ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Two years, multiple doctors often needed to diagnose polycystic ovary syndrome, study shows
• What teeth reveal about the lives of modern humans
• What did Big Data find when it analysed 150 years of British history?
• Prostate cancer treatment rates drop, reflecting change in screening recommendations
• Newly proposed reference datasets improve weather satellite data quality
• Short-lived greenhouse gases cause centuries of sea-level rise
• Brain cell powerhouses appear good treatment target for stroke, TBI recovery
• Transfusions of 'old' blood may harm some patients
• How a moon slows the decay of Pluto's atmosphere
• Model sheds light on inhibitory neurons' computational role
• Appendix may have important function, new research suggests
• Fear of diagnostic low-dose radiation exposure is overstated, experts assert
• Older adults with arthritis need just 45 minutes of activity per week
• New findings detail structure of immature Zika virus
• A possible solution to a long-standing riddle in materials science
• Children are more apt to confess misdeeds if they think parents will react positively
• Neuroscientist probes tiny world of the fruit fly to discover sleep/eating/activity connection
• Recognize sepsis as a separate cause of illness and death
• 'Weekend warriors' have lower risk of death from cancer, cardiovascular disease
• Crohn's disease risk and prognosis determined by different genes
• Researchers reveal how cancer cells cope with genetic chaos
• New model predicts when people are willing to try new things
• Some catalysts contribute their own oxygen for reactions
• Practical and versatile microscopic optomechanical device created
• New year, new idea: High-value U.S. health plan concept aims for bipartisan appeal
• Can big data yield big ideas? Blend novel and familiar, new study finds
• Chemists report E-selective macrocyclic ring-closing metathesis
• Place matters in late diagnosis of colorectal cancer, study finds
• Why high-dose vitamin C kills cancer cells
• Secret new weapon of insect-transmitted viruses exposed
• Brain impairments in premature infants may begin in the womb
• Reducing drug dosage, and hearing loss in TB patients without reducing efficacy
• Massive genetic study of humpback whales to inform conservation assessments
• Newly discovered phytoplankton groups appear to favor warmer oceans
• Role of common risk factors in ER-positive, ER-negative breast cancer
• Caribbean bats need 8 million years to recover from recent extinction waves
• Prostate cancer team cracks genetic code to show why inherited disease can turn lethal
• What do health plan deductibles really mean for people with chronic illness? New study takes a look
• How Earth's previous moons collided to form the moon: New theory
• Crystallization method offers new option for carbon capture from ambient air
• Barriers to sexual health among male teens and young men
• Neural connection keeps instincts in check
• Spinning spider silk is now possible
• New insights into mechanisms of breast cancer development and resistance to therapy
• How on Earth does geotagging work?
• The science of baby's first sight
• Breakthrough in MS treatment
• High rates of PTSD and other mental health problems after great east Japan earthquake
• For chemicals, mega is out and bio is in
• Nonsurgical and surgical treatments provide successful outcomes for an Achilles tear
• GaN-on-Silicon for scalable high electron mobility transistors
• An ecological invasion mimics a drunken walk
• Catheter safeguards at hospitals reduce infections and save money, study shows
• Epigenetic changes promote development of fatty liver in mouse and human
• Chemicals in ubiquitous Mediterranean plants may hold key to delaying neurodegenerative diseases, study suggests
• Landmark global scale study reveals potential future impact of ocean acidification
• Impact of parent physical activity, sedentary behavior on their preschool children
• Experiments in mice may help boost newly FDA-approved therapy for spinal muscular atrophy
• The fly reveals a new signal involved in limb growth
• Fast fine art: 19th century painting tricks revealed

Two years, multiple doctors often needed to diagnose polycystic ovary syndrome, study shows Posted: 09 Jan 2017 04:15 PM PST Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder – and most common cause of infertility – affecting 9 to 18 percent of women around the world. Despite the prevalence of the complex and chronic condition, one-third of women diagnosed with PCOS saw at least three health professionals over the course of two years before receiving a diagnosis, according to a new study.

What teeth reveal about the lives of modern humans Posted: 09 Jan 2017 04:15 PM PST When anthropologists of the future find our fossilized teeth, what will they be able to conclude about our lives? One researcher has an idea.

What did Big Data find when it analysed 150 years of British history? Posted: 09 Jan 2017 04:14 PM PST What could be learned about the world if you could read the news from over 100 local newspapers for a period of 150 years? This is what a team of Artificial Intelligence (AI) researchers have done, together with a social scientist and a historian, who had access to 150 years of British regional newspapers.

Prostate cancer treatment rates drop, reflecting change in screening recommendations Posted: 09 Jan 2017 04:03 PM PST As some national guidelines now recommend against routine prostate cancer screening, the overall rate of men receiving treatment for the disease declined 42 percent, a new study finds.

Newly proposed reference datasets improve weather satellite data quality Posted: 09 Jan 2017 04:03 PM PST Researchers have proposed in-orbit reference datasets for calibrating weather satellites. A recent presentation demonstrated that using these references reduced errors in microwave and infrared weather satellites to fractions of a degree Celsius.

Short-lived greenhouse gases cause centuries of sea-level rise Posted: 09 Jan 2017 04:03 PM PST Even if there comes a day when the world completely stops emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, coastal regions and island nations will continue to experience rising sea levels for centuries afterward, according to a new study.

Brain cell powerhouses appear good treatment target for stroke, TBI recovery Posted: 09 Jan 2017 01:23 PM PST Cell powerhouses are typically long and lean, but with brain injury such as stroke or trauma, they can quickly become bloated and dysfunctional, say scientists who documented the phenomena in real time for the first time in a living brain.

Transfusions of 'old' blood may harm some patients Posted: 09 Jan 2017 01:23 PM PST Blood transfusions with the oldest blood available could be harmful for some patients, finds a team of researchers. The investigators recommend reducing the maximum blood storage limit from six to five weeks.

How a moon slows the decay of Pluto's atmosphere Posted: 09 Jan 2017 01:23 PM PST A new study provides additional insight into relationship between Pluto and its moon, Charon, and how it affects the continuous stripping of Pluto's atmosphere by solar wind. When Charon is positioned between the sun and Pluto, the research indicates that the moon can significantly reduce atmospheric loss.

Model sheds light on inhibitory neurons' computational role Posted: 09 Jan 2017 01:23 PM PST Researchers have developed a new computational model of a neural circuit in the brain, which could shed light on the biological role of inhibitory neurons -- neurons that keep other neurons from firing.

Appendix may have important function, new research suggests Posted: 09 Jan 2017 01:23 PM PST The human appendix, a narrow pouch that projects off the cecum in the digestive system, has a notorious reputation for its tendency to become inflamed (appendicitis), often resulting in surgical removal. Although it is widely viewed as a vestigial organ with little known function, recent research suggests that the appendix may serve an important purpose. In particular, it may serve as a reservoir for beneficial gut bacteria.

Fear of diagnostic low-dose radiation exposure is overstated, experts assert Posted: 09 Jan 2017 12:00 PM PST Researchers assert that exposure to medical radiation does not increase a person's risk of getting cancer. The long-held belief that even low doses of radiation, such as those received in diagnostic imaging, increase cancer risk is based on an inaccurate, 70-year-old hypothesis, according to the authors.

Older adults with arthritis need just 45 minutes of activity per week Posted: 09 Jan 2017 12:00 PM PST Older adults who suffer from arthritis need to keep moving to be functionally independent. But in an examination of a goal that is daunting for most of this aging population, a new study found that performing even a third (45 minutes) of the recommended activity is beneficial, and those who did improved function in their lower arthritic limbs by 80 percent.

New findings detail structure of immature Zika virus Posted: 09 Jan 2017 12:00 PM PST Researchers have determined the high-resolution structure of immature Zika virus, a step toward better understanding how the virus infects host cells and spreads.

A possible solution to a long-standing riddle in materials science Posted: 09 Jan 2017 11:38 AM PST An international team of scientists may have solved the 30-year-old riddle of why certain ferroelectric crystals exhibit extremely strong piezoelectric responses.

Children are more apt to confess misdeeds if they think parents will react positively Posted: 09 Jan 2017 11:38 AM PST Even if they believe they could be punished, older kids are more likely than younger children to view confessing to a misdeed as the right thing to do.

Neuroscientist probes tiny world of the fruit fly to discover sleep/eating/activity connection Posted: 09 Jan 2017 11:36 AM PST The humble fruit fly has proved to be a fruitful research subject for a neuroscientist team. The collaborators' research into their behavior has helped expand our understanding of some important neurobiological connections between eating and sleep — including the infamous "food coma" felt after a big meal.

Recognize sepsis as a separate cause of illness and death Posted: 09 Jan 2017 10:42 AM PST Sepsis should be recognized as a separate cause of illness and death around the world. This focus would help efforts to prevent sepsis by improving hygiene, nutrition and vaccination rates and also lead to timely treatment, better outcomes and quality of life for people with sepsis, argue researchers.

'Weekend warriors' have lower risk of death from cancer, cardiovascular disease Posted: 09 Jan 2017 10:42 AM PST Physical activity patterns characterized by just one or two sessions a week may be enough to reduce deaths in men and women from all causes, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer, regardless of adherence to physical activity guidelines, a new study of over 63,000 adults reports.

Crohn's disease risk and prognosis determined by different genes Posted: 09 Jan 2017 10:42 AM PST Researchers have identified a series of genetic variants that affect the severity of Crohn's disease, an inflammatory bowel disease -- but surprisingly, none of these variants appear to be related to an individual's risk of developing the condition in the first place.

Researchers reveal how cancer cells cope with genetic chaos Posted: 09 Jan 2017 10:42 AM PST Scientists have uncovered how tumors are able to grow despite significant damage to the structure and number of their chromosomes, the storage units of DNA.

New model predicts when people are willing to try new things Posted: 09 Jan 2017 10:42 AM PST A new model to predict when people are most likely to try different products has been developed by scientists. The research could help to direct public health interventions aimed at encouraging healthier choices.

Some catalysts contribute their own oxygen for reactions Posted: 09 Jan 2017 10:41 AM PST New research shows that metal-oxide catalysts can sometimes release oxygen from within their structure, enhancing chemical activity.

Practical and versatile microscopic optomechanical device created Posted: 09 Jan 2017 10:41 AM PST Researchers have developed a new type of optomechanical device that uses a microscopic silicon disk to confine optical and mechanical waves. The new device is highly customizable and compatible with commercial manufacturing processes, making it a practical solution for improving sensors that detect force and movement.

New year, new idea: High-value U.S. health plan concept aims for bipartisan appeal Posted: 09 Jan 2017 10:41 AM PST As Washington grapples with the fate of the Affordable Care Act, a pair of health care researchers has proposed a new way to design health insurance plans that could win bipartisan support -- and has already started to do so.

Can big data yield big ideas? Blend novel and familiar, new study finds Posted: 09 Jan 2017 10:41 AM PST Struggling to get your creative juices flowing for a new idea or project? A new study sheds light on the secret sauce to developing creative ideas, and it all comes down to word choice.

Chemists report E-selective macrocyclic ring-closing metathesis Posted: 09 Jan 2017 10:40 AM PST Using ring-closing metathesis to exploit the properties of carbon-carbon double bonds, researchers have developed a new catalytic approach for the preparation of compounds essential to drug discovery.

Place matters in late diagnosis of colorectal cancer, study finds Posted: 09 Jan 2017 10:40 AM PST In addition to a person's race or ethnicity, where they live can matter in terms of whether they are diagnosed at a late stage for colorectal cancer, according to a recent study.

Why high-dose vitamin C kills cancer cells Posted: 09 Jan 2017 10:40 AM PST Cancer researchers have homed in on how high-dose vitamin C kills cancer cells. Vitamin C breaks down to generate hydrogen peroxide, which can damage tissue and DNA. The new study shows that tumor cells with low levels of catalase enzyme activity are much less capable of removing hydrogen peroxide than normal cells, and are more susceptible to damage and death when they are exposed to high doses of vitamin C.

Secret new weapon of insect-transmitted viruses exposed Posted: 09 Jan 2017 10:40 AM PST Findings by a team of scientists could provide critical knowledge to attack deadly viruses transmitted by arthropods such as mosquitoes and aphids.

Brain impairments in premature infants may begin in the womb Posted: 09 Jan 2017 10:39 AM PST Even before they are born, premature babies may display alterations in the circuitry of their developing brains, according to a first-of-its kind research study.

Reducing drug dosage, and hearing loss in TB patients without reducing efficacy Posted: 09 Jan 2017 10:39 AM PST Aminoglycosides, recommended by the World Health Organization to treat multidrug resistant tuberculosis, cause hearing loss and kidney damage in a dose dependent manner. Now, by reducing the dose in a carefully calculated fashion, clinician researchers have been able to greatly reduce the numbers of patients suffering hearing loss, without compromising effectiveness against tuberculosis.

Massive genetic study of humpback whales to inform conservation assessments Posted: 09 Jan 2017 10:39 AM PST Scientists have published one of the largest genetic studies ever conducted on the humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) for the purpose of clarifying management decisions in the Southern Hemisphere and supporting calls to protect unique and threatened populations, according to experts.

Newly discovered phytoplankton groups appear to favor warmer oceans Posted: 09 Jan 2017 10:39 AM PST An international research team has discovered two phytoplankton groups -- unlike any known species -- in climate-sensitive areas around the world. While they appear relatively rare compared to other phytoplankton, scientists say their prevalence in warm waters suggests they could be important in future ocean ecosystems.

Role of common risk factors in ER-positive, ER-negative breast cancer Posted: 09 Jan 2017 09:52 AM PST Researchers have examined the role of common risk factors in the development of ER-positive and ER-negative breast cancers. The study sheds new light on how a woman's age, weight, and menopausal status affect her risk for breast cancer.

Caribbean bats need 8 million years to recover from recent extinction waves Posted: 09 Jan 2017 09:52 AM PST Can nature restore the numbers of species on islands to levels that existed before human arrival? How long would it take for nature to regain this diversity? To answer these questions, a research team compiled data on Caribbean bats and their close relatives.

Prostate cancer team cracks genetic code to show why inherited disease can turn lethal Posted: 09 Jan 2017 09:52 AM PST Prostate cancer researchers have discovered a key piece in the genetic puzzle of why men born with a BRCA2 mutation may develop aggressive localized cancers that resist treatment and become lethal for up to 50 per cent of patients within five years.

What do health plan deductibles really mean for people with chronic illness? New study takes a look Posted: 09 Jan 2017 09:52 AM PST For tens of millions of Americans, the start of a new year means the counter has gone back to zero on their health insurance deductible. If they need health care, they'll pay for some of it out of their own pockets before their insurance takes over. As insurance plans with deductibles grow in popularity, a new study takes a national look at what those plans mean for people with common chronic health conditions.

How Earth's previous moons collided to form the moon: New theory Posted: 09 Jan 2017 09:51 AM PST A new theory suggests the Moon we see every night is not Earth's first moon, but rather the last in a series of moons that orbited our planet. Moons formed through the process could cross orbits, collide and merge, slowly building the bigger moon we see today.

Crystallization method offers new option for carbon capture from ambient air Posted: 09 Jan 2017 09:51 AM PST Scientists have found a simple, reliable process to capture carbon dioxide directly from ambient air, offering a new option for carbon capture and storage strategies to combat global warming.

Barriers to sexual health among male teens and young men Posted: 09 Jan 2017 09:51 AM PST Researchers who conducted a dozen focus groups with 70 straight and gay/bisexual Hispanic and African-American males ages 15 to 24 report that gaining a better understanding of the context in which young men grow up will allow health care providers to improve this population's use of sexual and reproductive health care.

Neural connection keeps instincts in check Posted: 09 Jan 2017 09:49 AM PST Scientists have identified the physical connection through which the prefrontal cortex inhibits instinctive behavior, report scientists.

Spinning spider silk is now possible Posted: 09 Jan 2017 09:49 AM PST Being able to produce artificial spider silk has long been a dream of many scientists, but all attempts have until now involved harsh chemicals and have resulted in fibers of limited use. Now, a team of researchers has, step by step, developed a method that works. Today they report that they can produce kilometer long threads that for the first time resemble real spider silk.

New insights into mechanisms of breast cancer development and resistance to therapy Posted: 09 Jan 2017 09:49 AM PST Why does breast cancer develop and how come certain patients are resistant to established therapies? Researchers have gained new insights into the molecular processes in breast tissue. They identified the tumor suppressor LATS as a key player in the development and treatment of breast cancer.

How on Earth does geotagging work? Posted: 09 Jan 2017 08:38 AM PST Computing science researchers are using automated geotagging models to put a place to online data and documents.

The science of baby's first sight Posted: 09 Jan 2017 08:38 AM PST Scientists have found more clues about the evolving brains of baby mammals as eyesight comes online. Using an imaging system to get neuron-level resolution, they showed how one specific brain circuit -- the 'ventral stream' -- in mice came online immediately after birth, but another circuit -- the 'dorsal stream' -- needed visual stimuli in order to mature. The experiments have helped to unveil how early-in-life visual experiences -- simply trying to see -- sculpt a particular subnetwork of brain circuitry we need in order to see properly.

Breakthrough in MS treatment Posted: 09 Jan 2017 08:38 AM PST Three studies have discovered that ocrelizumab can significantly reduce new attacks in patients with relapsing MS, as well as slow the progression of symptoms caused by primary progressive MS.

High rates of PTSD and other mental health problems after great east Japan earthquake Posted: 09 Jan 2017 08:38 AM PST The devastating 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and resulting nuclear disaster in Japan had a high mental health impact -- with some effects persisting several years later, according to a comprehensive research.

For chemicals, mega is out and bio is in Posted: 09 Jan 2017 08:38 AM PST Engineers propose that the future of chemical production lies in decentralized biomanufacturing facilities that will push innovation and achieve efficiency not possible at today's megaplants.

Nonsurgical and surgical treatments provide successful outcomes for an Achilles tear Posted: 09 Jan 2017 08:37 AM PST Successful outcomes for an Achilles tendon tear with either minimally invasive surgery or nonsurgical bracing with a removable boot, especially in recreational athletes.

GaN-on-Silicon for scalable high electron mobility transistors Posted: 09 Jan 2017 08:37 AM PST Scientists have advanced gallium nitride (GaN)-on-silicon transistor technology by optimizing the composition of the semiconductor layers that make up the device. The team created the high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) structure on a 200 mm silicon substrate with a process that will scale to larger industry-standard wafer sizes.

An ecological invasion mimics a drunken walk Posted: 09 Jan 2017 07:49 AM PST A theory that uses the mathematics of a drunken walk describes ecological invasions better than waves, according to a new study.

Catheter safeguards at hospitals reduce infections and save money, study shows Posted: 09 Jan 2017 07:26 AM PST U.S. hospitals are reducing bloodstream infections related to catheters by implementing rigorous safeguards that also save millions of healthcare dollars each year, according to research.

Epigenetic changes promote development of fatty liver in mouse and human Posted: 09 Jan 2017 07:24 AM PST Mice with a strong tendency to obesity already exhibit epigenetic changes at six weeks of age, inducing the liver to amplify its production of the enzyme DPP4 and release it into the circulation. Over the long term, this favors the development of a fatty liver. Such changes in DNA methylation are also detectable in humans with fatty liver and suggest a similar causal chain.

Chemicals in ubiquitous Mediterranean plants may hold key to delaying neurodegenerative diseases, study suggests Posted: 09 Jan 2017 07:24 AM PST Chemicals extracted from the prickly pear and brown seaweed, two ubiquitous Mediterranean plants, eased symptoms in organisms suffering from neurodegenerative disease, according to new research. Small molecules from the plants interfere with the build-up of sticky protein clumps rendering them less toxic to neurons. The results of the study hold promise for ground-breaking treatment of age-related diseases.

Landmark global scale study reveals potential future impact of ocean acidification Posted: 09 Jan 2017 07:24 AM PST Ocean acidification and the extent to which marine species are able to deal with low pH levels in the Earth's seas, could have a significant influence on shifting the distribution of marine animals in response to climate warming.

Impact of parent physical activity, sedentary behavior on their preschool children Posted: 09 Jan 2017 07:24 AM PST Young children do follow in their parents' footsteps. Literally. That's the conclusion of researchers who found that in underserved populations, parents' physical activity -- and their sedentary behavior -- directly correlates with the activity level of their preschoolers. Researchers say these findings could lead to interventions that focus more on helping parents model -- not just encourage -- an active lifestyle for their children.

Experiments in mice may help boost newly FDA-approved therapy for spinal muscular atrophy Posted: 09 Jan 2017 06:39 AM PST Academic and drug industry investigators say they have identified a new biological target for treating spinal muscular atrophy.

The fly reveals a new signal involved in limb growth Posted: 09 Jan 2017 06:32 AM PST Many of the secrets of life, such as how we become a certain size and shape, have been uncovered in studies performed over more than 100 years and involving animal models such as the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Now, researchers disclose a new signal that participates in the specification and growth of fly wings.

Fast fine art: 19th century painting tricks revealed Posted: 09 Jan 2017 06:31 AM PST To paint quickly while creating exceptional texture and volume effects, J. M. W. Turner and other English artists of his generation relied on the development of innovative gels. All the rage in the 19th century -- and still in use today--these compounds alter the properties of the oil paints they are combined with. Now, researchers have finally learned the chemical secrets behind these mixtures. Lead -- in its acetate form -- is essential for the formation of the gels.

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