ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Finding our way around DNA
• Your brain on exercise
• Exploring the role of blood flow during cardiac events
• Nicotine changes how nicotinic receptors are grouped on brain cells
• Surprising link between athletics and addiction
• X-ray pulses reveal structure of viral cocoon
• How eating less can slow the aging process
• Potential new treatment combats COPD and other lung diseases
• 'Achilles' heel' of key anti-cancer protein
• Neurons support cancer growth throughout the body
• Scientists create mouse that resists cocaine's lure
• Banned chemicals from the '70s found in the deepest reaches of the ocean
• Examining different accountable care organization payment models
• New discovery could be a major advance for neurological diseases
• Marine bacteria produce an environmentally important molecule with links to climate
• People are attracted to outward signs of health, not actual health, study finds
• Microbiomes more in flux in patients with inflammatory bowel disease
• New protein discovery may lead to new, natural antibiotics
• Impact of climate change on mammals and birds 'greatly underestimated'
• Accelerated chlorophyll reaction in microdroplets to reveal secret of photosynthesis
• Living standards lag behind economic growth
• Ovarian hormones awaken newly discovered breast stem cells
• New software will standardize data collection for great white sharks
• Gene discovery sheds light on growth defects linked to dwarfism
• Theoretical physicists deliberately misled intelligent machines
• Are drones disturbing marine mammals?
• Will androids dream of quantum sheep?
• Surprise finding in 'Wild West' of chemistry
• Understanding enzymes: New tool can help researchers identify enzymes, and their abundance, in microbiomes
• Altmetric data analysis reveals how Parkinson's disease research affects the world
• How to be a successful pest: Lessons from the green peach aphid
• Simulated ransomware attack shows vulnerability of industrial controls
• Married people have lower levels of stress hormone
• Depression linked to e-cigarette use among college students
• Women in academic cardiology are significantly less likely to be full professors
• Scientists isolate new antibodies to fight human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
• Now you can 'build your own' bio-bot
• New mechanical metamaterials can block symmetry of motion, findings suggest
• Researchers discover how the brain turns chronic stress into pathological anxiety
• Researchers discover a new link to fight billion-dollar threat to soybean production
• Luminescence switchable carbon nanodots follow intracellular trafficking and drug delivery
• New study helps explain how garbage patches form in the world's oceans
• Gluten-free diet may increase risk of arsenic, mercury exposure
• Team makes planet hunting a group effort, finds more than 100 candidates
• Eco-friendly concrete created
• Feeding wild dolphins can hurt them, new study says
• Bridging the gap between the mechanics of blast traumatic brian injuries and cell damage
• Special properties of hagfish's defense 'slime'
• Non-invasive test offers quick skin cancer diagnosis
• Use of multiple brain-affecting drugs is rising among seniors, despite risks, research finds
• Old into new: Geneticists track the evolution of parenting
• Preventing hospital-related deaths due to medical errors
• New study links 'mastermind' gene to rare cancer-causing tumor
• Cultivated scallops populations develop distinct genetic structure
• Ubiquitous and influential
• Psychological 'recipe' identified for viral campaigns such as Ice Bucket Challenge
• Understanding the contact of contacts to beat dry eye syndrome
• New theory explains how Earth's inner core remains solid despite extreme heat
• Kepler, don't give up on the hunt for exomoons
• Game theorists devise 'catch-up rule' to make sports contests more competitive, and exciting, to watch

Finding our way around DNA Posted: 13 Feb 2017 02:15 PM PST A new tool has been developed that maps functional areas of the genome to better understand disease.

Your brain on exercise Posted: 13 Feb 2017 02:14 PM PST Psychologists have designed an experiment to investigate whether human vision is more sensitive during physical activity.

Exploring the role of blood flow during cardiac events Posted: 13 Feb 2017 12:25 PM PST While several circulatory system models are used today in an attempt to better understand blood flow, they still don’t account for the complex rheological behavior of blood. Because blood is a complex suspension of red and white blood cells and platelets suspended within a plasma that contains various proteins, it can exhibit complex flow behavior. Many of the models currently used ignore these complexities and assume a Newtonian behavior or a constant thickness. Researchers will now present a new approach.

Nicotine changes how nicotinic receptors are grouped on brain cells Posted: 13 Feb 2017 12:23 PM PST Nicotine the primary compound found within tobacco smoke is known to change the grouping of some subtypes of nicotinic receptors, but the mechanisms for nicotine addiction remain unclear.

Surprising link between athletics and addiction Posted: 13 Feb 2017 12:13 PM PST While investigating the idealized benefits between sport and addiction, researchers found that the prevalence of substance abuse in some sports communities, in fact, creates a greater risk of addictions for people already vulnerable to them. Surprised by the number of participants, researchers interviewed a range of subjects including a gymnast, a rower, a martial artist and a significant number of athletes involved in team sports -- especially hockey.

X-ray pulses reveal structure of viral cocoon Posted: 13 Feb 2017 12:13 PM PST Scientists have used high-intensity X-ray pulses to determine the structure of the crystalline protein envelope of an insect virus. The tiny viruses with their crystal casing are by far the smallest protein crystals ever analyzed using X-ray crystallography. This opens up new opportunities in the study of protein structures.

How eating less can slow the aging process Posted: 13 Feb 2017 12:13 PM PST New research shows why calorie restriction made mice live longer and healthier lives.

Potential new treatment combats COPD and other lung diseases Posted: 13 Feb 2017 12:13 PM PST New research reveals a potential drug to combat the life-threatening effects of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

'Achilles' heel' of key anti-cancer protein Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:15 AM PST Researchers have discovered that a protein called Importin-11 protects the anti-cancer protein PTEN from destruction by transporting it into the cell nucleus. The research suggests that the loss of Importin-11 may destabilize PTEN, leading to the development of lung, prostate, and other cancers.

Neurons support cancer growth throughout the body Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:15 AM PST Cancer cells rely on the healthy cells that surround them for sustenance. Tumors reroute blood vessels to nourish themselves, secrete chemicals that scramble immune responses, and, according to recent studies, even recruit and manipulate neurons for their own gain. This pattern holds true not just for brain cancers, but also for prostate cancer, skin cancer, pancreatic cancer, and stomach cancer.

Scientists create mouse that resists cocaine's lure Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:15 AM PST Scientists have genetically engineered a mouse that resists addiction to cocaine.

Banned chemicals from the '70s found in the deepest reaches of the ocean Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:15 AM PST Crustaceans from the deepest ocean trenches found to contain ten times the level of industrial pollution than the average earthworm, scientists have shown.

Examining different accountable care organization payment models Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:14 AM PST Two new studies take a look at different accountable care organization (ACO) payment models.

New discovery could be a major advance for neurological diseases Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:14 AM PST The discovery of a new mechanism that controls the way nerve cells in the brain communicate with each other to regulate our learning and long-term memory could have major benefits to understanding how the brain works and what goes wrong in neurodegenerative disorders such as epilepsy and dementia. The findings will have far-reaching implications in many aspects of neuroscience.

Marine bacteria produce an environmentally important molecule with links to climate Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:14 AM PST Scientists have discovered that tiny marine bacteria can synthesize one of Earth's most abundant sulfur molecules, which affects atmospheric chemistry and potentially climate. This molecule, dimethylsulfoniopropionate is an important nutrient for marine microorganisms and is the major precursor for the climate-cooling gas, dimethyl sulfide.

People are attracted to outward signs of health, not actual health, study finds Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:14 AM PST Skin with yellow and red pigments is perceived as more attractive in Caucasian males, but this skin coloring does not necessarily signal actual good health, new research concludes.

Microbiomes more in flux in patients with inflammatory bowel disease Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:14 AM PST Patients with inflammatory bowel disease are more likely to see dramatic shifts in the make-up of the community of microbes in their gut than healthy people, according to the results of a new study. The results help physicians and scientists understand the disease more fully and potentially offer new ways to track the disease and monitor patients.

New protein discovery may lead to new, natural antibiotics Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:14 AM PST Scientists have discovered a new protein that likely will advance the search for new natural antibiotics, according to a new study.

Impact of climate change on mammals and birds 'greatly underestimated' Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:14 AM PST Large numbers of threatened species have already been impacted by climate change, new research concludes. Alarmingly, this team of international researchers found evidence of observed responses to recent climate changes in almost 700 birds and mammal species.

Accelerated chlorophyll reaction in microdroplets to reveal secret of photosynthesis Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:14 AM PST The natural control of chlorophyll activity has now been discovered by a team of scientists, outlines a new report.

Living standards lag behind economic growth Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:14 AM PST Even as average incomes rise in developing countries, access to sanitation and clean energy have yet to reach the poorest people, a new study shows. But there is room for optimism.

Ovarian hormones awaken newly discovered breast stem cells Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:14 AM PST Researchers have used advanced cellular, bioinformatics and imaging technology to reveal a long-lived type of stem cell in the breast that is responsible for the growth of the mammary glands during pregnancy.

New software will standardize data collection for great white sharks Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:14 AM PST The lack of a standardized procedure for collecting data about elusive and hard to find species like the great white shark has to date seriously hampered efforts to manage and protect these animals. But now a marine biologist, an applied mathematician and a software developer joined expertise to develop a custom-made software package, called Identifin, which may offer a solution to this problem.

Gene discovery sheds light on growth defects linked to dwarfism Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:13 AM PST A new study shows how errors in a specific gene can cause growth defects associated with a rare type of dwarfism.

Theoretical physicists deliberately misled intelligent machines Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:13 AM PST Theoretical physicists deliberately misled intelligent machines, and thus refined the process of machine learning. They created a new method that allows computers to categorize data -- even when humans have no idea what this categorization might look like.

Are drones disturbing marine mammals? Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:13 AM PST Marine researchers have made sure that their research drones aren't disturbing their research subjects, shows a new report. And they're hoping that others will follow their example to help protect wildlife in the future.

Will androids dream of quantum sheep? Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:13 AM PST Quantum replicants of responsive systems can be more efficient than classical models, say researchers, because classical models have to store more past information than is necessary to simulate the future.

Surprise finding in 'Wild West' of chemistry Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:13 AM PST Researchers have entered the 'Wild West' of the periodic table to finally solve a decades-old scientific challenge -- and have revealed that an important but niche chemical bonding principle may be much more widely applicable than previously thought.

Understanding enzymes: New tool can help researchers identify enzymes, and their abundance, in microbiomes Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:13 AM PST A new tool can help researchers more accurately identify enzymes present in microbiomes and quantify their relative abundances.

Altmetric data analysis reveals how Parkinson's disease research affects the world Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:13 AM PST Scientists have published an analysis of Parkinson's disease research papers with the highest Altmetric Attention Scores. The publication is the first in a series aimed at utilizing Altmetric data to provide a more nuanced understanding of how the announcements of new medical discoveries affect the wide-range of disease-specific stakeholders including researchers, funders, care providers, and patients.

How to be a successful pest: Lessons from the green peach aphid Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:12 AM PST Scientists have discovered why the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae) is one of the most destructive pests to many of our most important crops. Their research will inform industry and research programs to support pest control and aid global food security.

Simulated ransomware attack shows vulnerability of industrial controls Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:12 AM PST Cybersecurity researchers have developed a new form of ransomware that can take over control of a simulated water treatment plant. After gaining access, they were able to command programmable logic controllers (PLCs) to shut valves, increase the amount of chlorine added to water, and display false readings.

Married people have lower levels of stress hormone Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:12 AM PST Married people are healthier than those who are single, divorced or widowed, research has found. Now a new study provides the first biological evidence to explain how marriage impacts health.

Depression linked to e-cigarette use among college students Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:12 AM PST The emergence of e-cigarettes as a nicotine product has left scientists with many questions about their impact on health, including how the product interacts with depression. A new study has found a connection between depression and initiation of e-cigarette use among college students.

Women in academic cardiology are significantly less likely to be full professors Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:12 AM PST The first study to evaluate sex differences in academic ranking among academic cardiologists has found that women were significantly less likely than men to be full professors, even when adjusting for factors such as age, years of experience and research productivity that are traditionally associated with academic rank.

Scientists isolate new antibodies to fight human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:12 AM PST Researchers have developed a new antiviral strategy to fight human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a leading cause of lower respiratory tract infections in children. The approach hinges on the use of single-domain antibodies, also known as Nanobodies®, which target and neutralize a vital protein in the virus, rendering it unable to enter lung cells.

Now you can 'build your own' bio-bot Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:12 AM PST For the past several years, researchers have been developing a class of walking 'bio-bots' powered by muscle cells and controlled with electrical and optical pulses. Now, a research group is sharing the recipe for the current generation of bio-bots.

New mechanical metamaterials can block symmetry of motion, findings suggest Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:12 AM PST Engineers and scientists have invented the first mechanical metamaterials that easily transfer motion effortlessly in one direction while blocking it in the other.

Researchers discover how the brain turns chronic stress into pathological anxiety Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:12 AM PST In a new study, researchers have described how two important molecules in the brain work together to trigger intense anxiety.

Researchers discover a new link to fight billion-dollar threat to soybean production Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:11 AM PST Invisible to the naked eye, cyst nematodes are a major threat to agriculture, causing billions of dollars in global crop losses every year. A group of plant scientists recently found one of the mechanisms cyst nematodes use to invade and drain life-sustaining nutrients from soybean plants. Understanding the molecular basis of interactions between plants and nematodes could lead to the development of new strategies to control these major agricultural pests and help feed a growing global population.

Luminescence switchable carbon nanodots follow intracellular trafficking and drug delivery Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:11 AM PST Tiny carbon dots have, for the first time, been applied to intracellular imaging and tracking of drug delivery involving various optical and vibrational spectroscopic-based techniques such as fluorescence, Raman, and hyperspectral imaging. Researchers have demonstrated, for the first time, that photo luminescent carbon nanoparticles can exhibit reversible switching of their optical properties in cancer cells.

New study helps explain how garbage patches form in the world's oceans Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:11 AM PST A new study on how ocean currents transport floating marine debris is helping to explain how garbage patches form in the world's oceans. Researchers developed a mathematical model that simulates the motion of small spherical objects floating at the ocean surface.

Gluten-free diet may increase risk of arsenic, mercury exposure Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:11 AM PST People who eat a gluten-free diet may be at risk for increased exposure to arsenic and mercury -- toxic metals that can lead to cardiovascular disease, cancer and neurological effects, according to a report in the journal Epidemiology.

Team makes planet hunting a group effort, finds more than 100 candidates Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:11 AM PST An international team of astronomers released the largest-ever compilation of exoplanet-detecting observations made using a technique called the radial velocity method. They demonstrated how these observations can be used to hunt for planets by detecting more than 100 potential exoplanets, including one orbiting the fourth-closest star to our own Solar System, which is about 8.1 light years away from Earth.

Eco-friendly concrete created Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:04 AM PST In the future, wide-ranging composite materials are expected to be stronger, lighter, cheaper and greener for our planet, thanks to a new invention. Nine years ago, an American researcher invented an energy-efficient technology that harnesses largely low-temperature, water-based reactions.

Feeding wild dolphins can hurt them, new study says Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:01 AM PST Wild dolphins are more likely to be injured if humans feed them — even through unintentional means like discarding bait — reports a new study.

Bridging the gap between the mechanics of blast traumatic brian injuries and cell damage Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:00 AM PST Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a largely silent epidemic that affects roughly two million people each year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But the scale at which blast TBI (bTBI) injuries -- in the spotlight as the signature wound of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan -- occur and manifest is unknown. Recent studies within this realm suggest that rapid cavitation bubble collapse may be a potential mechanism for studying bTBI.

Special properties of hagfish's defense 'slime' Posted: 13 Feb 2017 10:00 AM PST Hagfish are marine fish shaped like eels, famous for releasing large quantities of “slime” that unfolds, assembles and expands into the surrounding water in response to a threat. New research explores the hagfish’s slime formation and the special properties allowing it to assemble into a solid gel without dissolving into the surrounding water.

Non-invasive test offers quick skin cancer diagnosis Posted: 13 Feb 2017 09:58 AM PST A non-invasive imaging technique has been developed that accurately detects skin cancer without surgical biopsy. Multiphoton microscopy of mitochondria accurately identified melanomas and basal cell carcinomas by detecting abnormal clusters of mitochondria in both types of skin cancer.