ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• New disease gene will lead to better screening for pediatric heart disease
• Loss of Y chromosome is a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease: Why do men have shorter lives than women?
• Astronomers confirm faintest early-universe galaxy ever seen
• E-cigarette marketing linked to teen e-cigarette use
• How our emotions affect store prices
• Chloride 'switch' turns on membrane formation
• Hearing snap, crackle, pop may help heal your knee
• Making virus sensors cheap and simple: New method detects single viruses in urine
• Programmable materials find strength in molecular repetition
• When it comes to replicating studies, context matters, an analysis of reproducibility project work finds
• Does sepsis keep killing months later?
• Powerful role of experience in linking language and cognition in infants
• Antihypertensive effect of fermented milk products under the microscope
• New research may expand engineered T-cell cancer treatment
• Traveling wave drives magnetic particles
• 'Fresh' lunar craters discovered
• New method to control quantum systems
• A history of snowfall on Greenland, hidden in ancient leaf waxes
• New technique controls autonomous vehicles on a dirt track
• Why children confuse simple words
• Global data shows inverse relationship, shift in human use of fire
• The trial, error of viral evolution: The difference between fading out, pandemic
• New research maps in unique detail the devastation of the Black Death on medieval England
• A switch for light wave electronics
• Yellow fever epidemic threatens to spread from Angola to China
• Single enzyme with the power of three could offer shortcut to therapeutic target
• Proteins key to unlocking cancer for National Cancer Moonshot
• Low- and high-birthweight babies appear at increased risk for cardiovascular disease
• New research confirms continued, unabated and large-scale amphibian declines
• Using drones without disturbing wildlife
• In changing oceans, cephalopods are booming
• Extreme preemies disadvantaged in employment, income, self-esteem, marriage and more by their 30s
• Epigenetic modification increases susceptibility to obesity and predicts fatty liver
• Mutation protects against heart disease
• Breast cancer drug discovery offers hope of new treatments
• Discovery could energize development of longer-lasting batteries
• Are childhood stroke outcomes associated with BP, blood glucose, temperature?
• Despite pressing need, survey finds most Americans unlikely to enroll in clinical trials
• How brick-makers can help butt out litter
• Peachy defence system for seeds
• New study captures ultrafast motion of proteins
• Exercise associated with longer life in patients with heart failure
• Flu vaccination associated with lower dementia risk in patients with heart failure
• Blood test uncovers undiagnosed diabetes in hospital patients with high blood sugar
• Top 10 new species for 2016
• Tropical forest plant could save water from metal pollution
• Extinguishing wildfires may not always be the correct solution
• A fiery world aids the peopling of America
• Antimicrobial resistance in soil: Potential impact on the food chain
• Fathers' long commute to work is linked to children's social, emotional problems
• Ketamine found more effective for treating highly-agitated patients during transport to hospital
• Nanoplastics negatively affect aquatic animals
• Tweeting your weight loss? Is there a link between microblogging, eating disorders?
• Journalism changed forever by user-generated content
• The protein that mysteriously assesses distances
• Ocean pollution: Focusing on fragmentation of plastic waste
• World record in terrestrial radio transmission: Multi-Gigabit wireless communication
• Dietary experiments in mice point the way to early detection of cancer in humans
• Knowledge of positive cologuard test improves colonoscopy performance
• Hacking memory to follow through with intentions

New disease gene will lead to better screening for pediatric heart disease Posted: 23 May 2016 06:25 PM PDT Cardiomyopathy, or a deterioration of the ability of the heart muscle to contract, generally leads to progressive heart failure. It is frequently inherited, and, because approximately 40 percent of children born with it are likely to die within five years of diagnosis, being able to identify its genetic basis is particularly important. Now, an international team of researchers has identified a new disease gene which is implicated in the development of severe pediatric cardiomyopathies.

Loss of Y chromosome is a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease: Why do men have shorter lives than women? Posted: 23 May 2016 06:25 PM PDT The loss of the Y chromosome in batches of cells over time continues to develop as one biological explanation for why men, on average, live shorter lives than women. Researchers found that men with blood samples showing loss of chromosome Y developed Alzheimer's as often as people born with genes that put them at the most risk for the disease.

Astronomers confirm faintest early-universe galaxy ever seen Posted: 23 May 2016 01:07 PM PDT Scientists have detected and confirmed the faintest early-universe galaxy ever, using the W. M. Keck Observatory on the summit on Mauna Kea in Hawaii. The team detected the galaxy as it was 13 billion years ago.

E-cigarette marketing linked to teen e-cigarette use Posted: 23 May 2016 01:07 PM PDT Exposure to e-cigarette marketing messages is significantly associated with e-cigarette use among middle school and high school students, according to researchers.

How our emotions affect store prices Posted: 23 May 2016 01:06 PM PDT Stores should take shoppers' emotions into account when setting prices, and a new article outlines why. Indeed, some retailers could have profits 7 to 10 percent higher if they pursued different pricing strategies, the study finds.

Chloride 'switch' turns on membrane formation Posted: 23 May 2016 01:06 PM PDT Chloride plays a key role in the formation of the basement membrane, a suprastructure on the outside of cells that undergirds and guides the function of most of the tissues of the body. In particular, chloride signals the assembly of collagen IV 'smart scaffolds,' a critical step in basement membrane formation, researchers report.

Hearing snap, crackle, pop may help heal your knee Posted: 23 May 2016 01:06 PM PDT New acoustic device research reveals that even a healthy knee makes cringe-worthy sounds. But the audio can be turned into graphs, and researchers hope they will some day become medically useful.

Making virus sensors cheap and simple: New method detects single viruses in urine Posted: 23 May 2016 01:04 PM PDT Scientists have developed a new method to rapidly detect a single virus in urine. While the technique presently works on just one virus, scientists say it could be adapted to detect a range of viruses that plague humans, including Ebola, Zika and HIV.

Programmable materials find strength in molecular repetition Posted: 23 May 2016 01:04 PM PDT Synthetic proteins based on those found in a variety of squid species' ring teeth may lead the way to self-healing polymers carefully constructed for specific toughness and stretchability that might have applications in textiles, cosmetics and medicine, according to researchers.

When it comes to replicating studies, context matters, an analysis of reproducibility project work finds Posted: 23 May 2016 01:04 PM PDT Contextual factors, such as the race of participants in an experiment or the geography of where the experiment was run, can reduce the likelihood of replicating psychological studies, a team of researchers has found.

Does sepsis keep killing months later? Posted: 23 May 2016 11:15 AM PDT Researchers have investigated if previous health conditions in sicker patients were driving the risk of late death after sepsis. Late death refers to the deaths that take place months to years after the acute infection has resolved.

Powerful role of experience in linking language and cognition in infants Posted: 23 May 2016 11:15 AM PDT Even before infants understand their first words, they have already begun to link language and thought. Listening to language boosts infant cognition. New evidence provides even greater insight into the crucial role of language exposure in infants' first months of life.

Antihypertensive effect of fermented milk products under the microscope Posted: 23 May 2016 11:15 AM PDT Over the past decade, interest has been rising in fermented dairy foods that promote health and could potentially prevent diseases such as hypertension (high blood pressure). Functional dairy products that lower blood pressure and heart rate may offer consumers an effective alternative to antihypertensive drugs if their effectiveness can be demonstrated. Investigators now review the scientific basis of reported claims and identify opportunities for developing products based on new lactic acid bacteria.

New research may expand engineered T-cell cancer treatment Posted: 23 May 2016 11:15 AM PDT Researchers may have figured out a way to call off a cancer cell assassin that sometimes goes rogue. The scientists designed genetically engineered CAR T cells that must be activated and targeted by a small molecule adaptor. The technology has been tested in animal models.

Traveling wave drives magnetic particles Posted: 23 May 2016 11:12 AM PDT As our technology downsizes, scientists often operate in microscopic-scale jungles, where modern-day explorers develop new methods for transporting microscopic objects of different sizes across non uniform environments, without losing them. Now scientists have developed a new method for selectively controlling the aggregation or disaggregation of magnetically interacting particles of two distinct sizes in suspension in a liquid.

'Fresh' lunar craters discovered Posted: 23 May 2016 11:12 AM PDT Scientists have discovered two geologically young craters -- one 16 million, the other between 75 and 420 million, years old -- in the Moon's darkest regions.

New method to control quantum systems Posted: 23 May 2016 11:12 AM PDT Researchers have discovered a method to design faster pulses, offering a new way to accurately control quantum systems.

A history of snowfall on Greenland, hidden in ancient leaf waxes Posted: 23 May 2016 11:12 AM PDT The history of Greenland's snowfall is chronicled in an unlikely place: the remains of aquatic plants that died long ago, collecting at the bottom of lakes in horizontal layers that document the passing years. Using this ancient record, scientists have determined that snowfall at one key location in western Greenland may have intensified from 6,000 to 4,000 years ago, a period when the planet's Northern Hemisphere was warmer than it is today.

New technique controls autonomous vehicles on a dirt track Posted: 23 May 2016 11:12 AM PDT Researchers have a created racing, sliding, and jumping one-fifth-scale, fully autonomous auto-rally cars that runs at the equivalent of 90 mph. The technique uses advanced algorithms to keep the driverless vehicle under control at the edge of its handling limits.

Why children confuse simple words Posted: 23 May 2016 11:12 AM PDT Imagine, for a moment, you are a parent trying to limit how much dessert your sugar-craving young children can eat. "You can have cake or ice cream," you say, confident a clear parental guideline has been laid out. But your children seem to ignore this firm ruling, and insist on having both cake and ice cream. Are they merely rebelling against a parental command? Perhaps. But they might be confusing "or" with "and," as children do at times, something studies have shown since the 1970s. What seems like a restriction to the parent sounds like an invitation to the child: Have both!

Global data shows inverse relationship, shift in human use of fire Posted: 23 May 2016 11:12 AM PDT Humans use fire for heating, cooking, managing lands and, more recently, fueling industrial processes. Now, research has found that these various means of using fire are inversely related to one another, providing new insight into how people are changing the face of fire.

The trial, error of viral evolution: The difference between fading out, pandemic Posted: 23 May 2016 10:23 AM PDT Investigators are studying viral evolution with the aim of finding knowledge that might help prevent disease. The researchers analyzed multiple studies on three well-known and varied viral families, all of which have genomes that consist of segments of genetic material called RNA. RNA viruses are ubiquitous in nature, infecting most animals, including humans, plants, and bacteria.

New research maps in unique detail the devastation of the Black Death on medieval England Posted: 23 May 2016 10:19 AM PDT An innovative new archaeological study has revealed in detail for the first time how individual towns, villages and hamlets across swathes of medieval England were decimated by the Black Death.

A switch for light wave electronics Posted: 23 May 2016 10:19 AM PDT Light waves might be able to drive future transistors. The electromagnetic waves of light oscillate approximately one million times in a billionth of a second, hence with petahertz frequencies. In principle also future electronics could reach this speed and become 100,000 times faster than current digital electronics. This requires a better understanding of the sub-atomic electron motion induced by the ultrafast electric field of light. Now scientists combined novel experimental and theoretical techniques which provide direct access to this motion for the first time.

Yellow fever epidemic threatens to spread from Angola to China Posted: 23 May 2016 10:08 AM PDT The spread of yellow fever is a global health threat. In response to current outbreaks in Angola, other African countries, and China, WHO convened an emergency committee on May 19, 2016 to underscore the severity of the outbreak. Infectious disease authorities from South Africa and Singapore explain the epidemiology and ecology of YF and discuss the factors that can increase and decrease the likelihood of progression from outbreak to epidemic.

Single enzyme with the power of three could offer shortcut to therapeutic target Posted: 23 May 2016 10:08 AM PDT Researchers identified a single enzyme doing the work of a trio thought necessary to control a common cellular signaling process being pursued as a therapeutic target. The work was done through a study of Legionella pneumophila, the bacterium that causes Legionnaires' disease.

Proteins key to unlocking cancer for National Cancer Moonshot Posted: 23 May 2016 10:08 AM PDT The National Cancer Moonshot initiative needs to move beyond genomics to target the proteins that are driving cancer, according to a new paper.

Low- and high-birthweight babies appear at increased risk for cardiovascular disease Posted: 23 May 2016 09:59 AM PDT Babies born at both low and high birthweights appear to be at increased risk for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes by the time they become adolescents, researchers report.

New research confirms continued, unabated and large-scale amphibian declines Posted: 23 May 2016 09:59 AM PDT New research suggests that even though amphibians are severely declining worldwide, there is no smoking gun -- and thus no simple solution -- to halting or reversing these declines.

Using drones without disturbing wildlife Posted: 23 May 2016 09:58 AM PDT Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), more popularly known as drones, are increasingly employed to monitor and protect wildlife. But researchers say that steps should be taken to ensure that UAV operations are not causing undue stress to animals.

In changing oceans, cephalopods are booming Posted: 23 May 2016 09:58 AM PDT Humans have changed the world's oceans in ways that have been devastating to many marine species. But, according to new evidence, it appears that the change has so far been good for cephalopods, the group including octopuses, cuttlefish, and squid. The study shows that cephalopods' numbers have increased significantly over the last six decades.

Extreme preemies disadvantaged in employment, income, self-esteem, marriage and more by their 30s Posted: 23 May 2016 08:42 AM PDT Extremely low birth weight (ELBW) babies who survive are more likely to be disadvantaged in employment, income, self-esteem, marriage and more by the time they reach their 30s. A longitudinal study has followed the ELBW survivors born between 1977 and 1982.

Epigenetic modification increases susceptibility to obesity and predicts fatty liver Posted: 23 May 2016 08:38 AM PDT Scientists have shown in a mouse model that the epigenetic* modification of the Igfbp2 gene observed in the young animal precedes a fatty liver in the adult animal. In addition, young animals with this modification exhibit impaired glucose metabolism and are significantly more prone to morbid obesity. Also in morbidly obese people with incipient diabetes, this modification in the corresponding gene was found. So it may potentially be used as a risk marker.

Mutation protects against heart disease Posted: 23 May 2016 08:38 AM PDT Just less than one per cent of the population is naturally protected against developing chronic coronary artery diseases, a new study suggests.

Breast cancer drug discovery offers hope of new treatments Posted: 23 May 2016 08:38 AM PDT A new drug discovery approach has yielded a potential therapy for breast cancer that may be more effective than existing medicines. Scientists have identified a chemical compound that is highly effective at blocking the growth of breast cancer cells in the laboratory.

Discovery could energize development of longer-lasting batteries Posted: 23 May 2016 08:38 AM PDT Researchers have made a discovery that could open the door to cellphone and car batteries that last five times longer than current ones. They discovered new catalyst materials for lithium-air batteries that jumpstart efforts at expanding battery capacity.

Are childhood stroke outcomes associated with BP, blood glucose, temperature? Posted: 23 May 2016 08:37 AM PDT Infarct (tissue damage) volume and hyperglycemia (high blood glucose) were associated with poor neurological outcomes after childhood stroke but hypertension and fever were not, according to a new article.

Despite pressing need, survey finds most Americans unlikely to enroll in clinical trials Posted: 23 May 2016 07:50 AM PDT The lack of participation in clinical research may be the Achilles' heel of today's cancer community. According to a new survey of more than 1,500 consumers and nearly 600 physicians, only 35 percent of Americans indicated that they were "likely" to enroll in a clinical trial. Other studies have shown that only 4 percent of cancer patients enroll in clinical trials nationally each year.

How brick-makers can help butt out litter Posted: 23 May 2016 07:47 AM PDT If just 2.5 per cent of the world's annual brick production incorporated 1 per cent cigarette butts, we could completely offset annual worldwide cigarette production.

Peachy defence system for seeds Posted: 23 May 2016 07:47 AM PDT Chemists are developing a new coating method to protect seeds from being eaten by insects. In doing so, they have drawn inspiration from the humble peach and a few of its peers.

New study captures ultrafast motion of proteins Posted: 23 May 2016 07:47 AM PDT For the first time, scientists have observed the structural changes in carbonic anhydrase. They expect that this will greatly contribute to the future biomedical research and new drug development.

Exercise associated with longer life in patients with heart failure Posted: 23 May 2016 07:47 AM PDT Exercise is associated with a longer life in patients with heart failure, according to new research. The analysis in more than 4000 patients showed a mortality benefit from exercise regardless of heart failure severity, age and gender.

Flu vaccination associated with lower dementia risk in patients with heart failure Posted: 23 May 2016 07:47 AM PDT Influenza vaccination is associated with a lower risk of dementia in patients with heart failure, according to a new study in more than 20,000 patients.

Blood test uncovers undiagnosed diabetes in hospital patients with high blood sugar Posted: 23 May 2016 07:47 AM PDT A retrospective review of medical records found the HbA1C test, commonly used to diagnose and manage diabetes, can effectively detect hidden disease among hospital patients with hyperglycemia, commonly known as high blood sugar.

Top 10 new species for 2016 Posted: 23 May 2016 05:43 AM PDT A hominin in the same genus as humans and an ape nicknamed "Laia" are among the discoveries identified by the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry as the Top 10 New Species for 2016. Also on the list are a giant Galapagos tortoise, a seadragon, an anglerfish, three invertebrates, a carnivorous sundew and a small tree.

Tropical forest plant could save water from metal pollution Posted: 23 May 2016 05:42 AM PDT A biomass recovered from common plant could help purify water from contamination of copper and zinc. A new article reports on the possible use of biosorbents derived from Jatropha curcas waste, to remove heavy metal ions from water.

Extinguishing wildfires may not always be the correct solution Posted: 23 May 2016 05:42 AM PDT Many landscapes need fire but population expansion into wildland areas creates a tension between different interest groups. Researchers from across the globe show that a combination of factors, including the problem of invasive plants, landscape change, climate change, population growth, human health, economic, social and cultural attitudes that may be transnational make a re-evaluation of fire and mankind necessary.

A fiery world aids the peopling of America Posted: 23 May 2016 05:40 AM PDT North America experienced regular fires for thousands of years before the arrival of humans in North America according to new research.

Antimicrobial resistance in soil: Potential impact on the food chain Posted: 23 May 2016 05:40 AM PDT New research will investigate if large amounts of antibiotic resistant bacteria are present in agricultural soil which may spread into the food chain. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the major issues facing society: by 2050, if not tackled, it will kill more people than cancer, and cost, globally, more than the size of the current global economy, say experts. The aim of the research is to understand how AMR is introduced into natural soil bacteria, for example from manures applied by farmers or exposure to domesticated or wild animal and bird fecal droppings, and how this transfer takes place in different soil types.

Fathers' long commute to work is linked to children's social, emotional problems Posted: 23 May 2016 05:40 AM PDT Fathers' commuting to work has multiple negative impacts on children's behavior. Children whose fathers commute to work over a long distance tend to have more emotional and social problems. While the impact of commuting on employees has been extensively investigated, this study is the first one to show the negative effects of commuting to work by fathers on the social and emotional well-being of German children.

Ketamine found more effective for treating highly-agitated patients during transport to hospital Posted: 23 May 2016 05:40 AM PDT Scientists have shown that ketamine is far more effective than the more commonly used haloperidol for treating highly-agitated patients prior to hospitalization. Patients were sedated in five minutes on average when treated with ketamine -- 12 minutes faster than the average sedation time using haloperidol. The increased efficacy in sedation does come with a trade-off; the rate of complications and need for intubation both increase markedly for patients treated with ketamine.

Nanoplastics negatively affect aquatic animals Posted: 23 May 2016 05:40 AM PDT Plastic accounts for nearly eighty per cent of all waste found in our oceans, gradually breaking down into smaller and smaller particles. New research investigates how nanosized plastic particles affect aquatic animals in different parts of the food chain.

Tweeting your weight loss? Is there a link between microblogging, eating disorders? Posted: 23 May 2016 05:38 AM PDT In a new study, investigators have explored the relationship between social media, eating disorders, and compulsive exercise.

Journalism changed forever by user-generated content Posted: 23 May 2016 05:38 AM PDT The rise of User-Generated Content (UGC) -- information submitted by members of the public or posted on social media -- has changed journalism forever, according to a new study.

The protein that mysteriously assesses distances Posted: 23 May 2016 05:38 AM PDT A protein of the ISWI family (Imitation Switch, or nucleosome remodelling motors) is endowed with a special property: despite having no organ of sense it is nonetheless able to assess the length of DNA strands. A new study has discovered how it works.

Ocean pollution: Focusing on fragmentation of plastic waste Posted: 23 May 2016 05:38 AM PDT First discovered by sailors, the masses of plastic debris floating at the center of vast ocean vortices called gyres are today under close scrutiny by scientists. To better understand the fragmentation of microplastics under the effect of light and abrasion by waves, researchers combined physico-chemical analyses with statistical modeling. They were thus able to show that pieces of plastic debris behave in very different ways according to their size. The bigger pieces appear to float flat at the surface of the water, with one face preferentially exposed to sunlight. However, the researchers observed fewer small-sized debris (around 1 mg) than predicted by the mathematical model.

World record in terrestrial radio transmission: Multi-Gigabit wireless communication Posted: 23 May 2016 05:38 AM PDT Transmitting the contents of a conventional DVD in under ten seconds by radio transmission is incredibly fast -- and a new world record in wireless data transmission. With a data rate of 6 Gigabit per second over a distance of 37 kilometers, the project exceeded the state of the art by a factor of 10.

Dietary experiments in mice point the way to early detection of cancer in humans Posted: 23 May 2016 05:36 AM PDT Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths in the Western world, mainly because it is usually diagnosed too late. Finding ways to identify those people who are at increased risk of developing colon cancer is therefore crucial.

Knowledge of positive cologuard test improves colonoscopy performance Posted: 23 May 2016 05:36 AM PDT An endoscopist's knowledge of a positive Cologuard test improves colonoscopy performance, according to a recent study. Cologuard is an at-home, stool-DNA colorectal cancer screening test that has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Hacking memory to follow through with intentions Posted: 23 May 2016 05:36 AM PDT Whether it's paying the electric bill or taking the clothes out of the dryer, there are many daily tasks that we fully intend to complete and then promptly forget about. New research suggests that linking these tasks to distinctive cues that we'll encounter at the right place and the right time may help us remember to follow through.

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