ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Ancient deformation of the lithosphere revealed in Eastern China
• Evidence mounts for quantum criticality theory
• Latent HIV may lurk in 'quiet' immune cells, research suggests
• Meteorite may represent 'bulk background' of Mars' battered crust
• Radar Images of Near-Earth Asteroid
• Stress shared by same-sex couples can have unique health impacts
• New method allows for greater variation in band gap tunability
• Renewable energy policies drive production of Southern wood pellets for bioenergy
• Research uncovers connection between Craigslist personals, HIV trends
• Study links deficiency of cellular housekeeping gene with aggressive forms of breast cancer
• Computing: Common 'data structure' revamped to work with multicore chips
• DNA nanoswitches reveal how life's molecules connect
• Ethicists question impact of hospital advertising
• Population genomics unveil seahorse domain
• Scientists Use Knowledge from the Food Industry to Understand Mass Extinction
• 'Vast Majority' of Neurosurgeons Practice Defensive Medicine
• Fluorescent dyes 'light up' brain cancer cells
• Older adults: Double your protein to build more muscle
• Mobile and interactive media use by young children: The good, the bad and the unknown
• New software analyzes human genomes faster than other available technologies
• Key discovery to preventing blindness, stroke devastation
• Understanding the reinforcing ability of carbon nanotubes
• Heat waves becoming more prominent in urban areas, research reveals
• Biomaterial coating raises prospect of more successful medical implants
• Can Lean Management improve hospitals?
• Why do zebras have stripes? Temperature counts
• Altered dopamine signaling a clue to autism
• Blue mussels not yet the bellwether of NE coastal environment
• Scientists home in on reasons behind cancer drug trial disappointment
• Shared symptoms of Chikungunya virus, rheumatoid arthritis may cloud diagnosis
• Skip the dip! Super Bowl team cities see spike in flu deaths
• Treating Cerebral Malaria: New Molecular Target Identified
• Tweeting about sexism could improve a woman's wellbeing
• Totality of trials data confirm Tamiflu reduces length of symptoms, complications, and hospital admissions from influenza
• Updating satellite data on seas could dramatically reduce search and rescue times for lost planes, ships
• HiSIM-SOTB, compact transistor model, selected as international industry standard
• New technologies to help patients with Parkinson's disease
• Water purification: Running fuel cells on bacteria
• Pinholes are pitfalls for high performance solar cells
• Hot on the trail of hepatitis-liver cancer connection
• Crystal light: New family of light-converting materials points to cheaper, more efficient solar power and LEDs

Ancient deformation of the lithosphere revealed in Eastern China Posted: 30 Jan 2015 06:14 PM PST Seismic investigations from the Qinling-Dabie-Sulu orogenic belt in eastern China suggest that this region was affected by extreme mantle perturbation and crust-mantle interaction during the Mesozoic era. The Qinling-Dabie-Sulu orogenic belt formed through the collision between the North and South China blocks, which produced large-scale destruction of the cratonic lithosphere, accompanied by widespread magmatism and metallogeny.

Evidence mounts for quantum criticality theory Posted: 30 Jan 2015 06:14 PM PST A new study adds to the growing evidence supporting a theory that strange electronic behaviors -- including high-temperature superconductivity and heavy fermion physics -- arise from quantum fluctuations of strongly correlated electrons.

Latent HIV may lurk in 'quiet' immune cells, research suggests Posted: 30 Jan 2015 11:23 AM PST HIV can lie dormant in infected cells for years, even decades. Scientists think unlocking the secrets of this viral reservoir may make it possible to cure, not just treat, HIV. Researchers have gained new insight on which immune cells likely do, and do not, harbor this latent virus.

Meteorite may represent 'bulk background' of Mars' battered crust Posted: 30 Jan 2015 11:23 AM PST NWA 7034, a meteorite found a few years ago in the Moroccan desert, is like no other rock ever found on Earth. It's been shown to be a 4.4 billion-year-old chunk of the Martian crust, and according to a new analysis, rocks just like it may cover vast swaths of Mars.

Radar Images of Near-Earth Asteroid Posted: 30 Jan 2015 11:23 AM PST A team of astronomers has made the most detailed radar images yet of asteroid 2004 BL86. The images, which were taken early in the morning on Jan. 27, 2014, reveal the asteroid's surface features in unprecedented clarity.

Stress shared by same-sex couples can have unique health impacts Posted: 30 Jan 2015 10:28 AM PST Minority stress -- which results from being stigmatized and disadvantaged in society -- affects same-sex couples' stress levels and overall health, research indicates. Authors of a new study state that the health effects of minority stress shared by a couple can be understood as distinct from individual stress, a new framework in the field.

New method allows for greater variation in band gap tunability Posted: 30 Jan 2015 10:28 AM PST If you can't find the ideal material, then design a new one. By manipulating the ordered arrangement of atoms in layered complex oxide materials, scientists have found a way to control their electronic band gaps, which determines the electrical behavior of the material and how it interacts with light.

Renewable energy policies drive production of Southern wood pellets for bioenergy Posted: 30 Jan 2015 10:28 AM PST Policies in the European Union and elsewhere requiring the use of renewable and low greenhouse gas-emitting energy are driving demand for wood pellets used to generate bioenergy. This demand could provide new markets for US timber exports, increase wood prices, and lead to increases in forestland area.

Research uncovers connection between Craigslist personals, HIV trends Posted: 30 Jan 2015 10:28 AM PST Craigslist's entry into a market results in a 15.9 percent increase in reported HIV cases, according to research. When mapped at the national level, more than 6,000 HIV cases annually and treatment costs estimated between $62 million and $65.3 million can be linked to the popular website, the authors state.

Study links deficiency of cellular housekeeping gene with aggressive forms of breast cancer Posted: 30 Jan 2015 10:28 AM PST A strong link between the most aggressive type of breast cancer and a gene that regulates the body's natural cellular recycling process, called autophagy, has been uncovered by researchers.

Computing: Common 'data structure' revamped to work with multicore chips Posted: 30 Jan 2015 09:18 AM PST Every undergraduate computer-science major takes a course on data structures, which describes different ways of organizing data in a computer's memory. Every data structure has its own advantages: Some are good for fast retrieval, some for efficient search, some for quick insertions and deletions, and so on. Scientists have now developed a new way of implementing priority queues that lets them keep pace with the addition of new cores. In simulations, algorithms using their data structure continued to demonstrate performance improvement with the addition of new cores, up to a total of 80 cores.

DNA nanoswitches reveal how life's molecules connect Posted: 30 Jan 2015 09:18 AM PST 'Bio-molecular interaction analysis, a cornerstone of biomedical research, is traditionally accomplished using equipment that can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars,' said the senior author of a new study. 'Rather than develop a new instrument, we've created a nanoscale tool made from strands of DNA that can detect and report how molecules behave, enabling biological measurements to be made by almost anyone, using only common and inexpensive laboratory reagents.'

Ethicists question impact of hospital advertising Posted: 30 Jan 2015 09:18 AM PST Ethicists question the impact of health information that is available online, specifically hospital advertisements, and argue that while the Internet offers patients valuable data and tools -- including hospital quality ratings and professional treatment guidelines - that may help them when facing decisions about where to seek care or whether to undergo a medical procedure, reliable and unbiased information may be hard to identify among the growing number of medical care advertisements online.

Population genomics unveil seahorse domain Posted: 30 Jan 2015 09:18 AM PST In a finding vital to effective species management, a team of biologists has determined that the lined seahorse (Hippocampus erectus) is more a permanent resident of the western mid-Atlantic Ocean than a vagrant.

Scientists Use Knowledge from the Food Industry to Understand Mass Extinction Posted: 30 Jan 2015 09:17 AM PST The close of the Permian Period around 250 million years ago saw Earth's biggest extinction ever. At this time large volcanic eruptions were occurring in what is now Siberia. The volcanoes pumped out gases that led to acid rain. Falling on the supercontinent Pangaea, the acid rain killed off end-Permian forests. The demise of forests led to soil erosion and the production of organic-rich sediments in shallow marine waters.

'Vast Majority' of Neurosurgeons Practice Defensive Medicine Posted: 30 Jan 2015 09:16 AM PST More than three-fourths of US neurosurgeons practice some form of defensive medicine--performing additional tests and procedures out of fear of malpractice lawsuits, new research reports.

Fluorescent dyes 'light up' brain cancer cells Posted: 30 Jan 2015 09:16 AM PST Two new fluorescent dyes attracted to cancer cells may help neurosurgeons more accurately localize and completely resect brain tumors, suggests a new study. Removing all visible areas of cancer (gross total resection) significantly improves survival after brain cancer surgery.

Older adults: Double your protein to build more muscle Posted: 30 Jan 2015 09:16 AM PST Older adults may need to double up on the recommended daily allowance of protein to efficiently maintain and build muscle. Current US recommendations for daily dietary protein intake are 0.8 grams/kilogram of body weight (roughly 62 g of protein per day for a 170-pound person).

Mobile and interactive media use by young children: The good, the bad and the unknown Posted: 30 Jan 2015 07:26 AM PST Mobile devices are everywhere and children are using them more frequently at young ages. The impact these mobile devices are having on the development and behavior of children is still relatively unknown. Researchers review the many types of interactive media available today and raise important questions regarding their use as educational tools, as well as their potential detrimental role in stunting the development of important tools for self-regulation.

New software analyzes human genomes faster than other available technologies Posted: 30 Jan 2015 07:26 AM PST Investigators have developed an analysis 'pipeline' that slashes the time it takes to search a person's genome for disease-causing variations from weeks to hours.

Key discovery to preventing blindness, stroke devastation Posted: 30 Jan 2015 07:26 AM PST Gene interactions that determine whether cells live or die in such conditions as age-related macular degeneration and ischemic stroke have been discovered by researchers. These common molecular mechanisms in vision and brain integrity can prevent blindness and also promote recovery from a stroke.

Understanding the reinforcing ability of carbon nanotubes Posted: 30 Jan 2015 07:25 AM PST A new article explores what is preventing the reinforcing ability of carbon nanotubes from being used in a ceramic matrix. Ever since their discovery, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been considered the ultimate additive to improve the mechanical properties of structural ceramics, such as aluminum oxide, silicon nitride and zirconium dioxide. Yet despite the remarkable strength and stiffness of CNTs, many studies have reported only marginal improvements or even the degradation of mechanical properties after these super-materials were added.

Heat waves becoming more prominent in urban areas, research reveals Posted: 30 Jan 2015 07:25 AM PST The world's urban areas have experienced significant increases in heat waves over the past 40 years, according to new research. These prolonged periods of extreme hot days have significantly increased in over 200 urban areas across the globe between 1973 and 2012, and have been most prominent in the most recent years on record.

Biomaterial coating raises prospect of more successful medical implants Posted: 30 Jan 2015 07:25 AM PST A novel, bacteria-repelling coating material that could increase the success of medical implants has been created. The material helps healthy cells 'win the race' to the medical implant, beating off competition from bacterial cells and thus reducing the likelihood of the implant being rejected by the body.

Can Lean Management improve hospitals? Posted: 30 Jan 2015 06:29 AM PST Waiting times in hospital emergency departments could be cut with the introduction of Lean Management and Six Sigma techniques according to research.

Why do zebras have stripes? Temperature counts Posted: 30 Jan 2015 06:29 AM PST One of nature's fascinating questions is how zebras got their stripes. A team of life scientists has found at least part of the answer: The amount and intensity of striping can be best predicted by the temperature of the environment in which zebras live.

Altered dopamine signaling a clue to autism Posted: 30 Jan 2015 06:29 AM PST Newly discovered genetic variations linked to autism spectrum disorder disrupt the function of the dopamine transporter, suggesting that altered dopamine signaling contributes to this common developmental condition, according to researchers.

Blue mussels not yet the bellwether of NE coastal environment Posted: 30 Jan 2015 06:29 AM PST Mussels could be the perfect 'sentinel' species to signal the health of coastal ecosystems. But a new study of blue mussels in estuary ecosystems along 600 kilometers of coastline in the Northeast uncovered three key mysteries that will have to be solved first.

Scientists home in on reasons behind cancer drug trial disappointment Posted: 30 Jan 2015 06:29 AM PST Scientists have discovered a 'hidden' mechanism which could explain why some cancer therapies which aim to block tumor blood vessel growth are failing cancer trials. The same mechanism could play the role in the bacterial or viral septic shock -- e.g. in Ebola fever -- by destabilizing the blood vessels.

Shared symptoms of Chikungunya virus, rheumatoid arthritis may cloud diagnosis Posted: 30 Jan 2015 06:27 AM PST A mosquito-borne virus that has spread to the Caribbean and Central and South America and has caused isolated infections in Florida often causes joint pain and swelling similar to that seen in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Skip the dip! Super Bowl team cities see spike in flu deaths Posted: 30 Jan 2015 06:27 AM PST Having a team in the Super Bowl correlated to an average 18 percent increase in flu deaths among those over 65 years old, according to a study of health data covering 35 years of championship games.

Treating Cerebral Malaria: New Molecular Target Identified Posted: 30 Jan 2015 05:21 AM PST A drug already approved for treating other diseases may be useful as a treatment for cerebral malaria, according to researchers who discovered a novel link between food intake during the early stages of infection and the outcome of the disease, identifying two molecular pathways that could serve as new targets for treatment.

Tweeting about sexism could improve a woman's wellbeing Posted: 30 Jan 2015 05:18 AM PST Publically tweeting about sexism could improve a woman's wellbeing as it has the potential to let them to express themselves in ways that feel like they can make a difference, a new report suggests.

Totality of trials data confirm Tamiflu reduces length of symptoms, complications, and hospital admissions from influenza Posted: 30 Jan 2015 05:18 AM PST The most thorough analysis of oseltamivir (marketed as Tamiflu) data to date, including all available published and unpublished randomised treatment trials of adults, suggests that the antiviral drug shortens the duration of flu symptoms by about a day, compared to placebo, in adults with laboratory-confirmed influenza.

Updating satellite data on seas could dramatically reduce search and rescue times for lost planes, ships Posted: 30 Jan 2015 05:15 AM PST A new satellite imaging concept could significantly reduce search areas for missing boats and planes. Researchers have been trialling a concept for using satellite imagery to significantly improve the chances of locating ships and planes, such as the missing Malaysian flight MH370, lost at sea. A preliminary study identified 54 satellites with 85 sensors, currently only taking images of land, which could be used to take images of Earth's oceans and inland waters. The research team believe regularly updated images of the seas via these satellites could enable the reduction of search areas for missing ships to just a few hundred square miles. This offers the possibility of dramatically reducing search and rescue times and significantly improving chances of survival for missing ships.

HiSIM-SOTB, compact transistor model, selected as international industry standard Posted: 30 Jan 2015 05:15 AM PST A new compact transistor model was developed and the framework for realizing a faster design support process and product development for integrated circuits in the ultra-low voltage category was established. The new compact model, HiSIM-SOTB (Hiroshima University STARC IGFET Model Silicon-on-Thin BOX), was developed by Hiroshima University's HiSIM Research Center in collaboration with its partners in the industry and government institutions, including the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) of Japan.

New technologies to help patients with Parkinson's disease Posted: 30 Jan 2015 05:15 AM PST New wearable sensor networks and mobile phone applications are being tested for their potential to monitor and manage patients with Parkinson's disease. The research aim is the usage of low-cost wearable sensors that can continuously collect and process the accelerometry signals to automatically detect and quantify the symptoms of the patient. Once we this is done, the information is sent to hospital to generate a daily report that will alert the doctor in case of any outlier.

Water purification: Running fuel cells on bacteria Posted: 30 Jan 2015 05:15 AM PST Researchers in Norway have succeeded in getting bacteria to power a fuel cell. The "fuel" used is wastewater, and the products of the process are purified water droplets and electricity. This is an environmentally-friendly process for the purification of water derived from industrial processes and suchlike. It also generates small amounts of electricity – in practice enough to drive a small fan, a sensor or a light-emitting diode. In the future, the researchers hope to scale up this energy generation to enable the same energy to be used to power the water purification process, which commonly consists of many stages, often involving mechanical and energy-demanding decontamination steps at its outset.

Pinholes are pitfalls for high performance solar cells Posted: 30 Jan 2015 05:15 AM PST The most popular next-generation solar cells under development may have a problem – the top layer is full of tiny pinholes, researchers have found.

Hot on the trail of hepatitis-liver cancer connection Posted: 30 Jan 2015 05:15 AM PST Using whole genomic sequencing, scientists have for the first time demonstrated the profound effect that chronic hepatitis infection and inflammation can have on the genetic mutations found in tumors of the liver, potentially paving the way to a better understanding of the mechanisms through which these chronic infections can lead to cancer. Primary liver cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide, and recent studies have shown that particularly in Asia, infection with either hepatitis B or C is often associated with such cancers.

Crystal light: New family of light-converting materials points to cheaper, more efficient solar power and LEDs Posted: 29 Jan 2015 02:03 PM PST Engineers have shone new light on an emerging family of solar-absorbing materials that could clear the way for cheaper and more efficient solar panels and LEDs. The materials, called perovskites, are particularly good at absorbing visible light, but had never been thoroughly studied in their purest form: as perfect single crystals. Using a new technique, researchers grew large, pure perovskite crystals and studied how electrons move through the material as light is converted to electricity.

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