ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Major advance in solar cells made from cheap, easy-to-use perovskite
• Early exposure to excess hormone causes genital defects in females
• Greenland fossils reveal global ecosystem recovery after mass extinction
• How brain surgery eliminates seizures in epilepsy patients
• Evolution purged many Neanderthal genes from human genome
• Archaeologists study earliest recorded human burial site in Ireland
• Tailored, dense-dose chemotherapy for early breast cancer does not result in significant improvement
• Supplemental, nutrient-enriched donor milk does not improve neurodevelopment in very low-birth-weight infants
• More frequent vaping among teens linked to higher risk of heavy cigarette smoking
• Massive 'lake' discovered under volcano could unlock why and how volcanoes erupt
• Mobs are, sometimes, good
• The messenger in Huntington's disease
• Genetic signaling pathway blocks formation of a cancer in the cerebellum
• Carbon-hungry plants impede growth rate of atmospheric carbon dioxide 
• First cellular atlas of DNA-binding molecule could advance precision therapies
• Lab-grown mini lungs successfully transplanted into mice
• Pancreatitis reduced by nearly 50% after gene therapy to treat lipoprotein lipase deficiency
• Studying structure to understand function within 'material families'
• Behavior of Alzheimer-linked protein revealed
• Attosecond physics: A zeptosecond stopwatch for the microcosm
• Lovers or fighters: Species of giant cockroaches employ different strategies in the mating game
• The global climate 2011-2015: Hottest five-year period on record
• Driverless cars, golf carts, now joined by autonomous scooter
• Gene network controls how many flowers and fruits plants will make in critical growth window
• Gestational age may impact academic performance
• Salty batteries: Sodium-oxygen batteries have improved cycle life due to highly concentrated electrolytes
• Patagonian fossil leaves reveal rapid recovery from dinosaur extinction event
• Small association of surgical anesthesia before age 4, later academic performance
• Blood vessels control brain growth
• Key mechanisms of cancer, aging and inflammation uncovered
• Diamond collection brings deep Earth to the surface
• Network traffic visualization tool will help thwart cyber attacks
• How human brains do language: One system, two channels
• Early planned birth linked to risk of poor child development
• The Caucasus as an 'island' in the 'sea' of steppes: New insights in mosquito evolution
• Dependency can be an evolutionary advantage
• Life took hold on land 300 million years earlier than thought
• Gold nanoparticles help deliver lethal one-two punch to cancer
• Bat fatalities at wind farms prove unpredictable
• Aging bonobos in the wild could use reading glasses too
• Bees use multiple cues in hunt for pollen
• Treatment advances have not improved long-term health status of childhood cancer survivors
• Pollution emitted near equator has biggest impact on global ozone
• Uncovering Yellowstone’s subsurface mysteries
• Telephone-based intervention shows promise in combating alcohol abuse among soldiers
• Funding a set of essential medicines for low- and middle-income countries
• Scientists use advanced technology to better understand a devastating neurodegenerative disorder
• Mobile health interventions: No silver bullet for diabetes patients, says study
• New theory of gravity might explain dark matter
• Solving the puzzle of necroptosis
• Herpes, not quite so species specific after all
• Ancient toothed turtles survived until 160m years ago
• Cannabis abuse possible cause of psychosis
• Collapse of mitochondria-associated membrane in ALS
• Humans proven to recognize partially obscured snakes more easily than other animals
• Personalized therapy reduces cancer risk for diabetes patients
• Spin liquid on a peak
• One in six women diagnosed with breast cancer has a symptom other than a lump
• How high-protein diets cause weight loss
• Researchers discover way to inhibit major cancer gene

Major advance in solar cells made from cheap, easy-to-use perovskite Posted: 08 Nov 2016 12:33 PM PST Physicists have boosted the efficiency of material that holds promise as base for next-generation solar cells. Perovskite solar cells are made of a mix of organic molecules and inorganic elements that together capture light and convert it into electricity, just like today's more common silicon-based solar cells. Perovskite photovoltaic devices, however, can be made more easily and cheaply than silicon and on a flexible rather than rigid substrate.

Early exposure to excess hormone causes genital defects in females Posted: 08 Nov 2016 12:26 PM PST Researchers have identified cells targeted by a male hormone and found that an excess of that hormone at a specific time can cause genital defects in female mice.

Greenland fossils reveal global ecosystem recovery after mass extinction Posted: 08 Nov 2016 11:54 AM PST A new study shows how higher latitude ecosystems recovered after the World's most cataclysmic extinction event 252 million years ago.

How brain surgery eliminates seizures in epilepsy patients Posted: 08 Nov 2016 11:53 AM PST Surgery is an option for patients who do not respond to medications and have epileptic scar tissue that can be removed safely. In 60 to 70 percent of surgery patients, seizures are completely eliminated, and the success rate likely will improve as imaging and surgical techniques improve.

Evolution purged many Neanderthal genes from human genome Posted: 08 Nov 2016 11:52 AM PST Larger populations allowed humans to shed weakly deleterious gene variants that were widespread in Neanderthals, new research indicates.

Archaeologists study earliest recorded human burial site in Ireland Posted: 08 Nov 2016 10:19 AM PST Archaeologists have shed new light on the belief systems of early Mesolithic hunter-gatherers after analyzing cremated remains and artifacts given as grave offerings from the earliest recorded human burial site in Ireland.

Tailored, dense-dose chemotherapy for early breast cancer does not result in significant improvement Posted: 08 Nov 2016 10:16 AM PST Among women with high-risk early breast cancer, the use of tailored dose-dense chemotherapy compared with standard adjuvant chemotherapy did not result in a statistically significant improvement in breast cancer recurrence-free survival, and nonhematologic toxic effects were more frequent in the tailored dose-dense group, according to a study.

Supplemental, nutrient-enriched donor milk does not improve neurodevelopment in very low-birth-weight infants Posted: 08 Nov 2016 10:16 AM PST Among very low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants, the use of supplemental donor milk compared with formula did not improve neurodevelopment at 18 months, according to a study.

More frequent vaping among teens linked to higher risk of heavy cigarette smoking Posted: 08 Nov 2016 10:15 AM PST Scientists examined associations of e-cigarette vaping with subsequent smoking frequency and heavy smoking among adolescents. E-cigarette vaping is reported by 37 percent of U.S. 10th-grade adolescents and is associated with subsequent initiation of combustible cigarette smoking, say investigators.

Massive 'lake' discovered under volcano could unlock why and how volcanoes erupt Posted: 08 Nov 2016 10:01 AM PST A huge magmatic lake has been discovered, 15 kilometers below a dormant volcano in Bolivia, South America. The body of water, which is dissolved into partially molten rock at a temperature of almost 1,000 degrees Celsius, is the equivalent to what is found in some of the world's giant freshwater lakes, such as Lake Superior.

Mobs are, sometimes, good Posted: 08 Nov 2016 09:59 AM PST Submitting to mob mentality is always a risky endeavor, for humans or hyenas. A new study focusing on the latter, though, shows that when it comes to battling for food, mobbing can be beneficial.

The messenger in Huntington's disease Posted: 08 Nov 2016 09:58 AM PST A research effort reveals new molecular mechanisms of Huntington's disease. The results question the approaches used up to now for treatment of the disease. They also point to messenger RNA as a key pathogenic component that will make it possible to define new therapeutic strategies.

Genetic signaling pathway blocks formation of a cancer in the cerebellum Posted: 08 Nov 2016 09:41 AM PST A signaling pathway has the potential to block a type of cancer in the cerebellum, suggests new research. The work is focused on brain tumor formation in animal models of medulloblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumor diagnosed in children.

Carbon-hungry plants impede growth rate of atmospheric carbon dioxide  Posted: 08 Nov 2016 09:40 AM PST The rate at which carbon dioxide is accumulating in the atmosphere has plateaued in recent years because Earth's vegetation is grabbing more carbon from the air than in previous decades, new research indicates.

First cellular atlas of DNA-binding molecule could advance precision therapies Posted: 08 Nov 2016 09:40 AM PST Biochemists have created the first atlas that maps where molecular tools that can switch genes on and off will bind to the human genome. It is a development they say could enable these tools to be targeted to specific parts of an individual's genome for use in precision medicine, developing therapies and treating disease.

Lab-grown mini lungs successfully transplanted into mice Posted: 08 Nov 2016 09:40 AM PST Scientists can now grow 3-D models of lungs from stem cells, creating new ways to study respiratory diseases, report scientists.

Pancreatitis reduced by nearly 50% after gene therapy to treat lipoprotein lipase deficiency Posted: 08 Nov 2016 09:38 AM PST Over a 6-year period, patients with the genetic disease lipoprotein lipase deficiency (LPLD) who received a single gene therapy treatment of alipogene tiparvovec had a marked reduction in the severity and frequency of pancreatitis. No cases of severe pancreatitis and only one admission to the intensive care unit for an LPLD-related abdominal event were reported in the study.

Studying structure to understand function within 'material families' Posted: 08 Nov 2016 09:38 AM PST Carbon, silicon, germanium, tin and lead are all part of a family that share the same structure of their outermost electrons, yet range from acting as insulators to semiconductors to metals.Is it possible to understand these and other trends within element families? In a new article, researchers describe probing the relationship between the structure (arrangement of atoms) and function (physical properties) of a liquid metal form of the element bismuth.

Behavior of Alzheimer-linked protein revealed Posted: 08 Nov 2016 09:38 AM PST Enzymes called kinases manage a wide range of cell processes, from metabolism, cell signaling, nutrient transport, and many others. Because they can affect so many different cell activities, kinases are tightly regulated within cells to make sure that the enzymes only act when necessary. Improperly activated kinases are linked to illnesses such as cancer and Alzheimer's disease. A group of scientists has uncovered a new mechanism for controlling the activation of a kinase implicated in Alzheimer's disease, generating novel insights into how to control this protein's activity.

Attosecond physics: A zeptosecond stopwatch for the microcosm Posted: 08 Nov 2016 09:38 AM PST For the first time ever, laser physicists have recorded an internal atomic event with an accuracy of a trillionth of a billionth of a second.

Lovers or fighters: Species of giant cockroaches employ different strategies in the mating game Posted: 08 Nov 2016 09:38 AM PST Even in the insect world, males must adopt different strategies to win females, depending on their particular physical prowess, new research shows.

The global climate 2011-2015: Hottest five-year period on record Posted: 08 Nov 2016 09:27 AM PST The World Meteorological Organization has published a detailed analysis of the global climate 2011-2015 -- the hottest five-year period on record -- and the increasingly visible human footprint on extreme weather and climate events with dangerous and costly impacts.

Driverless cars, golf carts, now joined by autonomous scooter Posted: 08 Nov 2016 09:06 AM PST Researchers have developed a self-driving scooter with the same sensor configuration and software as that used in trials of autonomous cars and golf carts. This new trial completes the demonstration of a comprehensive autonomous mobility system. A mobility-impaired user could, in principle, use a scooter to get down the hall and through the lobby of an apartment building, take a golf cart across the building's parking lot, and pick up an autonomous car on the public roads.

Gene network controls how many flowers and fruits plants will make in critical growth window Posted: 08 Nov 2016 09:00 AM PST There is staggering diversity in the number of flowers produced by each of the 2,800 or so species of plants in the nightshade family, which includes economically important crops such as tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes. Why the dramatic differences between such closely related species? While the development of individual flowers is well understood, it has been unclear what mechanisms control how many branches a plant will produce and how many flowers will grow from each branch.

Gestational age may impact academic performance Posted: 08 Nov 2016 08:45 AM PST A new study indicates that being born either too early or too late may have a long-term effect on children's academic performance.

Salty batteries: Sodium-oxygen batteries have improved cycle life due to highly concentrated electrolytes Posted: 08 Nov 2016 08:41 AM PST Smartphones, laptops, electric cars -- whatever the device, an efficient battery is high on any user's wish list. The search for the next-generation battery has recently focused on sodium- oxygen batteries. Theoretically, these should provide previously unattainable efficiency but their practical implementation has proven to be a stumbling block. Researchers now report that a highly concentrated electrolyte solution may make the sodium-oxygen battery more stable, and therefore more practicable.

Patagonian fossil leaves reveal rapid recovery from dinosaur extinction event Posted: 08 Nov 2016 08:34 AM PST Ancient feeding marks from hungry insects in South American leaf fossils are shedding new light on the mass extinction that wiped out the dinosaurs.

Small association of surgical anesthesia before age 4, later academic performance Posted: 08 Nov 2016 08:18 AM PST A study of children born in Sweden suggests a small association between exposure to anesthesia for surgery before the age 4 with slightly lower school grades at age 16 and slightly lower IQ scores at 18, according to an article.

Blood vessels control brain growth Posted: 08 Nov 2016 08:17 AM PST Blood vessels play a vital role in stem cell reproduction, enabling the brain to grow and develop in the womb, reveals new research in mice.

Key mechanisms of cancer, aging and inflammation uncovered Posted: 08 Nov 2016 08:13 AM PST New details about the biology of telomeres -- "caps" of DNA that protect the tips of chromosomes and play key roles in a number of health conditions, including cancer, inflammation and aging -- have been uncovered by a team of researchers.

Diamond collection brings deep Earth to the surface Posted: 08 Nov 2016 08:11 AM PST It takes incredible heat and pressure to form a diamond. And when diamonds are formed, microscopic minerals are trapped inside. The chemistry of these minerals, or inclusions, provides a rare look at the processes that led to the formation of Earth's crust. Researchers have recently analyzed diamonds and have learned how an unusual chunk of Africa formed.

Network traffic visualization tool will help thwart cyber attacks Posted: 08 Nov 2016 08:06 AM PST Researchers have used a new tool to visualize DDoS attacks and malware distribution networks.

How human brains do language: One system, two channels Posted: 08 Nov 2016 07:07 AM PST Currently there is a debate as to what role sign language has played in language evolution, and whether the structure of sign language share similarities with spoken language. New research shows that our brain detects some deep similarities between speech and sign language.

Early planned birth linked to risk of poor child development Posted: 08 Nov 2016 07:06 AM PST Planned births occur where a considered decision is made to deliver an infant, and in recent years there have been significant changes in clinical practice resulting in an increase in planned births before the ideal time of birth at 39-40 weeks' gestation. This is mostly attributable to the increased use of elective caesarean section and induction of labour.

The Caucasus as an 'island' in the 'sea' of steppes: New insights in mosquito evolution Posted: 08 Nov 2016 07:05 AM PST From a geographical point of view, the Caucasus is far from an island or even a peninsula, being a relatively big mountainous region appearing as a fence at the border of Europe and Asia, situated between the Black and the Caspian seas. However, a study into the chromosome structure of mosquito larvae of the species Glyptotendipes salinus, living by a saltwater lake in the foothills of the Caucasus, suggests that the region could be imagined as an "island" in the "sea" of steppes.

Dependency can be an evolutionary advantage Posted: 08 Nov 2016 07:04 AM PST It has been known for quite some time that genetically modified bacteria, which have lost their ability to produce certain amino acids and retrieve these nutrients from their environment grow better than bacteria, which produce all nutrients themselves. This led researchers to inquire whether natural selection would favor the loss of abilities, thus making bacteria more dependent on their environment.

Life took hold on land 300 million years earlier than thought Posted: 08 Nov 2016 06:00 AM PST Life took hold on land at least as early as 3.2 billion years ago, suggests a study. The team studied ancient rock formations from South Africa's Barberton greenstone belt. These rocks are some of the oldest known on Earth, with their formation dating back to 3.5 billion years.

Gold nanoparticles help deliver lethal one-two punch to cancer Posted: 08 Nov 2016 05:59 AM PST Tagging gold nanoparticles with a small dose of radiation has helped researchers trace the precious metal as it delivers a drug right into the heart of cancer cells, according to new laboratory research.

Bat fatalities at wind farms prove unpredictable Posted: 08 Nov 2016 05:54 AM PST Costly ecological impact assessments (EcIAs) completed prior to the building of wind farms have failed to protect bats from fatal collisions with the spinning blades. Researchers say that, for reasons that aren't yet entirely clear, that's because surveys of bat activity conducted only before building begins are poor predictors of future bat fatalities.

Aging bonobos in the wild could use reading glasses too Posted: 08 Nov 2016 05:54 AM PST As people age, they often find that it's more difficult to see things up close. Reading a newspaper suddenly requires a good pair of reading glasses or bifocals. Now, researchers find that the same goes for bonobos, one of human's closest primate relatives along with chimpanzees, even though they obviously don't read.

Bees use multiple cues in hunt for pollen Posted: 08 Nov 2016 05:53 AM PST Bees use a variety of senses and memory of previous experiences when deciding where to forage for pollen, research suggests.

Treatment advances have not improved long-term health status of childhood cancer survivors Posted: 08 Nov 2016 05:51 AM PST Despite therapeutic advances over the past 30 years, adult survivors of childhood cancer continue to report poor physical and mental health status.

Pollution emitted near equator has biggest impact on global ozone Posted: 08 Nov 2016 05:50 AM PST Where the world emits is more important than how much it emits, suggesting that the southward shift of emissions toward the equator is driving the increase in total ozone, say researchers.

Uncovering Yellowstone’s subsurface mysteries Posted: 08 Nov 2016 05:08 AM PST A new study providing an unprecedented regional view of the earth's crust beneath Yellowstone National Park will begin with a helicopter electromagnetic and magnetic (HEM) survey on November 7, 2016. Scientists hope to distinguish zones of cold fresh water, hot saline water, steam, clay and unaltered rock from one another to understand Yellowstone's myriad hydrothermal systems. The flights will continue for the next two to four weeks.

Telephone-based intervention shows promise in combating alcohol abuse among soldiers Posted: 08 Nov 2016 04:35 AM PST Researchers tested a telephone-based intervention for military members struggling with alcohol abuse, with promising results. Participants significantly reduced their drinking over time, had lower rates of alcohol dependence and were more likely to seek treatment.

Funding a set of essential medicines for low- and middle-income countries Posted: 08 Nov 2016 04:35 AM PST As the world moves toward universal health coverage, the question arises: How can governments ensure equitable access to essential medicines in low- and middle-income countries? A section of The Lancet Commission on Essential Medicines Policies report finds that funding for a "basket" of these essential medicines may pose a challenge, but not necessarily an insurmountable one, for the global health community.

Scientists use advanced technology to better understand a devastating neurodegenerative disorder Posted: 08 Nov 2016 04:35 AM PST Scientists have examined more than a century of data of the genetic makeup of ataxias, a neurodegenerative disorder, to better understand the different forms of this devastating disease and how it affects patients. This research has the potential for scientists to have a better understanding on how to diagnose and treat the disease, which has no known cure for patients suffering from the condition.

Mobile health interventions: No silver bullet for diabetes patients, says study Posted: 08 Nov 2016 04:34 AM PST November 14 is World Diabetes Day. Globally about 442 million people live with this chronic condition, most of them in low-income countries, where health systems often function poorly. As they are not equipped to follow-up on patients or improve the quality of care, chronic disease management largely falls under the responsibility of the patients. One expert says that much-touted mobile technologies for self-management alone will not solve the problem.

New theory of gravity might explain dark matter Posted: 08 Nov 2016 04:31 AM PST A new theory of gravity might explain the curious motions of stars in galaxies. Emergent gravity, as the new theory is called, predicts the exact same deviation of motions that is usually explained by inserting dark matter in the theory. An expert in string theory has published a new research paper in which he expands his groundbreaking views on the nature of gravity.

Solving the puzzle of necroptosis Posted: 08 Nov 2016 04:31 AM PST Cell death is an essential physiological process for all multicellular organisms. Throughout life, cells in many tissues die naturally and are replaced by new cells. A proper balance between the death and production of new cells is important for the maintenance of healthy tissue function and for regeneration after injury. Increased cell production coupled with reduced cell death can lead to tumor development. On the other hand, excessive cell death can cause tissue damage and disease.

Herpes, not quite so species specific after all Posted: 08 Nov 2016 04:31 AM PST A new study challenges the tenet of herpes viruses being strictly host-specific. Scientists have discovered that gammaherpesviruses switch their hosts more frequently than previously thought. In fact, bats and primates appear to be responsible for the transfer of these viruses to other mammals in many cases.

Ancient toothed turtles survived until 160m years ago Posted: 08 Nov 2016 04:31 AM PST Today's turtles don't have teeth; they cut off their food using hard ridges on their jaws. But their ancestors were not so dentally challenged. A team of international researchers has now discovered that turtles with remnants of teeth survived 30 million years later than previously thought. The researchers found evidence of this at a major excavation site in China's western Autonomous Region of Xinjiang.

Cannabis abuse possible cause of psychosis Posted: 08 Nov 2016 04:31 AM PST The risk of developing psychosis is more than tripled for those who abuse cannabis, according to results from a new twin study.

Collapse of mitochondria-associated membrane in ALS Posted: 08 Nov 2016 04:31 AM PST Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an adult onset, fatal neurodegenerative disease that selectively affects motor neurons. To date, more than 20 genes are identified as a causative of inherited ALS, and many researchers investigate the pathomechanism of ALS.

Humans proven to recognize partially obscured snakes more easily than other animals Posted: 08 Nov 2016 04:31 AM PST A research team has used a new image processing tool to confirm that human visual system has evolved specifically to detect snakes.

Personalized therapy reduces cancer risk for diabetes patients Posted: 08 Nov 2016 04:31 AM PST The links between Type 2 diabetes and cancer are complex: people suffering from diabetes mellitus essentially have a higher risk of developing cancer but, on top of that, some diabetes drugs are also suspected of increasing the risk in some cases. However, scientists have demonstrated that these risks can now be practically eliminated by using optimized, personalized therapy.

Spin liquid on a peak Posted: 08 Nov 2016 04:31 AM PST A little frustration can make life interesting. This is certainly the case in physics, where the presence of competing forces that cannot be satisfied at the same time – known as frustration – can lead to rare material properties. Just as water molecules become more ordered when they cool and freeze into ice crystals, the atoms of magnets become more ordered with decreasing temperature as the tiny magnetic fields or 'spins' of individual atoms start to point in the same direction. So-called 'spin liquids' are the exception to this rule, with spins continuing to fluctuate and point in different directions even at very low temperatures.

One in six women diagnosed with breast cancer has a symptom other than a lump Posted: 07 Nov 2016 04:11 PM PST Around one in six women (17 per cent) diagnosed with breast cancer goes to her doctor with a symptom other than a lump -- the most commonly reported breast cancer symptom, according to new research.

How high-protein diets cause weight loss Posted: 07 Nov 2016 04:11 PM PST A common end-product of digested protein -- phenylalanine -- triggers hormones that make rodents feel less hungry and leads to weight loss, according to a new study. A better understanding of the mechanism by which protein diets cause weight loss could lead to the development of drugs and diets that tackle the growing obesity epidemic.

Researchers discover way to inhibit major cancer gene Posted: 07 Nov 2016 04:08 PM PST A new way to block the action of genetic mutations found in nearly 30 percent of all cancers has now been discovered by researchers. They discovered that a synthetic binding protein they call "NS1 monobody," which they created in the lab, can block the activity of the RAS proteins.

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