ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Researchers warn scientists of costly impure chemicals
• Gene variants associated with body shape increase risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes
• Scalp cooling device may help reduce hair loss for women with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy
• Shorter course of immunotherapy does not improve symptoms of allergic rhinitis long-term
• Fractal edges shown to be key to imagery seen in Rorschach inkblots
• Researchers develop 'living diode' using cardiac muscle cells
• Flirting on the 'fly:' what blow flies can tell us about attraction, dating apps
• Astronomers propose a cell phone search for galactic fast radio bursts
• Cardiovascular disease costs will exceed $1 trillion by 2035
• Ancient jars found in Judea reveal Earth's magnetic field is fluctuating, not diminishing
• Youth flag football may not be safer than tackle football
• Study rewrites the history of corn in corn country
• The heart of a far-off star beats for its planet
• With stringent oversight, heritable human genome editing could be allowed
• New delta Scuti: Rare pulsating star 7,000 light years away is one of only seven in Milky Way
• Just press print: How 3-D printing at home saves big bucks
• Fossil discovery rewrites understanding of reproductive evolution
• Ventura fault could cause stronger shaking, new research finds
• Technology puts 'touch' into long-distance relationships
• Immune cell study prompts rethink on how to tackle infections
• Limited evidence that styrene causes cancer
• Researchers identify a population of cells linked to the development of the heart's ventricular chambers
• Setting the record straight on some common beliefs about food and health
• Parenting significantly impacts development of children with Fragile X Syndrome
• Radiation therapy continues to be gold standard for palliative care of painful bone metastases
• Lipid nanoparticles for gene therapy
• Esophageal cancer: Loss of muscle mass represents a significant risk to survival
• Important to maintain a diversity of habitats in the sea
• Developing knowledge of blowfly life cycles to improve accuracy of estimating post-mortem interval
• Supporting a caring and creative culture for hospital patients and staff through 'Being Human'
• Combating iron in the brain: Researchers find anti-aging micromolecule
• Children of patients with C9orf72 mutations are at a greater risk of frontotemporal dementia or ALS at a younger age
• Norwegian ice cap 'exceptionally sensitive' to climate change
• Reactive lignin for reducing the environmental impacts of wood products
• Genes in albino orchids may hold clues to parasitic mechanism used by non-photosynthetic plants
• New RNAi treatment targets eye inflammation
• New peptide hormone aids waterproof barrier formation in plant roots
• Estrogen explains the exosome-carried messenger profile in the circulation among postmenopausal women
• How ticks protect themselves from Lyme bacteria and other microbes
• Do children inherit drug protection from parents exposed to nicotine or drugs?
• To please your friends, tell them what they already know
• Tiny magnetic implant offers new drug delivery method
• How the brain maintains useful memories
• Avoiding medications that promote weight gain when managing obesity
• Measuring entropy: Scanning-tunneling microscope gives glimpse of the mysterious property
• Population density pushes the 'slow life'
• Seeing the world through fresh eyes
• Sperm-egg fusion proteins have same structure as those used by Zika and other viruses
• A theoretical physicist reassures the lovelorn
• Drug used to combat pain medication side effects may help with gastrointestinal recovery
• Taking a high-priced cancer drug with a low-fat meal can cut cost by 75%
• New method to detect ultrasound with light
• Researchers apply machine learning to condensed matter physics
• Drug increases survival in dogs with cancer
• Sulfide-sensing mechanisms in purple bacteria
• Intensive blood pressure control could prevent 100,000 early deaths each year
• Mediterranean diet with virgin olive oil may boost 'good' cholesterol
• Chip could make voice control ubiquitous in electronics

Researchers warn scientists of costly impure chemicals Posted: 14 Feb 2017 01:33 PM PST Researchers are now warning fellow scientists of impure reagents that could skew results. The study found that commercial reagents, which were purchased from highly respected companies, were not pure but contained many contaminants which had a huge and potentially misleading effect on the scientists’ work.

Gene variants associated with body shape increase risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes Posted: 14 Feb 2017 01:28 PM PST A study has found that a pattern of gene variants associated with a body type, in which weight is deposited around the abdomen, rather than in the hips and thighs, increases the risk for type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease, as well as the incidence of several cardiovascular risk factors. abdominal

Scalp cooling device may help reduce hair loss for women with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy Posted: 14 Feb 2017 01:28 PM PST Two studies examine hair loss among women with breast cancer who received scalp cooling before, during and after chemotherapy.

Shorter course of immunotherapy does not improve symptoms of allergic rhinitis long-term Posted: 14 Feb 2017 01:28 PM PST Among patients with moderate to severe seasonal allergic rhinitis, two years of immunotherapy tablets was not significantly different from placebo in improving nasal symptoms at 3-year follow-up, according to a study.

Fractal edges shown to be key to imagery seen in Rorschach inkblots Posted: 14 Feb 2017 01:28 PM PST Researchers have unlocked the mystery of why people have seen so many different images in Rorschach inkblots. The image associations are induced by fractal characteristics at the edges of the blots and depend on the scaling parameters of the patterns, says researcher.

Researchers develop 'living diode' using cardiac muscle cells Posted: 14 Feb 2017 01:28 PM PST Research brings scientists one step closer to developing new forms of biorobotics and novel treatment approaches for several muscle-related health problems such as muscular degenerative disorders, arrhythmia and limb loss.

Flirting on the 'fly:' what blow flies can tell us about attraction, dating apps Posted: 14 Feb 2017 01:28 PM PST The photoreceptors in blow fly eyes do more than help them navigate the environment, research shows. They're also used in an elaborate sexual communication system, aiding their quest to find the perfect mate by filtering out incompatible candidates.

Astronomers propose a cell phone search for galactic fast radio bursts Posted: 14 Feb 2017 01:28 PM PST Fast radio bursts seem to come from distant galaxies, but there is no obvious reason that, every once in a while, an FRB wouldn't occur in our own Milky Way galaxy too. If it did, astronomers suggest that it would be 'loud' enough that a global network of cell phones or small radio receivers could 'hear' it.

Cardiovascular disease costs will exceed $1 trillion by 2035 Posted: 14 Feb 2017 01:27 PM PST By 2035, cardiovascular disease, the most costly and prevalent killer, if left unchecked, will place a crushing economic and health burden on the nation's financial and health care systems, a new study projects.

Ancient jars found in Judea reveal Earth's magnetic field is fluctuating, not diminishing Posted: 14 Feb 2017 01:27 PM PST Surprising new evidence derived from ancient ceramics proves that the Earth's geomagnetic force fluctuates -- not diminishes -- over time, researchers say.

Youth flag football may not be safer than tackle football Posted: 14 Feb 2017 10:05 AM PST The results of a study of injury rates in youth football leagues did not show that flag football is safer than tackle football, new research concludes. The study finds Injury is more likely to occur in youth flag football than in youth tackle football, but severe injuries and concussions were not significantly different between leagues

Study rewrites the history of corn in corn country Posted: 14 Feb 2017 10:05 AM PST A new study contradicts decades of thought, research and teaching on the history of corn cultivation in the American Bottom, a floodplain of the Mississippi River in Illinois. The study refutes the notion that Indian corn, or maize, was cultivated in this region hundreds of years before its widespread adoption at about 1000 A.D.

The heart of a far-off star beats for its planet Posted: 14 Feb 2017 10:05 AM PST For the first time, astronomers have observed a star pulsing in response to its orbiting planet. The star, which goes by the name HAT-P-2, is about 400 light years from Earth and is circled by a gas giant measuring eight times the mass of Jupiter -- one of the most massive exoplanets known today.

With stringent oversight, heritable human genome editing could be allowed Posted: 14 Feb 2017 10:05 AM PST Clinical trials for genome editing of the human germline -- adding, removing, or replacing DNA base pairs in gametes or early embryos -- could be permitted in the future, but only for serious conditions under stringent oversight, says a new report.

New delta Scuti: Rare pulsating star 7,000 light years away is one of only seven in Milky Way Posted: 14 Feb 2017 10:05 AM PST The newest delta Scuti (SKOO-tee) star in our night sky is so rare it's only one of seven identified by astronomers in the Milky Way. The star -- like our sun -- is in the throes of stellar evolution, to conclude as a dying ember in millions of years. Until then, the exceptional star pulsates brightly, expanding and contracting from heating and cooling of hydrogen burning at its core.

Just press print: How 3-D printing at home saves big bucks Posted: 14 Feb 2017 10:05 AM PST A new study shows that consumers who invest in an at-home 3-D printer can not only make their money back within six months, but may also see an almost 1,000 percent return on their investment over a five-year period.

Fossil discovery rewrites understanding of reproductive evolution Posted: 14 Feb 2017 10:05 AM PST A remarkable 250-million-year-old 'terrible-headed lizard' fossil found in China shows an embryo inside the mother -- clear evidence for live birth. The fossil unexpectedly provided the first evidence for live birth in an animal group previously thought to exclusively lay eggs.

Ventura fault could cause stronger shaking, new research finds Posted: 14 Feb 2017 07:42 AM PST The fault under Ventura, California, would likely cause stronger shaking during an earthquake and more damage than previously suspected, researchers warn. The Ventura-Pitas Point fault in Southern California has been the focus of much recent attention because it is thought to be capable of magnitude 8 earthquakes. It underlies the city of Ventura and runs offshore, and thus could generate tsunamis.

Technology puts 'touch' into long-distance relationships Posted: 14 Feb 2017 07:42 AM PST Long-distance couples can share a walk, watch movies together, and even give each other a massage, using new technologies.

Immune cell study prompts rethink on how to tackle infections Posted: 14 Feb 2017 07:42 AM PST Fresh insights into how immune cells are regulated could signal a new approach to tackling infections. Scientists say the findings pave the way for new therapies that target the immune response to infection, with the potential to boost existing antibiotic treatments.

Limited evidence that styrene causes cancer Posted: 14 Feb 2017 07:42 AM PST In 2011, the styrene, a high volume plastics chemical and animal carcinogen, was the focal point in a 'poison scandal' in the Danish media. Now a registry study of more than 72,000 employees from more than 400 companies that have been exposed to styrene during production of glassfibre reinforced plastics, has not found an increased incidence of a wide range of cancer types.

Researchers identify a population of cells linked to the development of the heart's ventricular chambers Posted: 14 Feb 2017 06:58 AM PST New research findings could provide new insight and understanding of congenital heart defects.

Setting the record straight on some common beliefs about food and health Posted: 14 Feb 2017 06:58 AM PST When it comes to what certain foods can do to or for you, it’s probably best to take motherly advice, familiar sayings and other bits of conventional wisdom with a grain of salt.

Parenting significantly impacts development of children with Fragile X Syndrome Posted: 14 Feb 2017 06:58 AM PST A longitudinal study of children with Fragile X Syndrome, the leading genetic cause of autism, and their mothers found that sustained maternal responsivity had a significant positive impact on the children's development, even mitigating declines often reported in middle childhood.

Radiation therapy continues to be gold standard for palliative care of painful bone metastases Posted: 14 Feb 2017 06:58 AM PST An updated clinical guideline has been published that underscores the safety and effectiveness of palliative radiation therapy (RT) for treating painful bone metastases.

Lipid nanoparticles for gene therapy Posted: 14 Feb 2017 06:56 AM PST 25 years have passed since the publication of the first work on solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) as a system for delivering drugs. Now new work reviews the application of SLNs and NLCs in gene therapy since the group’s significant contributions made in this area have been included in various international scientific publications.

Esophageal cancer: Loss of muscle mass represents a significant risk to survival Posted: 14 Feb 2017 06:56 AM PST Esophageal cancer patients who suffer loss of muscle mass (sarcopenia) during neoadjuvant therapy (chemotherapy prior to surgery) survive, on average, 32 months less than patients with no sarcopenia, new research concludes.

Important to maintain a diversity of habitats in the sea Posted: 14 Feb 2017 06:40 AM PST Both species diversity and habitat diversity are critical to understand the functioning of ecosystems, scientists have concluded in a new report.

Developing knowledge of blowfly life cycles to improve accuracy of estimating post-mortem interval Posted: 14 Feb 2017 06:40 AM PST Post-mortems are an essential part of the investigative process after someone has died in suspicious circumstances, usually performed to establish cause of death. Definitively proving time of death later is extremely difficult. By using blowflies and sometimes other insects, forensic entomologists can provide an estimated window of time in which someone is likely to have died. This is calculated by estimating the amount of time since eggs were first laid, which approximates (sometimes quite closely) the time of death. Such insect derived time is known as the minimum post-mortem interval (PMImin).

Supporting a caring and creative culture for hospital patients and staff through 'Being Human' Posted: 14 Feb 2017 06:40 AM PST Going into hospital, whether unexpectedly or planned, can be a very difficult time for patients and their families. Care and support from hospital staff can make a huge difference to their experiences, but when staff face increasing demands on their time, this is not always easy to deliver.

Combating iron in the brain: Researchers find anti-aging micromolecule Posted: 14 Feb 2017 06:40 AM PST The older we get, the more our brain ages. Cognitive abilities decline and the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases like dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease or having a stroke steadily increases. A possible cause is the accumulation of iron molecules within neurons, which seems to be valid for all vertebrates. In a collaborative research project, scientists found that this iron accumulation is linked to a microRNA called miR-29.

Children of patients with C9orf72 mutations are at a greater risk of frontotemporal dementia or ALS at a younger age Posted: 14 Feb 2017 06:40 AM PST The most common genetic cause of the brain diseases frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a mutation in the C9orf72 gene. Researchers have demonstrated that if an affected parent passes on this mutation, the children will be affected at a younger age (than the parent). There are no indications that the disease progresses more quickly.

Norwegian ice cap 'exceptionally sensitive' to climate change Posted: 14 Feb 2017 06:40 AM PST How will future climate change affect our glaciers? By looking into the past 4000 years, a new study finds an ice cap in southern Norway to be ‘exceptionally sensitive’ to climate change.

Reactive lignin for reducing the environmental impacts of wood products Posted: 14 Feb 2017 06:40 AM PST Technology known as "CatLignin" has been created to produce reactive lignin from pulp industry side streams to be used as a replacement for toxic phenol compounds in wood adhesives that are widely used in wood products and furniture.

Genes in albino orchids may hold clues to parasitic mechanism used by non-photosynthetic plants Posted: 14 Feb 2017 06:37 AM PST How do plants give up photosynthesis and become parasites? A research team is using comprehensive analysis of gene expression in albino and green orchids to investigate the evolution of parasitic plants.

New RNAi treatment targets eye inflammation Posted: 14 Feb 2017 06:37 AM PST Scientists have developed a new RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutic agent that safely blocked ocular inflammation in mice, potentially making it a new treatment for human uveitis and diabetic retinopathy.

New peptide hormone aids waterproof barrier formation in plant roots Posted: 14 Feb 2017 06:37 AM PST Researchers have identified peptide hormones needed for formation and maintenance of plant root barrier to preserve ion homeostasis and adapt to harsh soil conditions.

Estrogen explains the exosome-carried messenger profile in the circulation among postmenopausal women Posted: 14 Feb 2017 06:37 AM PST In blood circulation, the exosome-carried messenger molecule profile differs between post- and premenopausal women, research shows. The differences were associated with circulating estrogen and cholesterol levels as well as body composition and other health indicators. These findings enable using the studied molecules in the evaluation of health status.

How ticks protect themselves from Lyme bacteria and other microbes Posted: 14 Feb 2017 06:27 AM PST For hundreds of millions of years, ticks have survived on Earth by sucking blood from their victims for days, often leaving behind terrible diseases as a thank-you note. But no one has ever looked at why ticks, themselves, are able to survive while harboring bacteria, viruses and parasites. Now, for the first time, scientists have decoded how the ingenious tick immune system fights a myriad of microbes.

Do children inherit drug protection from parents exposed to nicotine or drugs? Posted: 14 Feb 2017 06:27 AM PST A father's nicotine use may have a significant impact on children's risk of some diseases. In a study published in the online biomedical sciences journal eLife, Oliver J. Rando, MD, PhD, and colleagues at UMass Medical School, demonstrate that mice born of fathers who are habitually exposed to nicotine inherit enhanced chemical tolerance and drug clearance abilities.

To please your friends, tell them what they already know Posted: 14 Feb 2017 06:27 AM PST We love to tell friends and family about experiences we've had and they haven't -- from exotic vacations to celebrity sightings -- but new research suggests that these stories don't thrill them quite as much as we imagine. A series of studies shows that both speakers and listeners expect novel stories to be bigger crowd pleasers, but that listeners end up enjoying familiar stories more.

Tiny magnetic implant offers new drug delivery method Posted: 14 Feb 2017 06:27 AM PST Researchers have developed a magnetic drug implant -- the first of its kind in Canada -- that could offer an alternative for patients struggling with numerous pills or intravenous injections.

How the brain maintains useful memories Posted: 14 Feb 2017 06:26 AM PST Researchers have discovered a reason why we often struggle to remember the smaller details of past experiences.

Avoiding medications that promote weight gain when managing obesity Posted: 14 Feb 2017 06:26 AM PST While diet, exercise and behavior modification are essential components of obesity management, a successful long-term weight loss strategy should also include avoiding or minimizing medication-related weight gain, according to a new report.

Measuring entropy: Scanning-tunneling microscope gives glimpse of the mysterious property Posted: 14 Feb 2017 06:26 AM PST The scanning-tunneling microscope (STM), which is used to study changes in the shape of a single molecule at the atomic scale, impacts the ability of that molecule to make these changes, researchers have found.

Population density pushes the 'slow life' Posted: 14 Feb 2017 06:26 AM PST One psychological effect of population density is for those people living in urban areas to adopt a 'slow life strategy.' This strategy focuses more on planning for the long-term future and includes tactics like preferring long-term romantic relationships, having fewer children and investing more in education.

Seeing the world through fresh eyes Posted: 14 Feb 2017 06:26 AM PST New research provides insight into the development of zebrafish eyes using imaging and bioengineering techniques in live zebrafish embryos.

Sperm-egg fusion proteins have same structure as those used by Zika and other viruses Posted: 13 Feb 2017 05:24 PM PST The protein which helps the sperm and egg fuse together in sexual reproduction are part of a larger family of proteins that helps other cells bind together to create larger organs, and which also allows viruses like Zika and Dengue to invade healthy cells.