ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Two-fold higher risk of concussions for NFL players during colder game-days, study finds
• New use for X-rays: A radar gun for unruly atoms
• Pharmacy on demand: Portable system can be configured to produce different drugs
• US autism rate unchanged in new CDC report
• Investigators identify new pneumonia epidemic in Beijing
• Strong effects of climate change on common bird populations in both Europe and the USA
• Possibility of curbing synapse loss in Alzheimer's
• A new approach to sequence and assemble primate genomes
• Zika virus structure revealed, a critical advance in the development of treatments
• Concern: Diabetes and rising global temperature
• Protease-activated receptors differentially regulate endothelial nitric oxide synthase
• Scientists issue report advances in basal cell carcinoma
• Agriculture expansion could reduce rainfall in Brazil's Cerrado
• Landscape evolution and hazards
• Improved patient outcomes linked to specific health IT resources in hospitals
• Proteins associated with schizophrenia hang around longer than previously thought
• Prostate-specific antigen screening publications influence biopsy rates, associated complications
• Improving battery performance testing
• Proving the genetic code's flexibility
• New tumbleweed species rapidly expanding range
• Born to run? Study suggests love of exercise starts in the womb
• Researchers tackle mystery of protein folding
• Brain cancer: Two essential amino acids might hold key to better outcomes
• How the brain processes emotions
• Scientists discover a missing link between tau and memory loss
• Scientists work their magic on 'shrunken finger illusion'
• Sweet tooth? Flies have it too -- new study shows how they know what to eat and when to stop
• 3-D 'mini-retinas' grown from mouse and human stem cells
• Virus evolution differs by species of mosquito carrier
• A fossilized snake shows its true colors
• Mom's smoking alters fetal DNA
• Less than one percent of millions of google e-cigarette searches focused on quitting smoking
• Paperlike battery electrode made with glass-ceramic
• Lead in soil another known factor in Flint
• Addiction associated with poor awareness of others, study shows
• Brain study reveals how long-term memories are erased
• For young adults, sleep problems predict later pain problems
• Flat boron is a superconductor
• Illuminating the inner 'machines' that give bacteria an energy boost
• Experience in Afghanistan highlights plastic surgeons' role in combat trauma surgery
• State-level public corruption affects firm value, transparency
• Harlequin ladybirds are conquering the world at great speed
• Mile-high Mars mounds built by wind and climate change
• Hubble's journey to the center of our galaxy
• Planet formation in Earth-like orbit around a young star
• Colonists' religious architecture influenced by Maya traditions
• Laser cloaking device could help us hide from aliens
• Opioid relapse rates fall with use of medication for adults in criminal justice system
• 'Homing turtles' go back to familiar grounds
• Prey scarcity and competition led to extinction of ancient monster shark
• Imitating movements could help Alzheimer's patients
• Thrill of the hunt motivates some to buy counterfeit goods
• 'Precision medicine' brings new relief for old diseases
• Is your political ideology in your head?
• Handheld surgical 'pen' prints human stem cells
• 'Cancer gene' twice as likely to be defective in children with autism
• Applying parameter selection, verification techniques to an HIV model
• Cold front: Researchers explore Arctic land and sea at Navy ICEX
• Better hospital financial performance didn’t produce better patient outcomes, study shows
• Data from full hospital stay not much better at predicting risk for readmission than data from first day, researchers find

Two-fold higher risk of concussions for NFL players during colder game-days, study finds Posted: 31 Mar 2016 03:31 PM PDT NFL players had a two-fold greater risk of concussions and 1.5 times higher risk for ankle injuries when games were played at colder temperatures, a new study has found.

New use for X-rays: A radar gun for unruly atoms Posted: 31 Mar 2016 12:42 PM PDT Using coherent X-rays, a new technique has been discovered for sensing motion and velocity of small groups of atoms. This advance gives an unprecedented, nanoscale view of disordered objects as they are being created -- like the thin films used to make solar cells and LCD screens.

Pharmacy on demand: Portable system can be configured to produce different drugs Posted: 31 Mar 2016 12:42 PM PDT Researchers have developed a compact, portable pharmaceutical manufacturing system that can be reconfigured to produce a variety of drugs on demand.

US autism rate unchanged in new CDC report Posted: 31 Mar 2016 12:42 PM PDT A new CDC report finds the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder largely unchanged from two years ago, at one in 68 children..

Investigators identify new pneumonia epidemic in Beijing Posted: 31 Mar 2016 12:42 PM PDT Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections began rising in Beijing last spring, and by December, this pathogen was found in more than half of hospitalized children suffering from pneumonia in that city. Now investigators predict that this epidemic will likely continue well into 2016, and possibly longer. Their data may help clinicians slow the epidemic.

Strong effects of climate change on common bird populations in both Europe and the USA Posted: 31 Mar 2016 12:40 PM PDT Scientists have shown for the first time that common bird populations are responding to climate change in a similar pronounced way in both Europe and the USA.

Possibility of curbing synapse loss in Alzheimer's Posted: 31 Mar 2016 12:40 PM PDT Researchers show how brain connections, or synapses, are lost early in Alzheimer's disease and demonstrate that the process starts -- and could potentially be halted -- before telltale plaques accumulate in the brain.

A new approach to sequence and assemble primate genomes Posted: 31 Mar 2016 12:39 PM PDT An improved version of the gorilla genome assembly is offering new biological insights into its evolution, and to what makes humans different from this great ape primate. The new techniques used to sequence and assembly this gorilla genome hold promise for improving genetic research on human disease. The techniques create longer reads of DNA sequences to allow researchers to spot repeats and other variations more readily.

Zika virus structure revealed, a critical advance in the development of treatments Posted: 31 Mar 2016 12:39 PM PDT Researchers have now determined the structure of the Zika virus, a critical advance in the development of vaccines and treatments. The team also identified regions within the Zika virus structure where it differs from other flaviviruses and identified a potential target for antiviral treatments.

Concern: Diabetes and rising global temperature Posted: 31 Mar 2016 11:23 AM PDT The World Health Organization estimates that of the 500 million people worldwide thought to have diabetes, 90% have type 2 diabetes and the number diagnosed with diabetes by 2020 will increase dramatically. Diabetes can impair the body's ability to thermoregulate leading to a relative inability to adequately regulate core temperature. This can have a profound impact on the ability of individuals with diabetes to work and play in adverse environments which includes workers in many vital industries who may be regularly exposed to harsh environmental conditions.

Protease-activated receptors differentially regulate endothelial nitric oxide synthase Posted: 31 Mar 2016 11:23 AM PDT It has been established that the activation of protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2) phosphorylates endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)-Ser-1177 through a distinct signaling pathway that leads to the production of the potent vascular vasodilator nitric oxide (NO), while PAR-1 activation phosphorylates eNOS-Thr-495 and decreases NO production through a separate pathway. In this study, we have identified a variance in PAR coupling to the signaling pathways that regulate eNOS phosphorylation and NO production in adult human endothelial cells.

Scientists issue report advances in basal cell carcinoma Posted: 31 Mar 2016 11:23 AM PDT A new report details how two relatively new drugs are helping patients with basal cell carcinoma. Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer, producing nearly 2.8 million new cases annually in the US, and sunny Arizona has one of the world's highest incidences of skin cancer.

Agriculture expansion could reduce rainfall in Brazil's Cerrado Posted: 31 Mar 2016 11:23 AM PDT Cropland recycles less water into the atmosphere than native vegetation in Brazil's wooded savannas, which could lead to less rain in the region as agriculture expands, a new study finds.

Landscape evolution and hazards Posted: 31 Mar 2016 10:44 AM PDT Landscapes are formed by a combination of uplift and erosion. Uplift from plate tectonics raises the land surface; erosion by rivers and landslides wears the land surface back down. In a new study, researchers examine the interplay of uplift and erosion along the coast range of Northern California to understand how the modern topography is built.

Improved patient outcomes linked to specific health IT resources in hospitals Posted: 31 Mar 2016 10:44 AM PDT The number of health information technology vendors has increased from 60 to more than 1,000 since 2008. However, many scholars have expressed concerns that such services are flooding the market without proper development, making hospitals more susceptible to adopting dysfunctional IT systems that are not geared toward the original goal of improving patient care. Now, a researcher has identified three IT capabilities hospitals should have that increase employee productivity.

Proteins associated with schizophrenia hang around longer than previously thought Posted: 31 Mar 2016 10:44 AM PDT While most scientists believe that TCF4 proteins degraded and disappeared after they assigned jobs to cells in the nervous system, a research team discovered that the proteins were hanging around afterward and telling the cells how to do those jobs.

Prostate-specific antigen screening publications influence biopsy rates, associated complications Posted: 31 Mar 2016 10:44 AM PDT While absolute rates of biopsy and post-biopsy complications have decreased following several benchmark prostate-specific antigen screening publications, the relative risk for each patient continues to increase, according to a new study.

Improving battery performance testing Posted: 31 Mar 2016 10:44 AM PDT Scientists have demonstrated that the placement and type of a tiny measurement device called a reference electrode enhances the quantity and quality of information that can be extracted from lithium-ion battery cells during cycling.

Proving the genetic code's flexibility Posted: 31 Mar 2016 10:44 AM PDT Three-letter codons in a genome sequence can represent one of the 20 regularly used amino acids or stops. Scientists have discovered that microorganisms recognize more than one codon for selenocysteine. The finding adds credence to recent studies indicating that an organism's genetic vocabulary is not as constrained as had been long held.

New tumbleweed species rapidly expanding range Posted: 31 Mar 2016 10:44 AM PDT Two invasive species of tumbleweed have hybridized to create a new species of tumbleweed that researchers found has dramatically expanded its geographic range in California in just a decade.

Born to run? Study suggests love of exercise starts in the womb Posted: 31 Mar 2016 10:43 AM PDT Female mice that voluntarily exercise during pregnancy have offspring that are more physically active as adults.

Researchers tackle mystery of protein folding Posted: 31 Mar 2016 10:43 AM PDT A chemistry approach is solving some of the riddles of the complex protein-building process of folding. When it goes right, strings of amino acids become well-ordered, three-dimensional proteins in a split second. When it goes awry, though, it's the first step of many serious diseases.

Brain cancer: Two essential amino acids might hold key to better outcomes Posted: 31 Mar 2016 10:43 AM PDT The altered metabolism of two essential amino acids helps drive the development of the most common and lethal form of brain cancer, new research has discovered. The findings suggest new ways to treat the malignancy, slow its progression and reveal its extent more precisely. The study shows that in glioblastoma, the essential amino acids methionine and tryptophan are abnormally metabolized due to the loss of key enzymes in GBM cells.

How the brain processes emotions Posted: 31 Mar 2016 10:43 AM PDT A new study reveals how two populations of neurons in the brain contribute to the brain's inability to correctly assign emotional associations to events. Learning how this information is routed and misrouted could shed light on mental illnesses including depression, addiction, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder.

Scientists discover a missing link between tau and memory loss Posted: 31 Mar 2016 10:43 AM PDT Scientists have long known that the protein tau is involved in dementia, but until recently, they did not understand how it hindered cognitive function. In a new study, researchers reveal how tau disrupts a cell's ability to strengthen connections with other cells, preventing memories from forming.

Scientists work their magic on 'shrunken finger illusion' Posted: 31 Mar 2016 10:34 AM PDT What happens when you rest a chopped ping pong ball on your finger and look at it from above? Experimental psychologists have shown that our visual system fills in the bottom part of the ball, even though we know it's missing. This makes our finger feel unusually short, as if to compensate for the 'complete' ball. The findings indicate that the completion is due to our visual system, not our imagination.

Sweet tooth? Flies have it too -- new study shows how they know what to eat and when to stop Posted: 31 Mar 2016 10:34 AM PDT In studying the eating behavior of fruit flies, scientists have discovered a set of throat neurons that regulate food intake based on how hungry the flies are and whether they've had enough sugar. A similar neural circuit may exist in vertebrates, like us.

3-D 'mini-retinas' grown from mouse and human stem cells Posted: 31 Mar 2016 10:34 AM PDT Stem cell science has progressed so that researchers can now share recipes for making human retinas -- the part of the eye that is sensitive to light. Researchers now have another efficient way to make 3-D retina organoids, which mimic the organ's tissue organization, from mouse or human stem cells. Their version of 'mini-retinas' offers new perspectives on retina growth, injury, and repair.

Virus evolution differs by species of mosquito carrier Posted: 31 Mar 2016 10:34 AM PDT A new study on how the West Nile virus evolves in four species of mosquitos shows that viruses accumulate mutations in their insect carriers that reduce how well they reproduce when passed on to a bird host. Viruses carried by one of the tropical species were best able to maintain their reproductive fitness and thus spread. The study could help in the prediction of future viral outbreaks.

A fossilized snake shows its true colors Posted: 31 Mar 2016 10:34 AM PDT Ten million years ago, a green and black snake lay coiled in the Spanish undergrowth. Once, paleontologists would have been limited by its colorless fossil remains, but now they know what the snake looked like and can guess how it acted. Researchers have discovered that some fossils can retain evidence of skin color from multiple pigments and structural colors, aiding research into the evolution and function of color.

Mom's smoking alters fetal DNA Posted: 31 Mar 2016 10:33 AM PDT A study of over 6,000 mothers and their newborn children -- one of the largest studies of its kind -- solidifies the evidence that smoking cigarettes while pregnant chemically modifies a fetus' DNA, mirroring patterns seen in adult smokers. The researchers also identify new development-related genes affected by smoking. The work suggests a potential explanation for the link between smoking during pregnancy and health complications in children.

Less than one percent of millions of google e-cigarette searches focused on quitting smoking Posted: 31 Mar 2016 09:53 AM PDT The vast majority of searches pertained to e-cigarette shopping, while few related to cessation or vaping health.

Paperlike battery electrode made with glass-ceramic Posted: 31 Mar 2016 09:47 AM PDT A mechanical engineer has developed a paperlike battery electrode that may improve tools for space exploration or unmanned aerial vehicles.

Lead in soil another known factor in Flint Posted: 31 Mar 2016 09:47 AM PDT A new study has found that higher rates of Flint children showed elevated lead levels in their blood during drier months of the year, even before the switch to a new water supply. The findings suggest that lead contaminated soil is most likely the culprit especially in the older, more industrial areas of the city.

Addiction associated with poor awareness of others, study shows Posted: 31 Mar 2016 09:47 AM PDT Adolescents with severe alcohol and other drug problems have a low regard for others, as indicated by higher rates of driving under the influence and having unprotected sex with a history of sexually transmitted disease, research shows. The findings also showed that they are less likely to volunteer their time helping others, an activity that she has been shown to help adult alcoholics stay sober.

Brain study reveals how long-term memories are erased Posted: 31 Mar 2016 09:47 AM PDT Vital clues about how the brain erases long term memories have now been uncovered.

For young adults, sleep problems predict later pain problems Posted: 31 Mar 2016 09:47 AM PDT For at least some groups of 'emerging adults,' sleep problems are a predictor of chronic pain and worsening pain severity over time, suggests a study.

Flat boron is a superconductor Posted: 31 Mar 2016 09:45 AM PDT Scientists have determined that two-dimensional boron is a natural low-temperature superconductor. It may be the only 2-D material with such potential.

Illuminating the inner 'machines' that give bacteria an energy boost Posted: 31 Mar 2016 09:45 AM PDT Scientists have tracked how microscopic organisms called cyanobacteria make use of internal protein 'machines' to boost their ability to convert carbon dioxide into sugar during photosynthesis.

Experience in Afghanistan highlights plastic surgeons' role in combat trauma surgery Posted: 31 Mar 2016 09:45 AM PDT Especially with improved chances of survival from severe combat trauma, plastic surgeons play a critical role in managing injuries sustained in modern warfare, suggest researchers with experience at a combat hospital in Afghanistan.

State-level public corruption affects firm value, transparency Posted: 31 Mar 2016 09:45 AM PDT Firms have significantly lower value and informational transparency when located in areas that are more corrupt, new research indicates. Using the Department of Justice's data on corruption-related convictions of public officials, the researchers found that from 1990 to 2011, firm value was substantially lower in more corrupt states and federal districts.

Harlequin ladybirds are conquering the world at great speed Posted: 31 Mar 2016 09:23 AM PDT The arrival and subsequent dramatic increase in the number of the invasive alien harlequin ladybird in many countries has been met with considerable trepidation by the scientific community. 'The rapid spread of this species has inspired biologists to study the process of invasion on a global scale.

Mile-high Mars mounds built by wind and climate change Posted: 31 Mar 2016 09:23 AM PDT New research has found that wind carved massive mounds of more than a mile high on Mars over billions of years. Their location helps pin down when water on the Red Planet dried up during a global climate change event.

Hubble's journey to the center of our galaxy Posted: 31 Mar 2016 08:01 AM PDT Peering deep into the heart of our Milky Way galaxy, this Hubble Space Telescope image reveals a rich tapestry of more than half a million stars. Except for a few blue, foreground stars, the stars are part of the Milky Way's nuclear star cluster, the most massive and densest star cluster in our galaxy.

Planet formation in Earth-like orbit around a young star Posted: 31 Mar 2016 08:01 AM PDT New images reveal never-before-seen details in the planet-forming disk around a nearby Sun-like star, including a tantalizing gap at the same distance from the star as the Earth is from the Sun.

Colonists' religious architecture influenced by Maya traditions Posted: 31 Mar 2016 07:59 AM PDT The Mayas influenced the Spanish colonists' religious architecture. The research compares Spanish colonial churches and Maya dwellings on the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico and Belize.

Laser cloaking device could help us hide from aliens Posted: 31 Mar 2016 07:59 AM PDT Two astronomers suggest humanity could use lasers to conceal the Earth from searches by advanced extraterrestrial civilizations.

Opioid relapse rates fall with use of medication for adults in criminal justice system Posted: 31 Mar 2016 07:58 AM PDT The first multi-site US clinical trial of extended-release naltrexone shows promise for more effective treatment of opioid addiction. The findings of the study could have a broad impact on how the medical community addresses opiate addiction outside of the patient populations examined in this study, the researchers say.

'Homing turtles' go back to familiar grounds Posted: 31 Mar 2016 07:58 AM PDT A new study has found turtles released back into the wild almost always return home -- even if they have to swim more than 100km or have spent more than a year away.

Prey scarcity and competition led to extinction of ancient monster shark Posted: 31 Mar 2016 07:58 AM PDT It lived millions of years ago and was three times as large as the great white shark: the megalodon. So far its extinction has been explained with the onset of an ice age. However, researchers have now come to the conclusion that responsibility for the decline of the monster shark lays not with the climate, but with other species.

Imitating movements could help Alzheimer's patients Posted: 31 Mar 2016 07:57 AM PDT While there is no cure, new research shows that patients with Alzheimer's can still benefit from both physical and cognitive rehabilitation, and that mimicry may be a useful tool to help them regain lost abilities.

Thrill of the hunt motivates some to buy counterfeit goods Posted: 31 Mar 2016 07:57 AM PDT People buying fake 'luxury brand' goods experience a range of psychological motivations -- including the 'thrill of the hunt' -- new research has shown.

'Precision medicine' brings new relief for old diseases Posted: 31 Mar 2016 07:57 AM PDT The mystery of a rare, debilitating disease that has afflicted generations of European families -- and long baffled their doctors -- has been solved by an international collaboration of researchers.

Is your political ideology in your head? Posted: 31 Mar 2016 07:57 AM PDT A new study indicates that the thought processes of political conservatives gives greater weight to negative information. Conservatives are significantly more likely to remember images that evoke negative emotions.

Handheld surgical 'pen' prints human stem cells Posted: 31 Mar 2016 07:57 AM PDT In a landmark proof-of-concept experiment, researchers have used a handheld 3-D printing pen to 'draw' human stem cells in free-form patterns with extremely high survival rates.

'Cancer gene' twice as likely to be defective in children with autism Posted: 31 Mar 2016 07:57 AM PDT A gene whose role is to suppress cellular damage from environmental stressors is nearly twice as likely to be defective in children with autism spectrum disorder, researchers report, adding that the deficit is also present in their fathers.

Applying parameter selection, verification techniques to an HIV model Posted: 31 Mar 2016 07:57 AM PDT Physical and biological models often have hundreds of inputs, many of which may have a negligible effect on a model's response. Establishing parameters that can be fixed at nominal values without significantly affecting model outputs is often difficult. In a new paper, authors apply robust parameter selection and verification techniques to a dynamic HIV model.

Cold front: Researchers explore Arctic land and sea at Navy ICEX Posted: 31 Mar 2016 06:02 AM PDT As the Navy's Ice Exercise 2016 winds to a close this week in the frigid waters of the Arctic Ocean, officials at the Office of Naval Research today reported new scientific research that took place during the event that will enhance our understanding of, and ability to safely operate in, Arctic maritime environments.

Better hospital financial performance didn’t produce better patient outcomes, study shows Posted: 31 Mar 2016 05:28 AM PDT How well a hospital performs financially is not associated with better clinical outcomes, based on results of a new study that examined hospital mortality and readmission rates.

Data from full hospital stay not much better at predicting risk for readmission than data from first day, researchers find Posted: 31 Mar 2016 05:28 AM PDT Culling more detailed clinical data from electronic health records throughout a hospital stay did not substantially improve predictions about who was more likely to be readmitted, an analysis showed, suggesting further studies will be needed to help build effective analytical tools that can help predict outcomes and readmissions.

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