ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Climate change could affect future of Lake Michigan basin
• Muscle relaxant may be viable treatment for rare form of diabetes
• Babies remember nothing but a good time, study says
• Physicists and chemists work to improve digital memory technology
• Ultra-short X-ray pulses explore the nano world
• New bird species confirmed 15 years after first observation
• Most older adults qualify for statin therapy under new cholesterol guidelines, study show
• Artist and scientist team up to explore stunning whisky art
• Flower links Civil War, natural history and 'the blood of heroes'
• Asteroid impacts on Earth make structurally bizarre diamonds
• Preconception care for diabetic women could potentially save $5.5 billion
• Provider-focused intervention improves HPV vaccination rates
• Avoiding ecosystem collapse: Experts Weigh in
• Cell's skeleton is never still
• Italian natural history museums on the verge of collapse?
• Global warming skeptics unmoved by extreme weather
• Selenium compounds boost immune system to fight against cancer
• Important element in fight against sleeping sickness found
• Many animals steal defenses from bacteria: Microbe toxin genes have jumped to ticks, mites and other animals
• Masking HIV target cells prevents viral transmission in animal model
• Pain and itch in a dish: Skin cells converted into pain sensing neurons
• Enabling biocircuits: New device could make large biological circuits practical
• Magnetic fields and lasers elicit graphene secret
• Underwater robot sheds new light on thick, deformed, Antarctic sea ice
• Cataloguing 10 million human gut microbial genes: Unparalleled accomplishment
• Sleep apnea linked to poor aerobic fitness
• Experience with family verbal conflict as a child can help in stressful situations as an adult
• An inside job: Designer nanoparticles infiltrate, kill cancer cells from within
• Legendary snowmastodon fossil site in Colorado
• Cooling with the coldest matter in the world
• How our bodies keep unwelcome visitors out of cell nuclei
• The charming, useful ladybug
• Full speed ahead: The physical art of sailing
• Developing noninvasive test for endometriosis
• Breaking with tradition: 'Personal touch' is key to cultural preservation
• Threats of terrorism perceived differently depending on identification within a group
• End to end 5G for super, superfast mobile
• Turtles and dinosaurs: Scientists solve reptile mysteries with landmark study on the evolution of turtles
• Ultrafast, low-cost DNA sequencing technology a step closer to reality
• Teens prescribed anxiety, sleep medications likelier to illegally abuse them later
• For important tumor-suppressing protein, context is key
• Fiddler crab migrating north, possibly from climate change
• Protein that rouses brain from sleep may be target for Alzheimer's prevention
• Declining loneliness among American teenagers
• Study supports free 'Super WiFi'
• Neurodegenerative diseases: Has a possible new lead been found?
• Scientists do glass a solid, with new theory on how it transitions from a liquid
• The sound of status: People know high-power voices when they hear them
• Schizophrenia may be triggered by excess protein during brain development
• Motor coordination issues in autism are caused by abnormal neural connections
• Adult survivors of childhood eye cancer experience few cognitive or social setbacks
• Damage caused by geothermal probes is rare
• Primates indispensable for regeneration of tropical forests
• Gas cloud in the galactic center is part of a larger gas streamer
• Bad news for kids: Parents do not defend their offspring at all cost, bird study shows
• Remotely controlled magnetic nanoparticles stimulate stem cells to regenerate bones
• Molecules that came in handy for first life on Earth
• People ate mammoth; Dogs got reindeer
• Breakthrough discovery contributes to future treatment of multiple sclerosis, autoimmune inflammation
• New method quickly determines antibiotic resistance

Climate change could affect future of Lake Michigan basin Posted: 24 Nov 2014 12:26 PM PST Climate change could lengthen the growing season, make soil drier and decrease winter snowpack in the Lake Michigan Basin by the turn of the century, among other hydrological effects.

Muscle relaxant may be viable treatment for rare form of diabetes Posted: 24 Nov 2014 12:26 PM PST A commonly prescribed muscle relaxant may be an effective treatment for a rare but devastating form of diabetes, researchers report. The drug, dantrolene, prevents the destruction of insulin-producing beta cells in animal models of Wolfram syndrome and in cells taken from patients who have the illness.

Babies remember nothing but a good time, study says Posted: 24 Nov 2014 11:36 AM PST Researchers performed memory tests with 5-month-old babies, and found that the babies better remembered shapes that were introduced with happy voices and faces. Past studies have shown that babies are very tuned to emotions, including the emotions of animals.

Physicists and chemists work to improve digital memory technology Posted: 24 Nov 2014 11:36 AM PST Researchers are studying graphene and ammonia to develop high-speed, high-capacity random access memory. The team engineered and tested improvements in the performance of a memory structure known as a ferroelectric tunnel junction.

Ultra-short X-ray pulses explore the nano world Posted: 24 Nov 2014 11:36 AM PST Ultra-short and extremely strong X-ray flashes, as produced by free-electron lasers, are opening the door to a hitherto unknown world. Scientists are using these flashes to take 'snapshots' of the geometry of tiniest structures, for example the arrangement of atoms in molecules. To improve not only spatial but also temporal resolution further requires knowledge about the precise duration and intensity of the X-ray flashes. An international team of scientists has now tackled this challenge.

New bird species confirmed 15 years after first observation Posted: 24 Nov 2014 11:36 AM PST Biologists have confirmed the discovery of a new bird species more than 15 years after the elusive animal was first seen.

Most older adults qualify for statin therapy under new cholesterol guidelines, study show Posted: 24 Nov 2014 11:36 AM PST Nearly all individuals in their late 60s and early 70s now qualify for a statin medication to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease under the recently released cholesterol guidelines from the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association, an expert outlines.

Artist and scientist team up to explore stunning whisky art Posted: 24 Nov 2014 11:33 AM PST If you've ever looked closely at the dried rings whisky leaves behind in a glass, you may be among the few who've noticed just how stunningly beautiful they can be. But what's behind whisky's "particle patterning"?

Flower links Civil War, natural history and 'the blood of heroes' Posted: 24 Nov 2014 11:33 AM PST On August 14, 1864, in a Union Army camp in Georgia, a captain from Wisconsin plucked a plant, pressed it onto a sheet of paper, wrote a letter describing the plant as "certainly the most interesting specimen I ever saw," and sent it with the plant to a scientist he called "Friend" in Wisconsin.

Asteroid impacts on Earth make structurally bizarre diamonds Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:56 AM PST Scientists have settled a longstanding controversy over a purported rare form of diamond called lonsdaleite -- a type of diamond formed by impact shock, but which lacks the three-dimensional regularity of ordinary diamond.

Preconception care for diabetic women could potentially save $5.5 billion Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:56 AM PST Pregnant women with diabetes are at an increased risk for many adverse birth outcomes. Preconception care (PCC) can significantly lower these risks by helping pregnant mothers with diabetes control their glucose levels, resulting in healthier babies and less money spent on complicated deliveries and lifelong medical complications, researchers say, adding that this care could avert an estimated $5.5 billion in health expenditures and lost employment productivity over affected children's lifetimes.

Provider-focused intervention improves HPV vaccination rates Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:56 AM PST Changing the way doctors practice medicine is difficult, however a new study has shown that combining traditional education with quality improvement and incentives improves Human Papilloma virus vaccination rates in boys and girls. The study has the potential to produce sustained improvements in these vaccination rates.

Avoiding ecosystem collapse: Experts Weigh in Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:56 AM PST From coral reefs to prairie grasslands, some of the world's most iconic habitats are susceptible to sudden collapse due to seemingly minor events. A classic example: the decimation of kelp forests when a decline of otter predation unleashes urchin population explosions. Three studies hold the promise of helping resource managers predict, avoid, and reverse the tipping points that lead to degraded habitats, economic losses, and social upheaval.

Cell's skeleton is never still Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:55 AM PST Computer models show how microtubules age. The models reported by researchers help explain the dynamic instability seen in microtubules, essential elements in cells' cytoskeletons.

Italian natural history museums on the verge of collapse? Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:55 AM PST Are Italian natural history museums on the verge of collapse? A new study points out that these institutions are facing a critical situation and proposes an innovative solution in the face of a virtual structure acting as a 'metamuseum.'

Global warming skeptics unmoved by extreme weather Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:54 AM PST What will it take to convince skeptics of global warming that the phenomenon is real? Surely, many scientists believe, enough droughts, floods and heat waves will begin to change minds. But a new study throws cold water on that theory.

Selenium compounds boost immune system to fight against cancer Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:54 AM PST Cancer types such as melanoma, prostate cancer and certain types of leukemia weaken the body by over-activating the natural immune system. Researchers have now demonstrated that selenium -- naturally found in, e.g., garlic and broccoli -- slows down the immune over-response. In the long term, this may improve cancer treatment.

Important element in fight against sleeping sickness found Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:54 AM PST Researchers have now uncovered how parasites that cause the deadly sleeping sickness in Africa absorb an important nutrient from the human blood stream. The result may help the development of more effective drugs to fight the disease.

Many animals steal defenses from bacteria: Microbe toxin genes have jumped to ticks, mites and other animals Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:54 AM PST Bacteria compete for resources in the environment by injecting deadly toxins into their rivals. Researcher have now discovered that many animals steal toxins from bacteria to fight unwanted microbes growing on them. Genes for these toxins have jumped from bacterial to animals. These genes are now permanently incorporated into the genomes of these animals. Deer ticks, which can carry Lyme disease, are one of the many diverse organisms in which toxin gene transfers from bacteria to animal has occurred.

Masking HIV target cells prevents viral transmission in animal model Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:54 AM PST Cloaking immune cells with antibodies that block T cell trafficking to the gut can substantially reduce the risk of viral transmission in a non-human primate model of HIV infection, scientists report.

Pain and itch in a dish: Skin cells converted into pain sensing neurons Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:53 AM PST After more than six years of intensive effort, and repeated failures that made the quest at times seem futile, researchers have successfully converted mouse and human skin cells into pain sensing neurons that respond to a number of stimuli that cause acute and inflammatory pain.

Enabling biocircuits: New device could make large biological circuits practical Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:53 AM PST Researchers have made great progress in recent years in the design and creation of biological circuits -- systems that, like electronic circuits, can take a number of different inputs and deliver a particular kind of output. But while individual components of such biological circuits can have precise and predictable responses, those outcomes become less predictable as more such elements are combined. Scientists have now come up with a way of greatly reducing that unpredictability, introducing a device that could ultimately allow such circuits to behave nearly as predictably as their electronic counterparts.

Magnetic fields and lasers elicit graphene secret Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:53 AM PST Scientists have studied the dynamics of electrons from the 'wonder material' graphene in a magnetic field for the first time. This led to the discovery of a seemingly paradoxical phenomenon in the material. Its understanding could make a new type of laser possible in the future.

Underwater robot sheds new light on thick, deformed, Antarctic sea ice Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:53 AM PST The first detailed, high-resolution 3-D maps of Antarctic sea ice have been developed using an underwater robot. Scientists say the new technology provides accurate ice thickness measurements from areas that were previously too difficult to access.

Cataloguing 10 million human gut microbial genes: Unparalleled accomplishment Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:51 AM PST Over the past several years, research on bacteria in the digestive tract (gut microbiome) has confirmed the major role they play in our health. An international consortium has developed the most complete database of microbial genes ever created. The catalogue features nearly ten million genes and will constitute a reference for all research on gut bacteria.

Sleep apnea linked to poor aerobic fitness Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:50 AM PST People with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea may have an intrinsic inability to burn high amounts of oxygen during strenuous aerobic exercise, according to a new study.

Experience with family verbal conflict as a child can help in stressful situations as an adult Posted: 24 Nov 2014 08:18 AM PST Individuals who were exposed to intense verbal aggression as children are able to handle intense conflict later in life, new research suggests. "Conflict experiences can be beneficial, by alleviating tension and avoiding conflict escalation, reducing communication apprehension, and contributing to closeness within the relationship," said an author of the study. "Given the diversity of outcomes associated with interpersonal conflict, efforts to understand variation in the experienced negativity of conflict experiences are extremely important in helping people navigate these interactions."

An inside job: Designer nanoparticles infiltrate, kill cancer cells from within Posted: 24 Nov 2014 08:18 AM PST Nanoparticle designs target and treat early stage cancer cells by killing those cells with heat, delivered from inside the cell itself. Normal cells are thus left unaffected by the treatment regimen.

Legendary snowmastodon fossil site in Colorado Posted: 24 Nov 2014 08:18 AM PST Four years ago, a bulldozer turned over some bones at Ziegler Reservoir near Snowmass Village, Colorado. Scientists were called to the scene and confirmed the bones were those of a Columbian mammoth, setting off a frenzy of excavation, scientific analysis, and international media attention. This dramatic and unexpected discovery culminates this month with the publication of the Snowmastodon Project Science Volume.

Cooling with the coldest matter in the world Posted: 24 Nov 2014 08:18 AM PST Physicists have developed a new cooling technique for mechanical quantum systems. Using an ultracold atomic gas, the vibrations of a membrane were cooled down to less than 1 degree above absolute zero. This technique may enable novel studies of quantum physics and precision measurement devices.

How our bodies keep unwelcome visitors out of cell nuclei Posted: 24 Nov 2014 08:18 AM PST The structure of pores found in cell nuclei has been uncovered by a team of scientists, revealing how they selectively block certain molecules from entering, protecting genetic material and normal cell functions. The discovery could lead to the development of new drugs against viruses that target the cell nucleus and new ways of delivering gene therapies, say the scientists behind the study.

The charming, useful ladybug Posted: 24 Nov 2014 08:11 AM PST During the warm months of the year, ladybugs are delightful to have around. Then fall arrives and the ladybugs need to find warmth, which is most available inside people's homes – where they often descend in large numbers. Suddenly they're not as cute to many people as they seemed outdoors. But an insect expert says having ladybugs indoors serves a very useful purpose, and humans should welcome their temporary houseguests.

Full speed ahead: The physical art of sailing Posted: 24 Nov 2014 08:11 AM PST Olympic sailors tip their masts precariously close to the water's surface while turning, right their vessels at what looks like the last possible moment, and bounce up and down over the edge of their boats on the straightaways. Every aspiring Olympic sailor must master these unsteady sail propulsion techniques, but there is no scientific literature that explains exactly how the moves increase a boat's speed. Scientists are working to change that.

Developing noninvasive test for endometriosis Posted: 24 Nov 2014 07:32 AM PST Patterns of genetic activity that can be used to diagnose endometriosis and its severity have been identified by researchers, a finding that may offer millions of women an alternative to surgery through a simple noninvasive procedure.

Breaking with tradition: 'Personal touch' is key to cultural preservation Posted: 24 Nov 2014 07:32 AM PST 'Memes' transfer cultural information like rituals in much the way that genes inherit biological properties. Now a study provides insight into the building blocks of cultural replication and the different ways they're used to preserve traditional rituals and practices.

Threats of terrorism perceived differently depending on identification within a group Posted: 24 Nov 2014 07:32 AM PST People who see their group as more homogenous -- for instance, the more one thinks Americans are similar to each other -- are less likely to be influenced by external terrorist threat alerts, according to research.

End to end 5G for super, superfast mobile Posted: 24 Nov 2014 07:32 AM PST Computer scientists are investigating how software-defined cellular networking might be used to give smart phone users the next generation of super-superfast broadband, 5G.

Turtles and dinosaurs: Scientists solve reptile mysteries with landmark study on the evolution of turtles Posted: 24 Nov 2014 07:32 AM PST A team of scientists has reconstructed a detailed 'tree of life' for turtles. Next generation sequencing technologies have generated unprecedented amounts of genetic information for a thrilling new look at turtles' evolutionary history. Scientists place turtles in the newly named group 'Archelosauria' with their closest relatives: birds, crocodiles, and dinosaurs.

Ultrafast, low-cost DNA sequencing technology a step closer to reality Posted: 24 Nov 2014 07:32 AM PST A prototype DNA reader that could make whole genome profiling an everyday practice in medicine has been developed by researchers. "Our goal is to put cheap, simple and powerful DNA and protein diagnostic devices into every single doctor's office," said one researcher. Such technology could help usher in the age of personalized medicine.

Teens prescribed anxiety, sleep medications likelier to illegally abuse them later Posted: 24 Nov 2014 07:31 AM PST The medical community may be inadvertently creating a new generation of illegal, recreational drug users by prescribing anti-anxiety or sleep medications to teenagers, say researchers.

For important tumor-suppressing protein, context is key Posted: 24 Nov 2014 06:24 AM PST New details about how an important tumor-suppressing protein, called p53, binds to the human genome have been detected by researchers. As with many things in life, they found that context makes a big difference.

Fiddler crab migrating north, possibly from climate change Posted: 24 Nov 2014 06:24 AM PST The fiddler crab, Uca pugnax, has migrated nearly 50 miles north of its supposed natural range along the US East Coast. This may be another sign of climate change, experts say.

Protein that rouses brain from sleep may be target for Alzheimer's prevention Posted: 24 Nov 2014 06:24 AM PST A protein that stimulates the brain to awaken from sleep may be a target for preventing Alzheimer's disease, a study suggests. The new research, in mice, demonstrates that eliminating that protein -- called orexin -- made mice sleep for longer periods of time and strongly slowed the production of brain plaques.

Declining loneliness among American teenagers Posted: 24 Nov 2014 06:24 AM PST In an effort to study the societal trend of loneliness, researchers conducted an analysis of data on high school and college students in the United States, and come up with some encouraging results.

Study supports free 'Super WiFi' Posted: 24 Nov 2014 06:24 AM PST The need for the wireless transfer of data will increase significantly in the coming years. Scientists therefore propose to turn some of the TV frequencies that will become free into common property and to use it to extend existing wireless networks (WiFi) instead of using the frequencies for mobile communications. Their study recommends that the additional frequencies not be marketed but made available to the population and companies at no cost.

Neurodegenerative diseases: Has a possible new lead been found? Posted: 24 Nov 2014 06:24 AM PST Good communication between brain cells is vital for optimal (mental) health. Mutations in the TBC1D24 gene inhibit this process, thereby causing neurodegeneration and epilepsy. Fruit flies with a defect in Skywalker, the fruit fly variant of TBC1D24, are being used as a model for neurodegeneration. Researchers have succeeded in completely suppressing neurodegeneration in such fruit flies, by partially inhibiting the breakdown of 'defective' proteins in brain cells.

Scientists do glass a solid, with new theory on how it transitions from a liquid Posted: 24 Nov 2014 06:23 AM PST How does glass transition from a liquid to its familiar solid state? How does this common material transport heat and sound? And what microscopic changes occur when a glass gains rigidity as it cools? A team of researchers offers a theoretical explanation for these processes.

The sound of status: People know high-power voices when they hear them Posted: 24 Nov 2014 05:10 AM PST Being in a position of power can fundamentally change the way you speak, altering basic acoustic properties of the voice, and other people are able to pick up on these vocal cues to know who is really in charge, according to new research.

Schizophrenia may be triggered by excess protein during brain development Posted: 24 Nov 2014 05:10 AM PST A gene associated with schizophrenia plays a role in brain development and may help to explain the biological process of the disease, according to new research. Researchers saytoo much protein expressed by the NOS1AP gene, which has been associated with schizophrenia, causes abnormalities in brain structure and faulty connections between nerve cells that prevent them from communicating properly.

Motor coordination issues in autism are caused by abnormal neural connections Posted: 24 Nov 2014 05:10 AM PST Abnormal connections between neurons are the likely cause of motor coordination issues seen in autism spectrum disorder. Using a mouse model of autism, scientists identified a malfunctioning neural circuit associated with reduced capacity for motor learning. This appears to arise from an inability to eliminate unneeded neural connections in the brain.

Adult survivors of childhood eye cancer experience few cognitive or social setbacks Posted: 24 Nov 2014 05:10 AM PST Adult survivors of retinoblastoma, a type of eye cancer that usually develops in early childhood, have few cognitive or social problems decades following their diagnosis and treatment, researchers report. The findings offer good news for patients, but it's important to continue to monitor for long-term effects as the brain changes throughout life.

Damage caused by geothermal probes is rare Posted: 24 Nov 2014 05:09 AM PST Soil settlements or upheavals and resulting cracks in monuments, floodings, or dried-up wells: Reports about damage caused by geothermal probes have made the population feel insecure. In fact, the probability of damage occurring in Baden-Württemberg is lower than 0.002% per year.

Primates indispensable for regeneration of tropical forests Posted: 24 Nov 2014 05:09 AM PST Primatologist and plant geneticists have studied the dispersal of tree seeds by New World primates. Primates can influence seed dispersal and spatial genetic kinship structure of plants that serve as their food source.

Gas cloud in the galactic center is part of a larger gas streamer Posted: 24 Nov 2014 05:09 AM PST Astronomers have presented new observations of the gas cloud G2 in the galactic center originally discovered in 2011. These data are in remarkably good agreement with an on-going tidal disruption. As a complete surprise came the discovery that the orbit of G2 matches that of another gas cloud detected a decade ago, suggesting that G2 might actually be part of a much more extensive gas streamer. This would also match some of the proposed scenarios that try to explain the presence of G2. One such model is that G2 is originating from the wind from a massive star.

Bad news for kids: Parents do not defend their offspring at all cost, bird study shows Posted: 24 Nov 2014 05:09 AM PST Do parents defend their offspring whenever necessary, and do self-sacrificing parents really exist? To answer this question, researchers examined defense behaviors of parent blue tits. They investigated whether birds would risk everything to protect their young from predators. Their conclusion: parents weigh the risks. It is not only the risk to the nestlings, but also their own risk that plays a role when defending their nests.

Remotely controlled magnetic nanoparticles stimulate stem cells to regenerate bones Posted: 24 Nov 2014 04:48 AM PST Researchers in bone tissue regeneration believe they have made a significant breakthrough for sufferers of bone trauma, disease or defects such as osteoporosis.

Molecules that came in handy for first life on Earth Posted: 24 Nov 2014 04:48 AM PST For the first time, chemists have successfully produced amino acid-like molecules that all have the same 'handedness', from simple building blocks and in a single test tube. Could this be how life started. On Earth? Or in space, as the Philae lander is currently exploring?

People ate mammoth; Dogs got reindeer Posted: 24 Nov 2014 04:48 AM PST Biogeologists have shown how Gravettian people shared their food 30,000 years ago. Around 30,000 years ago Predmosti was inhabited by people of the pan-European Gravettian culture, who used the bones of more than 1000 mammoths to build their settlement and to ivory sculptures. Did prehistoric people collect this precious raw material from carcasses -- easy to spot on the big cold steppe -- or were they the direct result of hunting for food?

Breakthrough discovery contributes to future treatment of multiple sclerosis, autoimmune inflammation Posted: 24 Nov 2014 04:48 AM PST An avenue for therapeutic intervention of multiple sclerosis may be ahead, thanks to new research. A team found that a new type of immune T helper cells named TH-GM cells play a crucial role in the immune system and pathogenesis of neuronal inflammation. The findings shed light on a possible new avenue for therapeutic intervention, which can be used independently or in conjunction with other treatment options to improve outcomes in the treatment of MS.

New method quickly determines antibiotic resistance Posted: 24 Nov 2014 04:48 AM PST A new method of rapidly identifying which bacteria are causing an infection and determining whether they are resistant or sensitive to antibiotics has been developed by researchers. 'Clinical use of the method would mean that the right antibiotic treatment could be started straightaway, reducing unnecessary use of antibiotics,' says one investigator.

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