ScienceDaily: Top News

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• First steps to neutralizing Zika
• Fault curvature may control where big earthquakes occur
• Upward mobility boosts immunity in monkeys
• Bringing silicon to life
• Fuel cells: For platinum catalysts, tiny squeeze gives big boost in performance
• Binge-eating bacteria extract energy from sewage
• Defining conservation priorities in tropical and biodiversity rich countries
• Subduction zone geometry: Mega-earthquake risk indicator
• Scientists propose ten policies to protect vital pollinators
• New capillarity effects in ideal gases solve an old mathematical mystery
• Researchers discover most winter boots are too slippery to walk safely on icy surfaces
• New guidelines aim to improve understanding of scientific data
• Antarctic explorers help make discovery 100 years after their epic adventures
• Construction greener, more efficient with intelligent software
• Internet of Things will demand a step-change in search solutions
• Gulfstream may strengthen with more precipitation in the far north
• Why are black men missing from prostate cancer research?
• Turning sugar waste into light, and job opportunities
• Researchers define, for the first time, how the cancer cell of origin controls invasive, metastatic properties of tumor cells
• New network to trace the evolution of the universe
• Human cells with a 'built-in circuit' help prevent tumor growth
• Quantum particles form droplets
• Toxoplasma's balancing act explained
• The weeds that settlers spread
• Depression in young people affects the stomach, anxiety the skin
• Diagnostic tool designed for Familial Mediterranean Fever
• Edible dormice: The older they get, the more they rejuvenate their cells
• Consumer of the future will use a mobile phone to monitor environment
• Endangered Australasian marsupials are ancient survivors of climate change
• For wearable electronic devices, plastic holes are golden
• Creative activities promote day-to-day wellbeing
• In highly lethal type of leukemia, cancer gene predicts treatment response
• Generation X at greater risk of stroke than baby boomers
• What messages do female birds' markings send?
• Active-duty military find PTSD relief through individual cognitive therapy
• World of viruses uncovered
• Climate model predictions are telling a consistent story
• Fibroblasts could provide new target for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis
• Study in rats finds low blood alcohol levels have no effect on total calories consumed
• Sharing, cooperation key to Arctic villages
• Missed connections: As people age, memory-related brain activity loses cohesion
• DNA analysis of bluebird feces reveals benefits for vineyards
• Jet lag and obesity share similar pathways to liver cancer
• Mutant prion protein could help reveal neurodegenerative disease mechanisms

First steps to neutralizing Zika Posted: 24 Nov 2016 12:20 PM PST As Zika spreads throughout the world, the call for rapid development of therapeutics to treat Zika rings loud and clear. Taking a step further in identifying a possible therapeutic candidate, a team of researchers has discovered the mechanism by which C10, a human antibody previously identified to react with the Dengue virus, prevents Zika infection at a cellular level.

Fault curvature may control where big earthquakes occur Posted: 24 Nov 2016 12:14 PM PST The geometry of large faults has been the focus of recent research, which has found that the big earthquakes occur where faults are mostly flat.

Upward mobility boosts immunity in monkeys Posted: 24 Nov 2016 12:13 PM PST The richest and poorest Americans differ in life expectancy by more than a decade. Glaring health inequalities across the socioeconomic spectrum are often attributed to access to medical care and differences in habits such as smoking, exercise and diet. But a new study in rhesus monkeys shows that the chronic stress of life at the bottom can alter the immune system even in the absence of other risk factors.

Bringing silicon to life Posted: 24 Nov 2016 12:12 PM PST A new study is the first to show that living organisms can be persuaded to make silicon-carbon bonds—something only chemists had done before. Scientists have "bred" a bacterial protein to have the ability to make the human-made bonds—a finding that has applications in several industries.

Fuel cells: For platinum catalysts, tiny squeeze gives big boost in performance Posted: 24 Nov 2016 12:03 PM PST Squeezing a platinum catalyst a fraction of a nanometer nearly doubles its catalytic activity, say researchers, a finding that could lead to better fuel cells and other clean energy technologies.

Binge-eating bacteria extract energy from sewage Posted: 24 Nov 2016 12:02 PM PST Domestic sewage contains various organic substances, mainly from toilets and kitchens. Now research shows that this ewage contains a source of energy that can be harvested by using hungry bacteria.

Defining conservation priorities in tropical and biodiversity rich countries Posted: 24 Nov 2016 12:02 PM PST Rich in biodiversity, with a rapidly growing economy, Malaysia exemplifies the tension between conservation and economic development faced by many tropical countries.

Subduction zone geometry: Mega-earthquake risk indicator Posted: 24 Nov 2016 12:02 PM PST Mega-earthquakes (with a magnitude greater than 8.5) mainly occur on subduction faults where one tectonic plate passes under another. But the probability of such earthquakes does not appear to be even across these zones. In a new study, researchers show that mega-earthquakes mostly occur on the flattest subduction zones. Thus, the Philippines, Salomon Islands and Vanuatu areas would not be favorable to mega-earthquakes, unlike South America, Indonesia and Japan. The discovery of this new indicator should improve earthquake monitoring and seismic and tsunami risk prevention.

Scientists propose ten policies to protect vital pollinators Posted: 24 Nov 2016 12:02 PM PST Pesticide regulation, diversified farming systems and long-term monitoring are all ways governments can help to secure the future of pollinators such as bees, flies and wasps, according to scientists.

New capillarity effects in ideal gases solve an old mathematical mystery Posted: 24 Nov 2016 07:00 AM PST Scientists have challenged traditional concepts of micro and macro worlds and demonstrated how ideal gas unexpectedly exhibits capillarity properties.

Researchers discover most winter boots are too slippery to walk safely on icy surfaces Posted: 24 Nov 2016 05:18 AM PST A team of researchers is dedicated to keeping Canadians safer this winter by offering evidence-based ratings on footwear that may reduce the risk of slips and falls on ice. The team has developed the first test of its kind in the world – the Maximum Achievable Angle (MAA) Testing Method – to validate slip resistant footwear on icy surfaces using real people in a simulated winter environment.

New guidelines aim to improve understanding of scientific data Posted: 24 Nov 2016 05:18 AM PST New guidelines have been developed aimed at improving the communication and understanding of scientific data - using knowledge of how the human brain processes visual and written information.

Antarctic explorers help make discovery 100 years after their epic adventures Posted: 24 Nov 2016 05:18 AM PST Heroes of Antarctic exploration have played a crucial role in research that suggests the area of sea ice around Antarctica has barely changed in size in 100 years. Ice observations recorded in the ships' logbooks of explorers such as the British Captain Robert Scott and Ernest Shackleton and the German Erich von Drygalski have been used to compare where the Antarctic ice edge was during the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration (1897--1917) and where satellites show it is todayed to attempt the first ever cross-Antarctic trek.

Construction greener, more efficient with intelligent software Posted: 24 Nov 2016 05:17 AM PST Construction vehicles waste fuel by remaining on full power whilst idle. New research is working to make vehicles more fuel efficient and cheaper with electrical systems, say investigators.

Internet of Things will demand a step-change in search solutions Posted: 24 Nov 2016 05:17 AM PST A new article highlights the requirements the Internet of Things (IoT) will place on search engines and brings together the latest research being carried out in this field.

Gulfstream may strengthen with more precipitation in the far north Posted: 24 Nov 2016 05:17 AM PST Using a new theory, a researcher shows that more freshwater in the Arctic may strengthen the Gulfstream's extension into the polar regions – the opposite of what has generally been anticipated with future climate change.

Why are black men missing from prostate cancer research? Posted: 24 Nov 2016 05:17 AM PST Black men are three times more likely to develop prostate cancer than other demographics, yet black men are consistently underrepresented in research studies, say researchers.

Turning sugar waste into light, and job opportunities Posted: 24 Nov 2016 05:17 AM PST An alternate use for sugarcane waste has been proposed by a research team in India. While sugar is falling out of favor around the world, sugarcane residue is becoming a useful commodity, they say.

Researchers define, for the first time, how the cancer cell of origin controls invasive, metastatic properties of tumor cells Posted: 24 Nov 2016 05:17 AM PST For the first time, scientists define how the cancer cell of origin controls invasive and metastatic properties of tumor cells.

New network to trace the evolution of the universe Posted: 24 Nov 2016 05:17 AM PST A new network will bring European research, science and business together to further our understanding of the early universe and its constituents, say authors of a new report.

Human cells with a 'built-in circuit' help prevent tumor growth Posted: 24 Nov 2016 05:17 AM PST Researchers have engineered cells with a 'built-in genetic circuit' that produces a molecule that inhibits the ability of tumors to survive and grow in their low oxygen environment. The genetic circuit produces the machinery necessary for the production of a compound that inhibits a protein which has a significant and critical role in the growth and survival of cancer cells. This results in the cancer cells being unable to survive in the low oxygen, low nutrient tumor micro-environment.

Quantum particles form droplets Posted: 24 Nov 2016 05:17 AM PST In experiments with magnetic atoms conducted at extremely low temperatures, scientists have demonstrated a unique phase of matter: the atoms form a new type of quantum liquid or quantum droplet state. These so called quantum droplets may preserve their form in absence of external confinement because of quantum effects.

Toxoplasma's balancing act explained Posted: 24 Nov 2016 05:16 AM PST The parasite Toxoplasma gondii is a silent success. It infects up to 95% of people in many regions of the world, and most of them never know it, due to the parasite's artful manipulation of its host's immune response. Toxoplasma keeps the immune response low enough so that it can thrive, but high enough so that its human hosts generally live healthy lives and can incubate parasites. Scientists have uncovered one of the ways it maintains this balance.

The weeds that settlers spread Posted: 24 Nov 2016 05:16 AM PST Why has ragweed – a highly allergenic plant – been spreading so quickly? A researcher took a six-week road trip across the USA and collected 1000 samples of the plant from roadsides and herbaria to answer that exact question.

Depression in young people affects the stomach, anxiety the skin Posted: 24 Nov 2016 05:16 AM PST Mental disorders and physical diseases frequently go hand in hand. For the first time, psychologists have identified temporal patterns in young people: arthritis and diseases of the digestive system are more common after depression, while anxiety disorders tend to be followed by skin diseases.

Diagnostic tool designed for Familial Mediterranean Fever Posted: 24 Nov 2016 05:16 AM PST Researchers have developed a tool to diagnose Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF). Particularly common among Mediterranean populations, this genetic disease is characterized by inflammation, fever and severe pain. Because of its complex diagnosis, patients often remain untreated for many years, which can eventually lead to kidney failure.

Edible dormice: The older they get, the more they rejuvenate their cells Posted: 24 Nov 2016 05:15 AM PST The shortening of telomeres in cells was thought to be an important biomarker for lifespan and aging. The edible dormouse (Glis glis), a small hibernating rodent, now turns everything upside down. In contrast to humans and other animals, telomere length in the edible dormouse significantly increases in the second half of its life, as researchers have found.

Consumer of the future will use a mobile phone to monitor environment Posted: 24 Nov 2016 05:15 AM PST The world's first hyperspectral camera has been developed by converting an iPhone camera into a new kind of optical sensor. This will bring the new possibilities of low-cost spectral imaging to consumer applications. Consumers will be able to use their mobile phones for example to sense food quality or monitor health.

Endangered Australasian marsupials are ancient survivors of climate change Posted: 24 Nov 2016 05:15 AM PST An international team of researchers has analyzed fossils and DNA from living and recently extinct species to show that conservation sensitive Australasian marsupials are much older than previously thought.

For wearable electronic devices, plastic holes are golden Posted: 23 Nov 2016 03:40 PM PST In science, sometimes the best discoveries come when you're exploring something else entirely. That's the case with recent findings where a research team has come up with a way to build safe, nontoxic gold wires onto flexible, thin plastic film. Their demonstration potentially clears the path for a host of wearable electronic devices that monitor our health.

Creative activities promote day-to-day wellbeing Posted: 23 Nov 2016 03:39 PM PST Everyday creative activity may lead to an "upward spiral" of increased wellbeing and creativity in young adults, new research suggests. In their study, researchers asked 658 university students to keep a daily diary of their experiences and emotional states over 13 days.

In highly lethal type of leukemia, cancer gene predicts treatment response Posted: 23 Nov 2016 03:38 PM PST Patients with the most lethal form of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) – based on genetic profiles of their cancers – typically survive for only four to six months after diagnosis, even with aggressive chemotherapy. But new research indicates that such patients, paradoxically, may live longer if they receive a milder chemotherapy drug.

Generation X at greater risk of stroke than baby boomers Posted: 23 Nov 2016 02:05 PM PST Older baby boomers—those born between 1945 and 1954—are the "stroke-healthiest generation," according to a new study that found the lowest incidence of ischemic stroke in this age group within the past 20 years. In contrast, the rate of stroke more than doubled in Generation X, people born between 1965 and 1974, during the same time period.

What messages do female birds' markings send? Posted: 23 Nov 2016 11:39 AM PST Both male and female birds use traits like plumage brightness to size each other up, but a new study on Northern Cardinals shows that the meanings of female birds' markings may vary from one place to another, even within the same species.

Active-duty military find PTSD relief through individual cognitive therapy Posted: 23 Nov 2016 11:36 AM PST Although both group and individual therapy can ease post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in active-duty military service members, individual therapy relieved PTSD symptoms better and quicker, according to a study.

World of viruses uncovered Posted: 23 Nov 2016 11:33 AM PST A pioneering study of invertebrates has discovered 1,445 viruses, including several new families, revealing people have only scratched the surface of the world of viruses.

Climate model predictions are telling a consistent story Posted: 23 Nov 2016 11:32 AM PST Global wheat production will decrease by more than five percent with each 1°C increase in the global temperature. This rather bleak forecast has been confirmed in a comparison of three independent methods of modelling on how climate change will impact yield.

Fibroblasts could provide new target for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis Posted: 23 Nov 2016 11:28 AM PST A new study reveals the key role of different types of fibroblast cells in the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), opening up a new avenue for research into treatment of the disease. Synovial Fibroblasts (SFs) are cells that make up part of the connective tissue, or synovium, around human joints. In RA patients, SF cells cause damage by invading and attacking the cartilage and bone around the joint.

Study in rats finds low blood alcohol levels have no effect on total calories consumed Posted: 23 Nov 2016 11:27 AM PST Laboratory rats will drink alcohol if it's available, and may even get a little tipsy, researchers report in a new study. But they won't voluntarily drink until they're drunk. And while ethanol is calorie-rich, rats that drink it eat less food and their total energy intake remains steady, the research team found.

Sharing, cooperation key to Arctic villages Posted: 23 Nov 2016 11:18 AM PST A new analysis of subsistence data collected in three Arctic communities underscores the importance of social ties and sharing among households.

Missed connections: As people age, memory-related brain activity loses cohesion Posted: 23 Nov 2016 11:18 AM PST Groups of brain regions with coordinated activity are consistent for individuals, but shrink with age, report scientists.

DNA analysis of bluebird feces reveals benefits for vineyards Posted: 23 Nov 2016 11:17 AM PST Do bluebirds nesting in California's vineyards help grape growers by eating agricultural pests, or hurt them by eating insects that are beneficial? The researchers behind a new study found that bluebirds' presence is likely a net positive--and they did it by analyzing DNA in bird poop.

Jet lag and obesity share similar pathways to liver cancer Posted: 23 Nov 2016 11:14 AM PST Since 1980, the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common type of liver cancer, has nearly tripled, and obesity related liver disease is one of the driving forces behind the increasing number of cases. Researchers are now examining how other lifestyle factors may affect your health. Using mice, the scientists show that repeated jet lag increases both obesity related liver disease and the risk of liver cancer.

Mutant prion protein could help reveal neurodegenerative disease mechanisms Posted: 23 Nov 2016 11:13 AM PST For the first time, scientists have isolated a mutated prion protein that can multiply in the lab but not in living animals, according to a study. The mutant prion provides new insights into the mechanisms that make prions infectious, say researchers.

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