ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Dwarf star 200 light years away contains life's building blocks
• Gas hydrate breakdown unlikely to cause massive greenhouse gas release
• Matters of the heart: Researchers create 3-D beating heart
• New engineered material can cool roofs, structures with zero energy consumption
• Scientists identify aggressive pancreatic cancer cells and their vulnerability
• Dual-function nanorod LEDs could make multifunctional displays
• Emphysema treatment could be optimized using network modelling
• Genetics of both virus and patient work together to influence the course of HIV infection
• How best to treat infections and tumors: Containment versus aggressive treatment
• Brain stem volume linked to aggression in autism
• Climate change responsible for the great diversity in horses
• Another hurdle to quantum computers cleared: Sorting machine for atoms
• Why malaria mosquitoes like people with malaria
• Methane levels have increased in Marcellus Shale region despite dip in well installation
• A new sensitive and stable self-powered photodetector
• Fossil record should help guide conservation in a changing world
• Older adults embracing 'living apart together'
• Genetic study identifies a new form of congenital muscular dystrophy
• Endangered African penguins are falling into an 'ecological trap'
• Bacteria fed synthetic iron-containing molecules turn into electrical generators
• Sticky gels turn insect-sized drones into artificial pollinators
• Genetic 'switch' in animals offers clues to evolutionary origins of fine motor skills
• Assembly of micro-/meso-/macroporous carbon optimized for Li-S batteries
• Deeper origin of gill evolution suggests 'active lifestyle' link in early vertebrates
• New research to help preserve the benefits people receive from nature
• Subsea mining moves closer to shore
• Meta-lenses bring benchtop performance to small, hand-held spectrometer
• Infectious outbreak in critically ill children leads to recall of contaminated medication
• Brain damage is not always damaging
• Words can sound 'round' or 'sharp' without us realizing it
• Computer trained to predict which AML patients will go into remission, which will relapse
• Direct radiolabeling of nanomaterials
• Infection defense: Call for support by the killer cells
• Two investigational antitumor agents work better together against MPNST and neuroblastoma
• An 'ignition key' revs up DNA shuffling to make antibodies
• NASA spacecraft prepares to fly to new heights
• Massive comet-like object pollutes atmosphere of a white dwarf
• Device emulates human kidney function
• Deeper look at unconventional oil and gas
• We like taking selfies but not looking at them
• Making strides in schizophrenia diagnosis research
• Ancient Earth as a model for studying hazy exoplanets
• Bacteria links Crohn's disease to arthritis
• Antibiotic use for travelers' diarrhea favors particularly resistant super bacteria
• The Internet and your brain are more alike than you think
• New cause of brain defects in tuberous sclerosis complex
• Behavioral biology: The firefly among fish
• Malaria mosquitoes sensitive to horseradish
• IFT20 protein's role in helping cancer cells to invade
• Orexin as a potential drug for treating septic shock
• Most stretchable elastomer for 3-D printing
• Less driving linked to a decrease in roadway fatalities
• In-cell molecular sieve from protein crystal
• Evidence points to fish oil to fight asthma
• Novel quantum state in strange insulating materials
• Broken pebbles offer clues to Paleolithic funeral rituals
• Wave of the future: Terahertz chips a new way of seeing through matter
• Despite few taste genes, honey bees seek out essential nutrients based on floral resources
• Digital photography could be a key factor in rural health care
• Scientists make new high-tech liquid materials that can manipulate micro-organisms

Dwarf star 200 light years away contains life's building blocks Posted: 09 Feb 2017 01:38 PM PST Many scientists believe the Earth was initially dry and that water, carbon and nitrogen -- the building blocks for life -- likely came as a result of collisions with objects that began their lives in the cold outer reaches of our solar system. Today, scientists report discovery of the existence of just such an object -- one that once orbited a neighboring star.

Gas hydrate breakdown unlikely to cause massive greenhouse gas release Posted: 09 Feb 2017 01:38 PM PST A recent interpretive review of scientific literature sheds light on the interactions of gas hydrates and climate.

Matters of the heart: Researchers create 3-D beating heart Posted: 09 Feb 2017 01:38 PM PST Matters of the heart can be complicated, but scientists have now found a way to create 3-D heart tissue that beats in synchronized harmony, like a heart in love, that will lead to better understanding of cardiac health and improved treatments. Researchers have devised a way to stick three different types of cardiac cells together, like Velcro, to make heart tissue that beats as one.

New engineered material can cool roofs, structures with zero energy consumption Posted: 09 Feb 2017 11:27 AM PST Engineers have developed a scalable manufactured metamaterial -- an engineered material with extraordinary properties not found in nature -- to act as a kind of air conditioning system for structures. It has the ability to cool objects even under direct sunlight with zero energy and water consumption.

Scientists identify aggressive pancreatic cancer cells and their vulnerability Posted: 09 Feb 2017 11:27 AM PST A series of preclinical experiments using patient-derived tumor xenografts (PDXs) and mouse models point to potential treatments for patients with a rapidly-progressing and resistant subgroup of tumor cells.

Dual-function nanorod LEDs could make multifunctional displays Posted: 09 Feb 2017 11:27 AM PST Cellphones and other devices could soon be controlled with touchless gestures and charge themselves using ambient light, thanks to new LED arrays that can both emit and detect light.

Emphysema treatment could be optimized using network modelling Posted: 09 Feb 2017 11:27 AM PST A unique engineering perspective of emphysema progression in the lung suggests how mechanisms operating at the micromechanical scale could help to predict patient survival and quality of life following treatment -- according to new research.

Genetics of both virus and patient work together to influence the course of HIV infection Posted: 09 Feb 2017 11:26 AM PST Viral and human genetics together account for about one third of the differences in disease progression rates seen among people infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), according to new research. The findings suggest that patient genetics influences disease progression by triggering mutations in the HIV viral genome.

How best to treat infections and tumors: Containment versus aggressive treatment Posted: 09 Feb 2017 11:26 AM PST A new mathematical analysis identifies the factors that determine whether aggressive treatments or containment strategies will perform best in treating infections and tumors, providing physicians and patients with new information to help them make difficult treatment decisions.

Brain stem volume linked to aggression in autism Posted: 09 Feb 2017 11:26 AM PST New research from autism experts is providing clues into the link between aggression and autism -- clues the team hopes will eventually lead to more effective intervention.

Climate change responsible for the great diversity in horses Posted: 09 Feb 2017 11:26 AM PST Changing environments and ecosystems were driving the evolution of horses over the past 20 million years. This is the main conclusion of a new study by paleontologists. The team analyzed 140 species of horses, most of them extinct, synthesizing decades of research on the fossil history of this popular group of mammals.

Another hurdle to quantum computers cleared: Sorting machine for atoms Posted: 09 Feb 2017 11:26 AM PST Physicists have cleared a further hurdle on the path to creating quantum computers: in a recent study, they present a method with which they can very quickly and precisely sort large numbers of atoms.

Why malaria mosquitoes like people with malaria Posted: 09 Feb 2017 11:26 AM PST Malaria mosquitoes prefer to feed -- and feed more -- on blood from people infected with malaria. Researchers have now discovered why. The findings can lead to new ways to fight malaria without using poisonous chemicals.

Methane levels have increased in Marcellus Shale region despite dip in well installation Posted: 09 Feb 2017 11:26 AM PST Despite a slow down in the number of new natural gas wells in the Marcellus Shale region of Northeast Pennsylvania, new research finds that atmospheric methane levels in the area are still increasing. Measurements of methane and other air pollutants taken three years apart in the rural areas of Pennsylvania that have been the target of natural gas development over the last decade, revealed a substantial increase from 2012 to 2015.

A new sensitive and stable self-powered photodetector Posted: 09 Feb 2017 11:26 AM PST Researchers have developed a self-powered photodetector that can be used in a wide range of applications such as chemical analysis, communications, astronomical investigations and much more.

Fossil record should help guide conservation in a changing world Posted: 09 Feb 2017 11:25 AM PST A group of biologists, paleobiologists, lawyers, policymakers and writers is urging conservationists not only to save species, but also to preserve a diverse array of ecosystem structures and functions in the face of rising populations and changing climate. This could include allowing some species to disappear from some areas if that means a more resilient environment able to respond to warming temperatures and habitat loss, according to researchers.

Older adults embracing 'living apart together' Posted: 09 Feb 2017 10:42 AM PST Since 1990, the divorce rate among adults 50 years and older has doubled. This trend, along with longer life expectancy, has resulted in many adults forming new partnerships later in life. A new phenomenon called 'Living Apart Together' (LAT)--an intimate relationship without a shared residence--is gaining popularity as an alternative form of commitment. Researchers say that while the trend is well understood in Europe, it is lesser known in the U.S. This means that challenges, such as how LAT partners can engage in family caregiving or decision-making, could affect family needs.

Genetic study identifies a new form of congenital muscular dystrophy Posted: 09 Feb 2017 10:41 AM PST A new form of congenital muscular dystrophy has been discovered which is caused by mutations in a previously un-linked gene.

Endangered African penguins are falling into an 'ecological trap' Posted: 09 Feb 2017 10:35 AM PST As the climate changes and fisheries transform the oceans, the world's African penguins are in trouble. Young penguins aren't able to take all the changes into account and are finding themselves 'trapped' in parts of the sea that can no longer support them even as better options are available.

Bacteria fed synthetic iron-containing molecules turn into electrical generators Posted: 09 Feb 2017 10:35 AM PST The bacterial world is rife with unusual talents, among them a knack for producing electricity. In the wild, 'electrogenic' bacteria generate current as part of their metabolism, and now researchers have found a way to confer that ability upon non-electrogenic bacteria. This technique could have applications for sustainable electricity generation and wastewater treatment.

Sticky gels turn insect-sized drones into artificial pollinators Posted: 09 Feb 2017 10:35 AM PST As bees slip onto the endangered species lists, researchers in Japan are pollinating lilies with insect-sized drones. The undersides of these artificial pollinators are coated with horse hairs and an ionic gel just sticky enough to pick up pollen from one flower and deposit it onto another. The drones' designers are hopeful that their invention could someday help carry the burden that modern agricultural demand has put on colonies.

Genetic 'switch' in animals offers clues to evolutionary origins of fine motor skills Posted: 09 Feb 2017 10:34 AM PST Researchers have identified a genetic signature found exclusively in the nerve cells that supply, or innervate, the muscles of an organism's outermost extremities: the hands and feet. The findings suggest that the evolution of the extremities may be related to the emergence of fine motor control, such as grasping -- one of biology's most essential adaptations.

Assembly of micro-/meso-/macroporous carbon optimized for Li-S batteries Posted: 09 Feb 2017 10:34 AM PST High volume ratio of carbon micropores combined with the assembly of meso-/macropores remarkably improve the capabilities of Li-S batteries, which relieve shuttle effect by strong physical absorption from micropores, increase sulfur content and supply abundant avenue for electrolyte infiltration and ion transportation by meso-/macropores.

Deeper origin of gill evolution suggests 'active lifestyle' link in early vertebrates Posted: 09 Feb 2017 10:34 AM PST Fish embryo study indicates that the last common ancestor of vertebrates was a complex animal complete with gills -- overturning prior scientific understanding and complementing recent fossil finds. The work places gill evolution concurrent with shift to self-propulsion in our earliest ancestors.

New research to help preserve the benefits people receive from nature Posted: 09 Feb 2017 10:34 AM PST Humans rely on things that come from nature -- including clean air, water, food, and timber. But how can we tell if these natural services that people rely on, are at risk of being lost, potentially permanently?

Subsea mining moves closer to shore Posted: 09 Feb 2017 10:34 AM PST Mining in the deep sea is technically very challenging and at present not economically feasible. However, deposits in coastal areas beneath the shallow, more accessible continental shelf could help to meet the growing demand for mineral resources, conclude researchers.

Meta-lenses bring benchtop performance to small, hand-held spectrometer Posted: 09 Feb 2017 10:34 AM PST Physicists have developed new hand-held spectrometers capable of the same performance as large, benchtop instruments. The researchers' innovation derives from their groundbreaking work in meta-lenses. The hand-held spectrometers offer real promise for applications ranging from health care diagnostics to environmental and food monitoring.

Infectious outbreak in critically ill children leads to recall of contaminated medication Posted: 09 Feb 2017 10:34 AM PST Infection prevention and control experts halted a 24-patient outbreak of Burkholderia cepacia in critically ill children after identifying docusate, a liquid stool softener, as the underlying source of the bacteria. Details of the six-month investigation led to a national recall of all liquid products manufactured by PharmTech.

Brain damage is not always damaging Posted: 09 Feb 2017 10:34 AM PST Strokes are usually, but not always, debilitating. This case report documents the extraordinary resilience of a woman in Argentina who endured multiple strokes. Despite these traumas her daily functioning continued in many ways as though nothing had happened. In addition to being an inspiring individual story of resilience, this episode highlights how much we still have to learn about the way the adult brain functions.

Words can sound 'round' or 'sharp' without us realizing it Posted: 09 Feb 2017 10:33 AM PST Our tendency to match specific sounds with specific shapes, even abstract shapes, is so fundamental that it guides perception before we are consciously aware of it, according to new research.

Computer trained to predict which AML patients will go into remission, which will relapse Posted: 09 Feb 2017 10:33 AM PST Researchers have developed the first computer machine-learning model to accurately predict which patients diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia, or AML, will go into remission following treatment for their disease and which will relapse.

Direct radiolabeling of nanomaterials Posted: 09 Feb 2017 10:33 AM PST Positron emission tomography plays a pivotal role for monitoring the distribution and accumulation of radiolabeled nanomaterials in living subjects. The radioactive metals are usually connected to the nanomaterial through an anchor, a so-called chelator, but this chemical binding can be omitted if nanographene is used, as scientists now report. The replacement of chelator-based labeling by intrinsic labeling significantly enhances the bioimaging accuracy and reduces biases.

Infection defense: Call for support by the killer cells Posted: 09 Feb 2017 10:33 AM PST A few days after a viral infection, countless killer cells swarm out to track down and kill infected body cells. In this way, they are highly effective at preventing pathogens from being able to spread further. An international research team has now explained an important mechanism behind building this army.

Two investigational antitumor agents work better together against MPNST and neuroblastoma Posted: 09 Feb 2017 10:33 AM PST A new study demonstrates that the combined usage of Aurora A kinase inhibitor (alisertib) and HSV1716 results in significantly increased antitumor efficacy in models of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) and neuroblastoma.

An 'ignition key' revs up DNA shuffling to make antibodies Posted: 09 Feb 2017 10:33 AM PST Rearranging the genome is a risky endeavor, and human cells reserve it for special occasions, like making egg and sperm cells.

NASA spacecraft prepares to fly to new heights Posted: 09 Feb 2017 10:33 AM PST NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale mission begins a three-month long journey into a new orbit, taking it twice as far out as it has previously flown, to areas where magnetic reconnection is thought to trigger auroras.

Massive comet-like object pollutes atmosphere of a white dwarf Posted: 09 Feb 2017 10:33 AM PST For the first time, scientists have witnessed a massive object with the makeup of a comet being ripped apart and scattered in the atmosphere of a white dwarf, the burned-out remains of a compact star.

Device emulates human kidney function Posted: 09 Feb 2017 10:33 AM PST Instead of running tests on live kidneys, researchers have developed a model kidney for working out the kinks in medicines and treatments. The reusable, multi-layered and microfluidic device incorporates a porous growth substrate, with a physiological fluid flow, and the passive filtration of the capillaries around the end of a kidney, called the glomerulus, where waste is filtered from blood.

Deeper look at unconventional oil and gas Posted: 09 Feb 2017 10:33 AM PST Chemical engineers build simulations based on samples from unconventional, organic shale formations that can help predict how much oil and gas a well might produce and how best to extract it.

We like taking selfies but not looking at them Posted: 09 Feb 2017 10:33 AM PST An online survey has found that although taking and posting selfies is hugely popular, 82% of participants would prefer fewer selfies on social media. Interestingly, people perceived their own selfies as more self-ironic and authentic, and selfies taken by others as more self-presentational and less authentic.

Making strides in schizophrenia diagnosis research Posted: 09 Feb 2017 10:33 AM PST Researchers have developed a blood test that could help doctors more quickly diagnose schizophrenia and other disorders.

Ancient Earth as a model for studying hazy exoplanets Posted: 09 Feb 2017 10:33 AM PST For astronomers trying to understand which distant planets might have habitable conditions, the role of atmospheric haze has been hazy. To help sort it out, a team of researchers has been looking to Earth - specifically Earth during the Archean era, an epic 1-1/2-billion-year period early in our planet's history.

Bacteria links Crohn's disease to arthritis Posted: 09 Feb 2017 10:33 AM PST Patients with Crohn's disease, a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes abdominal pain and diarrhea, can also experience joint pain. In Crohn's disease, which affects about 800,000 Americans, the immune system can attack not only the bowels, but the musculoskeletal system as well, leading to spondyloarthritis, a painful condition that affects the spine and joints.

Antibiotic use for travelers' diarrhea favors particularly resistant super bacteria Posted: 09 Feb 2017 10:33 AM PST Every year, millions of travelers visit countries with poor hygiene, and approximately one third of them return home carrying antibiotic-resistant ESBL intestinal bacteria. A traveler who resorts to using antibiotics will pick up the most resistant strains of common 'super bacteria.'

The Internet and your brain are more alike than you think Posted: 09 Feb 2017 10:32 AM PST A similar rule governs traffic flow in engineered and biological systems, reports a researcher. An algorithm used for the Internet is also at work in the human brain, says the report, an insight that improves our understanding of engineered and neural networks and potentially even learning disabilities.

New cause of brain defects in tuberous sclerosis complex Posted: 09 Feb 2017 07:13 AM PST A new molecular pathway that inhibits the myelination of neurons in the brains of patients with the rare genetic disorder tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) has been discovered by researchers. The study suggests new ways to treat some of the neurological symptoms associated with TSC, including autism and epilepsy.

Behavioral biology: The firefly among fish Posted: 09 Feb 2017 06:55 AM PST The flashlight fish Anomalops katoptron, which inhabits the coral reefs of the Pacific, uses flashing signals to forage for food at night. The moment it finds food, the flashing signal changes to a permanent glow while the fish is feeding. In addition to the lighting conditions in its surroundings, the presence of food also determines the bioluminescence of the fish.

Malaria mosquitoes sensitive to horseradish Posted: 09 Feb 2017 06:55 AM PST Researchers have taken an important step on the road to understanding the underlying mechanism of how and why animals can feel pain in connection with cold or heat. However, according to the study, temperature is just one triggering factor -- horseradish, mustard, cinnamon and wasabi have a similar effect.