ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Unusual fish larva linked to new species of sea bass from Curacao
• Scientists reveal new picture in the evolution of flightless birds
• Human learning altered by electrical stimulation of dopamine neurons
• Evolutionary biologists glimpse early stages of Y-chromosome degeneration
• Surprising global species shake-up discovered
• Novel technique enables air-stable water droplet networks
• Novel protein fragments may protect against Alzheimer's
• Techniques from natural-language processing enable computers to efficiently search video for actions
• Surviving storms: Coral reefs are critical for risk reduction and adaptation
• Stem cell technology points to early indicators of schizophrenia
• Preschool teacher depression linked to behavioral problems in children: Unhealthy classroom climate is contributing factor
• Cause of many preterm births discovered: Premature aging of placenta from oxidative stress
• A tiny, toothy catfish with bulldog snout defies classification
• Radiation from early universe found key to answer major questions in physics
• New implanted devices may reshape medicine: Researchers create transistors that wrap around tissues
• Fossil palm beetles 'hind-cast' 50-million-year-old winters
• Distance influences accuracy of eyewitness IDs
• Molecule blocks cancer growth in mice: New drug candidate disrupts key interaction of two proteins by mimicking one to trick the other
• Ultrafast laser technique developed to observe electron action
• Forgiving a wrong may actually make it easier to forget
• Comet theory false: Doesn't explain Ice Age cold snap, Clovis changes, animal extinction
• MEMS nanoinjector for genetic modification of cells
• The physics of ocean undertow: Creating more robust and sustainable beaches
• Odd planet, so far from its star: Gas giant 155 light years from our solar system
• Dangerous nitrogen pollution could be halved
• Humans and companion animals harbor the same types of MRSA infections
• No ocean-borne radiation from Fukushima detected on West Coast shoreline, kelp analysis finds
• Boats offer solution for urban congestion
• New agent may enhance effectiveness of radiotherapy
• Bird invaders 'moving in' to UK's nature reserves
• Plastic pollution: Another threat for seabirds
• Physicists measure second Efimov resonance of three particles in an ultracold quantum gas
• Mechanisms as minds: Creating a tensegrity robot that can move
• Association between small-vessel disease, Alzheimer pathology studied
• Diets rich in antioxidant resveratrol fail to reduce deaths, heart disease or cancer
• Low rate of adverse events associated with male circumcision during first year of life, study finds
• Underage college men discount dangers of driving after marijuana use
• Living near foreclosed property linked to higher blood pressure
• Screening 'not effective' in fight against domestic violence, researchers conclude
• Intensive insulin provides survival benefit in patients with type 2 diabetes after heart attack
• Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome: New gene expression mechanism of PRRS virus discovered
• Brain may never fully recover from exposure to paint, glue, degreasers
• Multifunctional nanoparticles for cheaper, cleaner biofuel
• Worse health, more problems, higher costs among Medicaid patients, study shows
• Graphene and painkiller receptor combined into scalable chemical sensor

Unusual fish larva linked to new species of sea bass from Curacao Posted: 13 May 2014 02:52 PM PDT Identifying larval stages of marine fishes in the open ocean is difficult because the young fishes often bear little or no resemblance to the adults they will become. Confronted with a perplexing fish larva collected in the Florida Straits, scientists turned to DNA barcoding, which yielded an unexpected discovery -- a match between the mysterious fish larva and adults of a new species of sea bass discovered off the coast of Curacao.

Scientists reveal new picture in the evolution of flightless birds Posted: 13 May 2014 02:52 PM PDT Because of their far-flung geography and colorful examples including the African ostrich, Australian emu, New Zealand kiwi and long lost giants such as the New Zealand moa, researchers have examined a fascinating part in the story of the avian tree of life: flightless birds, or ratites.

Human learning altered by electrical stimulation of dopamine neurons Posted: 13 May 2014 02:50 PM PDT Stimulation of a certain population of neurons within the brain can alter the learning process, according to a team of neuroscientists and neurosurgeons. A new report describes for the first time that human learning can be modified by stimulation of dopamine-containing neurons in a deep brain structure known as the substantia nigra.

Evolutionary biologists glimpse early stages of Y-chromosome degeneration Posted: 13 May 2014 01:17 PM PDT In many species, X and Y chromosomes determine whether an individual develops into a male or female. This sex determination system has evolved multiple times and a striking feature of its evolution is that Y chromosomes have lost many genes over time. What isn't well understood is what happens to them during this evolution. Now researchers have been able to study the early stages of degeneration, by investigating the process in plants.

Surprising global species shake-up discovered Posted: 13 May 2014 01:16 PM PDT Scientists re-examined 100 world-wide monitoring studies and were surprised to discover that, over decades, the number of species in many places has not changed much -- or has increased. But the researchers did discover that almost 80% of the communities showed changes in species composition. This shows that a rapid global turnover of species is happening, resulting in novel biological communities. The scientists conclude that biodiversity change may be as large a concern as biodiversity loss.

Novel technique enables air-stable water droplet networks Posted: 13 May 2014 01:16 PM PDT A simple new technique to form interlocking beads of water in ambient conditions could prove valuable for applications in biological sensing, membrane research and harvesting water from fog.

Novel protein fragments may protect against Alzheimer's Posted: 13 May 2014 12:29 PM PDT Alzheimer's research has centered on trying to understand the protective or regenerative properties of brain cells as an avenue for treating the widespread disease. Now a researcher has discovered novel protein fragments that have proven protective properties for cognitive functioning. Her findings have the potential to serve as a pipeline for new drug candidates to treat the disease.

Techniques from natural-language processing enable computers to efficiently search video for actions Posted: 13 May 2014 11:21 AM PDT With the commodification of digital cameras, digital video has become so easy to produce that human beings can have trouble keeping up with it. Among the tools that computer scientists are developing to make the profusion of video more useful are algorithms for activity recognition -- or determining what the people on camera are doing when.

Surviving storms: Coral reefs are critical for risk reduction and adaptation Posted: 13 May 2014 11:21 AM PDT Stronger storms, rising seas, and flooding are placing hundreds of millions people at risk around the world, and big part of the solution to decrease those risks is just off shore. A new study finds that coral reefs reduce the wave energy that would otherwise impact coastlines by 97 percent.

Stem cell technology points to early indicators of schizophrenia Posted: 13 May 2014 11:20 AM PDT Using new stem cell technology, scientists have shown that neurons generated from the skin cells of people with schizophrenia behave strangely in early developmental stages, providing a hint as to ways to detect and potentially treat the disease early. "This study aims to investigate the earliest detectable changes in the brain that lead to schizophrenia," says one researcher. "We were surprised at how early in the developmental process that defects in neural function could be detected."

Preschool teacher depression linked to behavioral problems in children: Unhealthy classroom climate is contributing factor Posted: 13 May 2014 11:20 AM PDT Depression in preschool teachers is associated with behavioral problems ranging from aggression to sadness in children under the teachers' care, new research suggests.

Cause of many preterm births discovered: Premature aging of placenta from oxidative stress Posted: 13 May 2014 10:27 AM PDT A new study is the first to show that premature aging of the placenta due to oxidative stress is the cause of many preterm births.

A tiny, toothy catfish with bulldog snout defies classification Posted: 13 May 2014 10:27 AM PDT Kryptoglanis shajii is a strange fish -- and the closer scientists look, the stranger it gets. This small subterranean catfish sees the light of day and human observers only rarely, when it turns up in springs, wells and flooded rice paddies. Scientists have recently provided a detailed description of this fish's bizarre bone structures.

Radiation from early universe found key to answer major questions in physics Posted: 13 May 2014 10:27 AM PDT Astrophysicists have measured the minute gravitational distortions in polarized radiation from the early universe and discovered that these ancient microwaves can provide an important cosmological test of Einstein's theory of general relativity.

New implanted devices may reshape medicine: Researchers create transistors that wrap around tissues Posted: 13 May 2014 10:27 AM PDT Scientists have create flexible transistors that can grip large tissues, nerves and blood vessels without losing their electronic properties. These biologically adaptive, flexible transistors might one day help doctors learn more about what is happening inside the body, and stimulate the body for treatments.

Fossil palm beetles 'hind-cast' 50-million-year-old winters Posted: 13 May 2014 10:26 AM PDT Fifty-million-year-old fossil beetles that fed only on palm seeds are giving biologists new information about ancient climates. These fossil beetles indicate that during a period of global warming in the geological past, there were mild, frost-free winters extended even in the uplands of ancient western North America.

Distance influences accuracy of eyewitness IDs Posted: 13 May 2014 09:16 AM PDT A new study has used a controlled outside setting and actual people to test eyewitness accuracy across a variety of distances. Eyewitness accuracy declines steadily and quite measuredly as the distance increases. Additionally, a good deal of guess work or so-called "false alarms" also comes into play as the distance increases. These findings have implications for the trustworthiness of eyewitness accounts that are used to solve criminal cases.

Molecule blocks cancer growth in mice: New drug candidate disrupts key interaction of two proteins by mimicking one to trick the other Posted: 13 May 2014 08:36 AM PDT Scientists have developed a small molecule that interferes with cancer progression with minimal side effects. The new cancer-fighting drug prevents two critical proteins from interacting by mimicking the surface topography of one protein -- like wearing a mask -- which tricks the other protein into binding with it.

Ultrafast laser technique developed to observe electron action Posted: 13 May 2014 08:36 AM PDT Physicists have developed a new ultrafast light source for observing electron motion in molecules -- made up of nuclei and electrons -- at the point before the nuclei start to move. By being able to observe what actually happens, scientists can begin to understand how an electron interacts with other electrons, which may help improve the efficiency of solar cells.

Forgiving a wrong may actually make it easier to forget Posted: 13 May 2014 08:36 AM PDT We're often told to 'forgive and forget' the wrongs that we suffer -- it turns out that there may be some scientific truth behind the common saying. A new study shows that the details of a transgression are more susceptible to forgetting when that transgression has been forgiven.

Comet theory false: Doesn't explain Ice Age cold snap, Clovis changes, animal extinction Posted: 13 May 2014 08:36 AM PDT New research has demonstrated again that a comet didn't spark climate change at the end of the Ice Age, killing the Clovis peoples and causing mass animal extinction. Supposed impact indicators are too old or too young to indicate an ancient comet that proponents claim sparked a late Ice Age calamity, according to new research. The researchers found previous dating of Ice Age boundary layers by proponents contained widespread errors.

MEMS nanoinjector for genetic modification of cells Posted: 13 May 2014 08:32 AM PDT The ability to transfer a gene or DNA sequence from one animal into the genome of another plays a critical role in a wide range of medical research—including cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and diabetes. But the traditional method of transferring genetic material into a new cell, called "microinjection," has a serious downside. It involves using a small glass pipette to pump a solution containing DNA into the nucleus of an egg cell, but the extra fluid can cause the cell to swell and destroy it -- resulting in a 25 to 40 percent cell death rate.

The physics of ocean undertow: Creating more robust and sustainable beaches Posted: 13 May 2014 08:32 AM PDT People standing on a beach often feel the water tugging the sand away from under their feet. This is the undertow, the current that pulls water back into the ocean after a wave breaks on the beach. Large storms produce strong undertows that can strip beaches of sand. By predicting how undertows interact with shorelines, researchers can build sand dunes and engineer other soft solutions to create more robust and sustainable beaches.

Odd planet, so far from its star: Gas giant 155 light years from our solar system Posted: 13 May 2014 08:31 AM PDT A gas giant has been added to the short list of exoplanets discovered through direct imaging. It is located around GU Psc, a star three times less massive than the Sun and located in the constellation Pisces.

Dangerous nitrogen pollution could be halved Posted: 13 May 2014 06:25 AM PDT The most important fertilizer for producing food is, at the same time, one of the most important risks for human health: nitrogen. Chemical compounds containing reactive nitrogen are major drivers of air and water pollution worldwide, and hence of diseases like asthma or cancer. If no action is taken, nitrogen pollution could rise by 20 percent by 2050 in a middle-of-the-road scenario, according to a new study.

Humans and companion animals harbor the same types of MRSA infections Posted: 13 May 2014 06:25 AM PDT A shared population of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteria circulates both in humans and companion animals, according to a new study. Researchers also observed that samples from the same veterinary hospitals clustered together genetically, suggesting that as in human hospitals, MRSA can be readily transmitted in veterinary hospital settings.

No ocean-borne radiation from Fukushima detected on West Coast shoreline, kelp analysis finds Posted: 13 May 2014 06:23 AM PDT Scientists working together on Kelp Watch 2014 announced today that the West Coast shoreline shows no signs of ocean-borne radiation from Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster, following their analysis of the first collection of kelp samples along the western U.S. coastline.

Boats offer solution for urban congestion Posted: 13 May 2014 06:23 AM PDT A solution for traffic congestion in many cities might lie in one of the most ancient modes of transportation available: the boat. Looking at how water-buses could be integrated into Stockholm's mass transit system, researchers have a come up with a strong case for a maritime complement to trains and buses -- and not just in Sweden.

New agent may enhance effectiveness of radiotherapy Posted: 13 May 2014 06:23 AM PDT The potential of a drug to improve the effectiveness of radiotherapy in stopping tumor growth has been demonstrated by scientists. There is increasing interest in using the body's own immune system to attack tumor cells – a strategy that can be very effective without the side effects associated with conventional chemotherapy. Skin cancers, for instance, have been successfully treated using a topical cream, imiquimod, which recruits immune cells through a molecule known as toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7), a protein that recognizes foreign and potentially harmful material.

Bird invaders 'moving in' to UK's nature reserves Posted: 13 May 2014 06:23 AM PDT Nature reserves and other areas specially protected for wildlife, as well as being vital for native species, are very important for helping European birds to expand their ranges into Britain naturally.  The catch is that protected areas are also at increasing risk of invasion by species that have been introduced from further afield.

Plastic pollution: Another threat for seabirds Posted: 13 May 2014 06:17 AM PDT Plastic ingestions affects around 94% of Cory's shearwaters on the Catalan coast, according to new research. In the case of Yelkouan shearwaters and Balearic shearwaters, scientists show that 70% of studied birds were affected by plastic ingestion.

Physicists measure second Efimov resonance of three particles in an ultracold quantum gas Posted: 13 May 2014 06:16 AM PDT Some years ago, quantum physicists provided experimental proof of Efimov states -- a phenomenon that until then had been known only in theory. Now they have also measured the second Efimov resonance of three particles in an ultracold quantum gas, thus proving the periodicity of this universal physical phenomenon experimentally.

Mechanisms as minds: Creating a tensegrity robot that can move Posted: 13 May 2014 06:11 AM PDT Before a signal even reaches your brain, your fingers can adjust the tension required to lift an object with their tendons. It's a mechanism (fingers) acting as a mind -- a phenomenon called morphological computation that scientists are exploring with tensegrity robots.

Association between small-vessel disease, Alzheimer pathology studied Posted: 12 May 2014 06:41 PM PDT Cerebral small-vessel disease and Alzheimer disease pathology appear to be associated, new research indicates. "Our study supports the hypothesis that the pathways of SVD and AD pathology are interconnected. Small-vessel disease could provoke amyloid pathology while AD-associated cerebral amyloid pathology may lead to auxiliary vascular damage," researchers conclude.

Diets rich in antioxidant resveratrol fail to reduce deaths, heart disease or cancer Posted: 12 May 2014 06:41 PM PDT A study of Italians who consume a diet rich in resveratrol -- the compound found in red wine, dark chocolate and berries -- finds they live no longer than and are just as likely to develop cardiovascular disease or cancer as those who eat or drink smaller amounts of the antioxidant.

Low rate of adverse events associated with male circumcision during first year of life, study finds Posted: 12 May 2014 06:40 PM PDT A low rate of adverse events was associated with male circumcision when the procedure was performed during the first year of life, but the risk was 10 to 20 times higher when boys were circumcised after infancy. "Given the current debate about whether male circumcision should be delayed from infancy to adulthood for autonomy reasons, our results are timely and can help physicians counsel parents about circumcising their sons," the researchers concluded.

Underage college men discount dangers of driving after marijuana use Posted: 12 May 2014 06:40 PM PDT Underage male college students who report using marijuana in the month before they were surveyed had a high prevalence of driving under its influence and of riding with a marijuana-using driver, at a rate more than double that of driving or riding after alcohol use, say researchers.

Living near foreclosed property linked to higher blood pressure Posted: 12 May 2014 06:40 PM PDT This study provides the first evidence that foreclosed properties may increase neighbors' blood pressure. Neighborhood environment is an important social determinant of cardiovascular health, including blood pressure. The scale of the recent U.S. housing crisis has prompted the public health community to seek a better understanding of how foreclosure activity might impact health. The number of foreclosures spiked in the United States in 2007-10 when more than 6 million homeowners fell behind on their mortgages and banks took ownership of the homes, or foreclosed.

Screening 'not effective' in fight against domestic violence, researchers conclude Posted: 12 May 2014 06:40 PM PDT One in three women around the world has experienced physical or sexual violence from a partner. Although domestic violence is associated with a range of adverse health impacts, even after the abuse has ended, it is not easily identified by health care professionals, prompting some countries, notably the United States, to introduce screening programs in healthcare settings. A new study has found no evidence to support domestic violence screening.

Intensive insulin provides survival benefit in patients with type 2 diabetes after heart attack Posted: 12 May 2014 06:38 PM PDT Intensive insulin treatment prolonged life by more than 2 years in patients with diabetes after a heart attack, compared with standard treatment for diabetes, a long term follow-up trial has shown. The trial, involving 620 patients with type 2 diabetes, began in 1990. Patients who were admitted to hospital with a suspected heart attack received either intensive insulin treatment, or standard glucose-lowering treatment for one year. The purpose of the study was to determine whether the difference in treatment affected all-cause mortality in the long-term.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome: New gene expression mechanism of PRRS virus discovered Posted: 12 May 2014 06:38 PM PDT Researchers have discovered a new gene expression mechanism in porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, or PRRS, virus — an important swine pathogen that costs the U.S. pork industry more than $600 million a year. The discovery provides a new avenue for scientists to explore strategies to control and prevent the disease.

Brain may never fully recover from exposure to paint, glue, degreasers Posted: 12 May 2014 06:37 PM PDT People who are exposed to paint, glue or degreaser fumes at work may experience memory and thinking problems in retirement, decades after their exposure, according to a new study. Researchers assessed the workers' lifetime exposure to chlorinated solvents, petroleum solvents, and benzene, including the timing of last exposure and lifetime dosage. Benzene is used to make plastics, rubber, dye, detergents and other synthetic materials. Chlorinated solvents can be found in dry cleaning solutions, engine cleaners, paint removers and degreasers. Petroleum solvents are used in carpet glue, furniture polishes, paint, paint thinner and varnish.

Multifunctional nanoparticles for cheaper, cleaner biofuel Posted: 12 May 2014 12:53 PM PDT Scientists have created a faster, cleaner biofuel refining technology that not only combines processes, it uses widely available materials to reduce costs. They have developed a nanoparticle that is able to perform two processing functions at once for the production of green diesel, an alternative fuel created from the hydrogenation of oils from renewable feedstocks like algae.

Worse health, more problems, higher costs among Medicaid patients, study shows Posted: 12 May 2014 10:48 AM PDT Surgery patients covered by Medicaid come into their operations with worse health, do worse afterward, stay in the hospital longer and find themselves back in the hospital more often than those covered by private insurance, a new analysis shows. In fact, people with Medicaid coverage were twice as likely as other patients to have certain health risk factors before they had surgery, the researchers report.

Graphene and painkiller receptor combined into scalable chemical sensor Posted: 12 May 2014 08:25 AM PDT Researchers have created an artificial chemical sensor based on one of the human body's most important receptors, one that is critical in the action of painkillers and anesthetics. In these devices, the receptors' activation produces an electrical response rather than a biochemical one, allowing that response to be read out by a computer.

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