ScienceDaily: Top News

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• What can 14th century Venice teach us about Ebola, other emerging threats?
• Composition of Earth's mantle revisited
• Glucose meter of a different color provides continuous monitoring
• Surgery to repair hip fracture reduces lifetime health care costs by more than $65,000 per patient
• New statin guidelines an improvement, study shows
• Existing power plants will spew 300 billion more tons of carbon dioxide during use
• Ninety-four years ago women won the right to vote; newly discovered letters will help show how
• Young driver's gender linked to crash type, injury severity
• Study finds less domestic violence among married couples who smoke pot
• How parents can help their children succeed, stay in school
• Best view yet of merging galaxies in distant universe
• Brain benefits from weight loss following bariatric surgery
• Change in tube feeding practice improves nutrition for ICU patients, audit finds
• Symphony of nanoplasmonic and optical resonators produces laser-like light emission
• Trash burning worldwide significantly worsens air pollution
• Do we live in a 2-D hologram? Experiment will test the nature of the universe
• Lack of naturally occuring protein linked to dementia
• Introducing the multi-tasking nanoparticle
• Earth can sustain more terrestrial plant growth than previously thought, analysis shows
• Link between prenatal antidepressant exposure, autism risk called into question
• Key to speed? Elite sprinters unlike other athletes, deliver forceful punch to ground
• Laser pulse turns glass into a metal: New effect could be used for ultra-fast logical switches
• Eye implant could lead to better glaucoma treatments
• Duality principle is 'safe and sound'
• Cancer leaves common fingerprint on DNA
• RNA sequence could help doctors to tailor unique prostate cancer treatment programs
• Common European MRSA originated in Africa, study concludes
• U.S. has seen widespread adoption of robot-assisted cancer surgery to remove the prostate
• Wii Balance Board induces changes in brains of people with multiple sclerosis
• Cannibalism may contribute to successful invasion by harlequin ladybirds of new habitats
• New tool to probe cancer's molecular make-up
• Discovery explains how receptor regulates fat accumulation in obesity
• Razor-sharp TV images with 4K definition
• Patients with eating disorders have increased risk of autoimmune diseases
• Methadone treatment suppresses testosterone in opioid addicts
• Lignin: New process helps overcome obstacles to produce renewable fuels and chemicals
• Protein's ability to inhibit HIV release discovered
• Ever growing number of women with gestational diabetes suggests future will be filled with children with early diabetes
• Better than CAPTCHA: Improved method to let computers know you are human
• Combining math and music to open new possibilities

What can 14th century Venice teach us about Ebola, other emerging threats? Posted: 26 Aug 2014 12:28 PM PDT The way in which the Italian city of Venice dealt with the outbreak of the plague in the 14th century holds lessons on how to even mitigate the consequences of today's emerging threats, like climate change, terrorism, and highly infectious or drug-resistant diseases, says one researcher.

Composition of Earth's mantle revisited Posted: 26 Aug 2014 12:28 PM PDT The makeup of Earth's lower mantle, which makes up the largest part of the Earth by volume, is significantly different than previously thought, research suggests. This should shed light on unexplained seismic phenomena.

Glucose meter of a different color provides continuous monitoring Posted: 26 Aug 2014 12:28 PM PDT Engineers are bringing a touch of color to glucose monitoring. The researchers developed a new continuous glucose monitoring material that changes color as glucose levels fluctuate, and the wavelength shift is so precise that doctors and patients may be able to use it for automatic insulin dosing -- something not possible using current point measurements like test strips.

Surgery to repair hip fracture reduces lifetime health care costs by more than $65,000 per patient Posted: 26 Aug 2014 11:25 AM PDT Each year, more than 300,000 Americans, primarily adults over age 65, sustain a hip fracture, a debilitating injury that can diminish life quality and expectancy. A new study found that average lifetime societal benefits in the U.S. reduced the direct medical costs of hip fracture surgery by $65,000 to $68,000 per patient (in 2009 dollars), and that total, lifetime societal savings exceeded $16 billion for older patients.

New statin guidelines an improvement, study shows Posted: 26 Aug 2014 11:24 AM PDT New national guidelines can improve the way statin drugs are prescribed to patients at risk for cardiovascular disease, a study has found. The research also showed the new guidelines produce only a modest increase in the number of patients being given the drugs.

Existing power plants will spew 300 billion more tons of carbon dioxide during use Posted: 26 Aug 2014 11:24 AM PDT Existing power plants around the world will pump out more than 300 billion tons of carbon dioxide over their expected lifetimes, significantly adding to atmospheric levels of the climate-warming gas, according to scientists.

Ninety-four years ago women won the right to vote; newly discovered letters will help show how Posted: 26 Aug 2014 11:12 AM PDT On Aug. 26, 1920, with the formal adoption of the 19th Amendment, women won the right to vote. Now, a newly discovered collection of Susan B. Anthony letters will help show how.

Young driver's gender linked to crash type, injury severity Posted: 26 Aug 2014 11:12 AM PDT Gender differences do exist in young drivers when it comes to safety, a study finds. Gender is often related to what type of severe or fatal crash a young male or young female driver will be involved in. Researchers hope that the findings contribute to an improved understanding of crashes as well as help develop educational materials targeted more toward young drivers and each gender.

Study finds less domestic violence among married couples who smoke pot Posted: 26 Aug 2014 11:11 AM PDT New research findings from a study of 634 couples found that the more often they smoked marijuana, the less likely they were to engage in domestic violence. "These findings suggest that marijuana use is predictive of lower levels of aggression towards one's partner in the following year," authors say.

How parents can help their children succeed, stay in school Posted: 26 Aug 2014 11:11 AM PDT Students are back in school and now is the time for parents to develop routines to help their children succeed academically. A university professor says parental involvement, more than income or social status, is a predictor of student achievement.

Best view yet of merging galaxies in distant universe Posted: 26 Aug 2014 11:11 AM PDT Astronomers have obtained the best view yet of a collision between two galaxies when the Universe was only half its current age. To make this observation, the team also enlisted the help of a gravitational lens, a galaxy-size magnifying glass, to reveal otherwise invisible detail.

Brain benefits from weight loss following bariatric surgery Posted: 26 Aug 2014 11:11 AM PDT Weight loss surgery can curb alterations in brain activity associated with obesity and improve cognitive function involved in planning, strategizing and organizing, according to a new study. Bariatric surgery is used to help people who are dangerously obese lose weight. Bariatric surgery procedures are designed to restrict the amount of food you can eat before you feel full by reducing the stomach's size or limit the absorption of nutrients by removing part of the small intestine from the path food takes through the digestive tract.

Change in tube feeding practice improves nutrition for ICU patients, audit finds Posted: 26 Aug 2014 09:11 AM PDT While the importance of enteral nutrition, or feeding patients through a tube, in an intensive care unit is well understood, underfeeding is still common. A practice of a certain amount of feeding per hour can be interrupted by tests, procedures, or emergencies. Changing to a volume-based system, which calls for a certain nutrition volume per day, could reduce underfeeding.

Symphony of nanoplasmonic and optical resonators produces laser-like light emission Posted: 26 Aug 2014 09:11 AM PDT By combining plasmonics and optical microresonators, researchers have created a new optical amplifier (or laser) design, paving the way for power-on-a-chip applications.

Trash burning worldwide significantly worsens air pollution Posted: 26 Aug 2014 09:10 AM PDT Unregulated trash burning around the globe is pumping far more pollution into the atmosphere than shown by official records. A new study estimates that more than 40 percent of the world's garbage is burned in such fires, with emissions that can substantially affect human health and climate.

Do we live in a 2-D hologram? Experiment will test the nature of the universe Posted: 26 Aug 2014 09:10 AM PDT A unique experiment called the Holometer has started collecting data that will answer some mind-bending questions about our universe -- including whether we live in a hologram.

Lack of naturally occuring protein linked to dementia Posted: 26 Aug 2014 08:29 AM PDT The first evidence that the lack of a naturally occurring protein is linked to early signs of dementia has been provided by researchers. An absence of MK2/3, in spite of the brain cells (neurons) having significant structural abnormalities, did not prevent memories being formed, but did prevent these memories from being altered.

Introducing the multi-tasking nanoparticle Posted: 26 Aug 2014 08:26 AM PDT Dynamic nanoparticles (NPs) have been developed that could provide an arsenal of applications to diagnose and treat cancer. Built on an easy-to-make polymer, these particles can be used as contrast agents to light up tumors for MRI and PET scans or deliver chemo and other therapies to destroy tumors. In addition, the particles are biocompatible and have shown no toxicity.

Earth can sustain more terrestrial plant growth than previously thought, analysis shows Posted: 26 Aug 2014 07:08 AM PDT A new analysis suggests the planet can produce much more land-plant biomass -- the total material in leaves, stems, roots, fruits, grains and other terrestrial plant parts -- than previously thought. The study recalculates the theoretical limit of terrestrial plant productivity, and finds that it is much higher than many current estimates allow.

Link between prenatal antidepressant exposure, autism risk called into question Posted: 26 Aug 2014 07:08 AM PDT Previous studies that have suggested an increased risk of autism among children of women who took antidepressants during pregnancy may actually reflect the known increased risk associated with severe maternal depression. Now researchers have called that into question with further studies -- and complex answers.

Key to speed? Elite sprinters unlike other athletes, deliver forceful punch to ground Posted: 26 Aug 2014 07:08 AM PDT The world's fastest sprinters have a distinctive ability unlike other runners to attack the ground and attain faster speeds, according to new research. The new findings indicate that sprinters use a combined limb motion and foot-strike mechanism that enhances speed by elevating foot-ground impact forces. "The sprinters we tested all used the same mechanism for maximizing force application and sprinting performance," said the study's lead author.

Laser pulse turns glass into a metal: New effect could be used for ultra-fast logical switches Posted: 26 Aug 2014 07:08 AM PDT For tiny fractions of a second, quartz glass can take on metallic properties, when it is illuminated be a laser pulse. This has been shown by new calculations. The effect could be used to build logical switches which are much faster than today's microelectronics.

Eye implant could lead to better glaucoma treatments Posted: 26 Aug 2014 06:10 AM PDT Lowering internal eye pressure is currently the only way to treat glaucoma. A tiny eye implant recently developed could pair with a smartphone to improve the way doctors measure and lower a patient's eye pressure. Daily or hourly measurements of eye pressure could help doctors tailor more effective treatment plans.

Duality principle is 'safe and sound' Posted: 26 Aug 2014 06:10 AM PDT Decades of experiments have verified the quirky laws of quantum theory again and again. So when scientists in Germany announced in 2012 an apparent violation of a fundamental law of quantum mechanics, physicists were determined to find an explanation.

Cancer leaves common fingerprint on DNA Posted: 26 Aug 2014 06:10 AM PDT Regardless of their stage or type, cancers appear to share a telltale signature of widespread changes to the so-called epigenome, according to a team of researchers. In a study, the investigators say they have found widespread and distinctive changes in a broad variety of cancers to chemical marks known as methyl groups attached to DNA, which help govern whether genes are turned 'on' or 'off.'

RNA sequence could help doctors to tailor unique prostate cancer treatment programs Posted: 26 Aug 2014 06:10 AM PDT Sequencing RNA, not just DNA, could help doctors predict how prostate cancer tumors will respond to treatment, according to research. Because a tumor's RNA shows the real time changes a treatment is causing, the authors think this could be a useful tool to aid diagnosis and predict which treatment will most benefit individual cancer patients.

Common European MRSA originated in Africa, study concludes Posted: 26 Aug 2014 06:10 AM PDT The predominant strain of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infecting people in Europe, the Middle East and northern Africa derived from a single sub-Saharan ancestor, a team of international researchers have reported.

U.S. has seen widespread adoption of robot-assisted cancer surgery to remove the prostate Posted: 26 Aug 2014 06:10 AM PDT The US has experienced widespread adoption of robot-assisted prostate removal surgery to treat prostate cancer in recent years, a new study reveals. The study also found that while such surgeries are more expensive than traditional surgeries, their costs are decreasing over time.

Wii Balance Board induces changes in brains of people with multiple sclerosis Posted: 26 Aug 2014 06:10 AM PDT A balance board accessory for a popular video game console can help people with multiple sclerosis (MS) reduce their risk of accidental falls, according to new research. Magnetic resonance imaging scans showed that use of the Nintendo Wii Balance Board system appears to induce favorable changes in brain connections associated with balance and movement.

Cannibalism may contribute to successful invasion by harlequin ladybirds of new habitats Posted: 26 Aug 2014 05:59 AM PDT The cannibalistic behavior of native and invasive populations of the Harmonia axyridis ladybird have been the focus of recent study. The researchers' findings suggest that this behavior may procure them a real survival advantage during the colonization of new habitats.

New tool to probe cancer's molecular make-up Posted: 26 Aug 2014 05:58 AM PDT Scientists have shown how to better identify and measure vital molecules that control cell behavior – paving the way for improved tools for diagnosis, prediction and monitoring of cancer. The study's leader said: "Protein kinases regulate how cells communicate. When these molecules are deregulated it corresponds to cells "hearing voices" with a resulting change in their behavior. Doctors need a way to spot changes in kinase levels in individual tumors so they can see how they respond to treatments and match patients to the treatment that works best for them."

Discovery explains how receptor regulates fat accumulation in obesity Posted: 26 Aug 2014 05:57 AM PDT The sensitivity of fat cells to signals that increase the breakdown of fat is linked to the receptor ALK7, according to a study. The discovery suggests that ALK7 might be an interesting target for future strategies to treat obesity.

Razor-sharp TV images with 4K definition Posted: 26 Aug 2014 05:57 AM PDT The future of movie, sports and concert broadcasting lies in 4K definition, which will bring cinema quality TV viewing into people's homes. 4K Ultra HD has four times as many pixels as today's Full HD. And thanks to the new HEVC video compression standard, broadcasters can now transmit live video in the 4K digital cinema standard.

Patients with eating disorders have increased risk of autoimmune diseases Posted: 26 Aug 2014 05:57 AM PDT An association between eating disorders and several autoimmune diseases has been observed in people with different genetic backgrounds. These findings support the link between immune-mediated mechanisms and development of eating disorders.

Methadone treatment suppresses testosterone in opioid addicts Posted: 26 Aug 2014 05:55 AM PDT Treatment for opioid addiction tampers with the testosterone levels of male but not female opioid users, a study reveals. Low testosterone in men has been associated with poor quality of life as well as erectile dysfunction, fatigue, and mood disturbances.

Lignin: New process helps overcome obstacles to produce renewable fuels and chemicals Posted: 25 Aug 2014 03:58 PM PDT There's an old saying in the biofuels industry: 'You can make anything from lignin except money.' But now, a new study may pave the way to challenging that adage. The study demonstrates a concept that provides opportunities for the successful conversion of lignin into a variety of renewable fuels, chemicals, and materials for a sustainable energy economy.

Protein's ability to inhibit HIV release discovered Posted: 25 Aug 2014 03:58 PM PDT A family of proteins that promotes virus entry into cells also has the ability to block the release of HIV and other viruses, researchers have found. It is estimated that more than one million Americans currently are living with AIDS. AIDS is a condition characterized by progressive failure of the immune system. It is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1).

Ever growing number of women with gestational diabetes suggests future will be filled with children with early diabetes Posted: 25 Aug 2014 03:57 PM PDT Children exposed to gestational diabetes in the wombs of their mothers are themselves around six times more likely to develop diabetes or prediabetes than children not exposed, research shows. With the increase in gestational diabetes (GDM), there is a growing need to understand the effects of glucose exposure on the newborn in the womb, at birth and later in life.

Better than CAPTCHA: Improved method to let computers know you are human Posted: 25 Aug 2014 03:55 PM PDT Researchers are investigating game-based verification that may improve computer security and reduce user frustration compared to typical "type-what-you-see" CAPTCHA tools that use static images.

Combining math and music to open new possibilities Posted: 25 Aug 2014 03:53 PM PDT The power of mathematics to open new possibilities in music has been demonstrated by scientists for years. Modern experiments with computer music are just the most recent example.

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