertility rates.

Cell extrusion mechanisms: Making sure to expel an unwanted cell Posted: 31 Oct 2016 05:59 AM PDT An international collaboration of researchers has revealed how epithelial cell extrusion is regulated by cell density, explains a new report.

Mystery solved behind birth of Saturn’s rings Posted: 31 Oct 2016 05:59 AM PDT A team of researchers has presented a new model for the origin of Saturn's rings based on results of computer simulations. The results of the simulations are also applicable to rings of other giant planets and explain the compositional differences between the rings of Saturn and Uranus.

Study identifies molecule that limits excessive expansion of heart muscle cells Posted: 31 Oct 2016 05:59 AM PDT A research team has identified a protein that stops heart muscle cells from increasing in size when the heart is under stress, representing a candidate for treating a range of heart diseases.

Researchers nearly reached quantum limit with nanodrums Posted: 31 Oct 2016 05:59 AM PDT Extremely accurate measurements of microwave signals can potentially be used for data encryption based on quantum cryptography and other purposes.

DNA methylation affects superiority of hybrid plants Posted: 31 Oct 2016 05:59 AM PDT Hybrid vigor refers to when a crossbreed plant or animal shows superior traits compared to its parents. A research group has discovered that a gene involved in maintaining DNA methylation is closely connected to hybrid vigor in Arabidopsis thaliana. This has potential applications for other cruciferous vegetables such as Chinese cabbage, and could lead to more efficient breeding of high-yield vegetables.

Close up of the new mineral merelaniite Posted: 29 Oct 2016 09:44 AM PDT The scroll-like structure of the newly discovered mineral merelaniite grows into tiny, silver-gray whiskers. A physicist has found the mineral on a sample of larger minerals from the Merelani Mining District in Tanzania.

Structure of toxic tau aggregates determines type of dementia, rate of progression Posted: 28 Oct 2016 05:53 PM PDT The distinct structures of toxic protein aggregates that form in degenerating brains determine which type of dementia will occur, which regions of brain will be affected, and how quickly the disease will spread, according to a study.

Helping dam north of Grand Canyon balance environment, hydropower needs Posted: 28 Oct 2016 12:56 PM PDT Researchers have helped develop a plan for the operation of Glen Canyon Dam in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, upstream of Grand Canyon National Park. The plan, known as the Glen Canyon Dam Long-Term Experimental and Management Plan, and documented in a final environmental impact statement, recommends a strategy that would balance hydropower with the protection of environmental, cultural and recreational resources in the area.

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