ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Geology of Ceres illuminates origin of organics
• Pizza, burgers and the like: A single high-fat meal can damage the metabolism
• When your eyes override your ears: New insights into the McGurk effect
• DEET and PMD spray-on repellents most effective at repelling mosquitoes
• Underwater seagrass beds dial back polluted seawater
• Biologists control gut inflammation by altering the abundance of resident bacteria
• Printable solar cells just got a little closer
• Genome surgery with CRISPR-Cas9 to prevent blindness
• Linguist's 'big data' research supports waves of migration into the Americas
• Four-stroke engine cycle produces hydrogen from methane, captures carbon dioxide
• Whales use nested Russian-doll structure to protect nerve tissue during lunge dives
• Targeting the biological clock could slow the progression of cancer
• Targeted radiosurgery better than whole-brain radiation for treating brain tumors
• Method to predict surface ozone pollution levels provides 48-hour heads-up
• Brain differences in ADHD
• Outdoor air pollution tied to millions of preterm births
• Dual-drug combination shows promise against diabetic eye disease in animal model
• In the developing ears of opossums, echoes of evolutionary history
• More patients with early-stage breast cancer may be able to avoid chemotherapy in the future
• After joint replacement surgery, smokers at increased risk of reoperation for infection
• Carbs during workouts help immune system recovery
• Complex neurological infections require team care
• Researchers develop potential treatment for fatal kidney disease
• Postmenopausal hormone therapy exceeding ten years may protect from dementia
• Breakthrough in 'wonder' materials paves way for flexible tech
• Prebiotic evolution: Hairpins help each other out
• Being a tattoo artist is a pain in the neck, study finds
• New method uses heat flow to levitate variety of objects
• Research opens door to smaller, cheaper, more agile communications tech
• Using an air conditioner in summer may affect sleep quality
• Ötzi the Iceman: Researchers validate the stability of genetic markers
• Sensors embedded in sports equipment could provide real-time analytics to your smartphone
• Study associates proximity to oil and gas development and childhood leukemia
• Getting inside teens' heads: Study upsets beliefs about feelings and exercise probability
• Mental shortcuts: Many physicians choose insomnia meds based on habit

Geology of Ceres illuminates origin of organics Posted: 16 Feb 2017 11:40 AM PST NASA's Dawn spacecraft recently detected organic-rich areas on Ceres. Scientists evaluated the geology of the regions to conclude that the organics are most likely native to the dwarf planet. Data from the spacecraft suggest that the interior of Ceres is the source of these organic materials, as opposed to arriving via impacting asteroids or comets, according to a new article.

Pizza, burgers and the like: A single high-fat meal can damage the metabolism Posted: 16 Feb 2017 11:39 AM PST The global proliferation of overweight and obese people and people with type 2 diabetes is often associated with the consumption of saturated fats. Scientists have found that even the one-off consumption of a greater amount of palm oil reduces the body's sensitivity to insulin and causes increased fat deposits as well as changes in the energy metabolism of the liver.

When your eyes override your ears: New insights into the McGurk effect Posted: 16 Feb 2017 11:39 AM PST Seeing is not always believing -- visual speech (mouth movements) mismatched with auditory speech (sounds) can result in the perception of an entirely different message. This mysterious illusion is known as the McGurk effect. Neuroscience researchers have created an algorithm to reveal key insight into why the brain can sometimes muddle up one of the most fundamental aspects of the human experience.

DEET and PMD spray-on repellents most effective at repelling mosquitoes Posted: 16 Feb 2017 11:39 AM PST In a crowded marketplace of products advertised to repel mosquitoes, consumers are wise to trust spray-on repellents containing DEET or PMD, say researchers. In a comparison study of several mosquito-repellent products, 'wearable' devices such as bracelets or sonic repellers were found to be largely ineffective in repelling Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.

Underwater seagrass beds dial back polluted seawater Posted: 16 Feb 2017 11:39 AM PST Seagrass meadows -- bountiful underwater gardens that nestle close to shore and are the most common coastal ecosystem on Earth -- can reduce bacterial exposure for corals, other sea creatures and humans, according to new research.

Biologists control gut inflammation by altering the abundance of resident bacteria Posted: 16 Feb 2017 11:38 AM PST Numerous human diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes and autism spectrum disorders are linked to abnormal gut microbiomes, but an open question is whether these altered microbiomes are drivers of disease. A new study took aim at that question with experiments in zebrafish to dissect whether changes in the abundance of certain gut bacteria can cause intestinal inflammation.

Printable solar cells just got a little closer Posted: 16 Feb 2017 11:28 AM PST A new innovation could make printing solar cells as easy and inexpensive as printing a newspaper. Researchers have cleared a critical manufacturing hurdle in the development of a relatively new class of solar devices called perovskite solar cells. This alternative solar technology could lead to low-cost, printable solar panels capable of turning nearly any surface into a power generator.

Genome surgery with CRISPR-Cas9 to prevent blindness Posted: 16 Feb 2017 10:32 AM PST CRISPR-Cas9 can be delivered directly into the eye of living animals to treat age-related macular degeneration efficiently and safely, report scientists.

Linguist's 'big data' research supports waves of migration into the Americas Posted: 16 Feb 2017 10:32 AM PST Linguistic anthropologists are applying the latest technology to an ancient mystery: how and when early humans inhabited the New World. Their new research suggests complex patterns of contact and migration among the early peoples who first settled the Americas.

Four-stroke engine cycle produces hydrogen from methane, captures carbon dioxide Posted: 16 Feb 2017 10:04 AM PST When is an internal combustion engine not an internal combustion engine? When it's been transformed into a modular reforming reactor that could make hydrogen available to power fuel cells wherever there's a natural gas supply available.

Whales use nested Russian-doll structure to protect nerve tissue during lunge dives Posted: 16 Feb 2017 10:04 AM PST Fin whales use two neatly packed levels of nested folds to protect the nerves along the floor of their mouth during lunge feeding, according to new research.

Targeting the biological clock could slow the progression of cancer Posted: 16 Feb 2017 10:03 AM PST Does the biological clock in cancer cells influence tumor growth? Yes, according to a new study.

Targeted radiosurgery better than whole-brain radiation for treating brain tumors Posted: 16 Feb 2017 10:03 AM PST Tumors that originate in other organs of the body and spread to the brain are known as metastatic brain tumors. According to the American Brain Tumor Association, this tumor type is the most common in adults, affecting as many as 300,000 people each year. Researchers compared two common postsurgical therapies for metastatic brain tumors and found that stereotactic radiosurgery can provide better outcomes for patients compared to whole-brain radiation.

Method to predict surface ozone pollution levels provides 48-hour heads-up Posted: 16 Feb 2017 10:03 AM PST A novel air quality model will help air quality forecasters predict surface ozone levels up to 48-hours in advance and with fewer resources, according to a team of meteorologists.

Brain differences in ADHD Posted: 16 Feb 2017 07:59 AM PST Largest imaging study of ADHD to date identifies differences in five regions of the brain, with greatest differences seen in children rather than adults.

Outdoor air pollution tied to millions of preterm births Posted: 16 Feb 2017 07:59 AM PST Outdoor air pollution has been linked to 2.7 million preterm births per year, a major study has concluded. When a baby is born preterm (at less than 37 weeks of gestation), there is an increased risk of death or long-term physical and neurological disabilities.

Dual-drug combination shows promise against diabetic eye disease in animal model Posted: 16 Feb 2017 07:40 AM PST A two-drug cocktail provided better protection against diabetes-related vision loss than a single drug during testing in rat models, a team of researchers has found.

In the developing ears of opossums, echoes of evolutionary history Posted: 16 Feb 2017 07:40 AM PST Hidden in the development of opossums is one possible version of the evolutionary path that led from the simple ears of reptiles to the more elaborative and sensitive structures of mammals, including humans, animal scientists have discovered.

More patients with early-stage breast cancer may be able to avoid chemotherapy in the future Posted: 16 Feb 2017 07:39 AM PST Women with early-stage breast cancer who had an intermediate risk recurrence score (RS) from a 21-gene expression assay had similar outcomes, regardless of whether they received chemotherapy, a new study has found.

After joint replacement surgery, smokers at increased risk of reoperation for infection Posted: 16 Feb 2017 07:39 AM PST For patients undergoing total hip or knee replacement, smoking is associated with an increased risk of infectious (septic) complications requiring repeat surgery, reports a new study.

Carbs during workouts help immune system recovery Posted: 16 Feb 2017 07:39 AM PST Eating carbohydrates during intense exercise helps to minimize exercise-induced immune disturbances and can aid the body's recovery, research has found.

Complex neurological infections require team care Posted: 16 Feb 2017 07:39 AM PST A multidisciplinary approach is important for diagnosis and treatment of healthcare-associated ventriculitis and meningitis, suggest new guidelines. These complex brain and spinal infections can be deadly or cause permanent disability if they are not identified early and treated correctly. The guidelines suggest how such infections can be prevented, including the use of prophylactic antimicrobial agents during placement of the devices.

Researchers develop potential treatment for fatal kidney disease Posted: 16 Feb 2017 07:39 AM PST Researchers have developed a potential drug to treat polycystic kidney disease -- an incurable genetic disease that often leads to end-stage kidney failure.

Postmenopausal hormone therapy exceeding ten years may protect from dementia Posted: 16 Feb 2017 07:38 AM PST Postmenopausal estrogen-based hormone therapy lasting longer than ten years was associated with a decreased risk of Alzheimer's disease in a large study. The study explored the association between postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy, Alzheimer's disease, dementia and cognition in two nation-wide case-control studies and two longitudinal cohort studies. The largest study comprised approximately 230,000 Finnish women and the follow-up time in different studies was up to 20 years.

Breakthrough in 'wonder' materials paves way for flexible tech Posted: 16 Feb 2017 07:38 AM PST Gadgets are set to become flexible, highly efficient and much smaller, following a breakthrough in measuring two-dimensional 'wonder' materials, report investigators.

Prebiotic evolution: Hairpins help each other out Posted: 16 Feb 2017 07:38 AM PST The evolution of cells and organisms is thought to have been preceded by a phase in which informational molecules like DNA could be replicated selectively. New work shows that hairpin structures make particularly effective DNA replicators.

Being a tattoo artist is a pain in the neck, study finds Posted: 16 Feb 2017 07:38 AM PST Getting a tattoo may hurt, but giving one is no picnic, either. That's the finding of the first study ever to directly measure the physical stresses that lead to aches and pains in tattoo artists -- workers who support a multibillion-dollar American industry, but who often don't have access to workers' compensation if they get injured.

New method uses heat flow to levitate variety of objects Posted: 16 Feb 2017 06:45 AM PST Scientists have demonstrated how to levitate a variety of objects -- ceramic and polyethylene spheres, glass bubbles, ice particles, lint strands and thistle seeds -- between a warm plate and a cold plate in a vacuum chamber.

Research opens door to smaller, cheaper, more agile communications tech Posted: 16 Feb 2017 06:45 AM PST Research on the use of magnets to steer light has opened the door to new communications systems which could be smaller, cheaper and more agile than fiber optics.

Using an air conditioner in summer may affect sleep quality Posted: 16 Feb 2017 06:45 AM PST Using an air conditioner helps people sleep better on sweltering nights. However, researchers found that when airflow is directed at a human body, even at an insensible velocity, it impacts on sleep conditions causing sleeping positions and affects the depth of sleep.

Ötzi the Iceman: Researchers validate the stability of genetic markers Posted: 16 Feb 2017 06:45 AM PST Biomarkers are biological attributes that can give doctors or researchers clues about the health status or illnesses of a patient. Scientists are placing great hope in a new type of biomarker, so-called microRNAs. These short ribonucleic acid molecules are notable for their very high level of stability. Researchers have now established that such microRNAs can remain stable even after 5,300 years.

Sensors embedded in sports equipment could provide real-time analytics to your smartphone Posted: 16 Feb 2017 06:45 AM PST In an effort to make big data analytics more accessible for the sports industry, researchers have utilized IoT devices -- low-cost sensors and radios -- that can be embedded into sports equipment (e.g., balls, rackets, and shoes), as well as in wearable devices.

Study associates proximity to oil and gas development and childhood leukemia Posted: 15 Feb 2017 11:59 AM PST Young Coloradans diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia are more likely to live in areas of high-density oil and gas development compared to young Coloradans diagnosed with other types of cancer, according to researchers.

Getting inside teens' heads: Study upsets beliefs about feelings and exercise probability Posted: 15 Feb 2017 11:20 AM PST A pilot study tracking adolescents’ internal psychological states and physical activity in near real-time challenges prevailing assumptions about how to increase physical activity.

Mental shortcuts: Many physicians choose insomnia meds based on habit Posted: 15 Feb 2017 10:02 AM PST Clinical decision-making and treatment choice is a complex cognitive process influenced by multiple variables, report researchers.