ScienceDaily: Top News

---

• Experiences at every stage of life contribute to cognitive abilities in old age
• Intensity of hurricanes: New study helps improve predictions of storm intensity
• Test increases odds of correct surgery for thyroid cancer patients
• Magnets for fusion energy: High-temperature superconductor achieves new world record for electrical current
• Why do men prefer nice women? Responsiveness and desire
• New system to detect mercury in water systems
• Total darkness at night key to success of breast cancer therapy, study shows
• Could heart attack patients could be treated more quickly?
• Bacteria manipulate salt to build shelters to hibernate
• Breakthrough laser experiment reveals liquid-like motion of atoms within an ultra-cold cluster
• Dementia carers need more medication support, report says
• 'Light pollution' may affect love lives of birds in the Viennese Forests
• Vulnerable populations disproportionately affected by food security, despite public programs
• New hope for powdery mildew resistant barley
• Brain tumor causes, risk factors elude scientists
• Steam energy from the sun: New spongelike structure converts solar energy into steam
• Common blood thinner for pregnant women proven ineffective
• Overweight, obese preschoolers lose more weight when parent is also treated
• New characteristics of complex oxide surfaces revealed
• Global wildlife decline driving slave labor, organized crime
• Tiny new species of frog from Brazil with a heroic name
• Newly discovered gut virus lives in half the world's population

Experiences at every stage of life contribute to cognitive abilities in old age Posted: 25 Jul 2014 08:09 AM PDT Early life experiences, such as childhood socioeconomic status and literacy, may have greater influence on the risk of cognitive impairment late in life than such demographic characteristics as race and ethnicity, a large study has found. "These findings are important," explained the lead author of the study "because it challenges earlier research that suggests associations between race and ethnicity, particularly among Latinos, and an increased risk of late-life cognitive impairment and dementia.

Intensity of hurricanes: New study helps improve predictions of storm intensity Posted: 25 Jul 2014 08:08 AM PDT While predicting the path of hurricanes has gotten better, little has been done to improve predicting a storm's intensity. That is, until now. "The air-water interface -- whether it had significant waves or significant spray -- is a big factor in storm intensity," said one expert involved in a new study. "Hurricanes gain heat energy through the interface and they lose mechanical energy at the interface."

Test increases odds of correct surgery for thyroid cancer patients Posted: 25 Jul 2014 08:08 AM PDT The routine use of a molecular testing panel increases the likelihood of performing the correct initial surgery for thyroid cancer patients by 30 percent, researchers report. "Before this test, about one in five potential thyroid cancer cases couldn't be diagnosed without an operation to remove a portion of the thyroid," said the lead author.

Magnets for fusion energy: High-temperature superconductor achieves new world record for electrical current Posted: 25 Jul 2014 08:07 AM PDT Scientists have achieved an electrical current of 100,000 amperes, which is by far the highest in the world, by using the new idea of assembling the state-of-the-art yttrium-based high-temperature superconducting tapes to fabricate a large-scale magnet conductor.

Why do men prefer nice women? Responsiveness and desire Posted: 25 Jul 2014 08:07 AM PDT Does responsiveness increase sexual desire in the other person? Do men perceive responsive women as more attractive, and does the same hold true for women's perceptions of men? A recent study undertook to answer those questions.

New system to detect mercury in water systems Posted: 25 Jul 2014 08:07 AM PDT A new ultra-sensitive, low-cost and portable system for detecting mercury in environmental water has been developed by researchers. "The promising sensing performance of this system along with its cost-competiveness and portability make it an excellent potential alternative to current analytical techniques," says the project's leader. "This technique could provide the basis for future point-of-analysis systems for monitoring water quality on site and may help implement better monitoring processes around the world."

Total darkness at night key to success of breast cancer therapy, study shows Posted: 25 Jul 2014 05:04 AM PDT Exposure to light at night, which shuts off nighttime production of the hormone melatonin, renders breast cancer completely resistant to tamoxifen, a widely used breast cancer drug, says a new study. Melatonin by itself delayed the formation of tumors and significantly slowed their growth, researchers report, but tamoxifen caused a dramatic regression of tumors in animals with either high nighttime levels of melatonin during complete darkness or those receiving melatonin supplementation during dim light at night exposure.

Could heart attack patients could be treated more quickly? Posted: 25 Jul 2014 05:03 AM PDT Clinical judgement, combined with an electrocardiogram (ECG) and blood test on arrival, is effective in reducing unnecessary hospital admissions for chest pain, a new study shows. The findings of a research group could potentially make a huge difference to a large number of patients. Researchers assessed the diagnostic accuracy of emergency doctors' clinical judgement for acute coronary syndromes – both alone and in combination with the tests available on arrival – ECG and a blood test which detects a protein called troponin.

Bacteria manipulate salt to build shelters to hibernate Posted: 25 Jul 2014 05:03 AM PDT For the first time, researchers have detected an unknown interaction between microorganisms and salt. When Escherichia coli cells are introduced into a droplet of salt water that is left to dry, bacteria manipulate the sodium chloride crystallization to create biomineralogical biosaline 3-D morphologically complex formations, where they hibernate. Afterwards, simply by rehydrating the material, bacteria are revived. The discovery was made by chance with a home microscope.

Breakthrough laser experiment reveals liquid-like motion of atoms within an ultra-cold cluster Posted: 25 Jul 2014 05:03 AM PDT A new study has furthered our understanding of how tiny nanosystems function, unlocking the potential to create new materials using nanosized 'building blocks'.

Dementia carers need more medication support, report says Posted: 25 Jul 2014 05:03 AM PDT Family carers of people with dementia may need more support with medication management, according to a recent study. "Family carers have a key role in supporting medication management particularly as the dementia progresses. We need to understand the challenges that family carers face and how healthcare professionals can help," an author noted.

'Light pollution' may affect love lives of birds in the Viennese Forests Posted: 25 Jul 2014 05:03 AM PDT Artificial light in cities exerts negative effects on humans, animals, and their environment. In an ongoing research project, behavioral biologists are investigating how blue tits in the Viennese Forests react to "light pollution." The study might help to understand effects of "light-at-night" on reproductive behavior of birds. In consequence, it could help developing concepts, minimizing negative effects on the lives of animals and the ecological system, by reducing light sources in specific regions.

Vulnerable populations disproportionately affected by food security, despite public programs Posted: 25 Jul 2014 05:01 AM PDT Vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, ethnic minorities, and low-income households are disproportionately affected by food security, despite the extensive private and public food safety net in the United States, according to a new report. The USDA refers to food insecurity as the limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods, or limited or uncertain ability to obtain food in socially acceptable ways.

New hope for powdery mildew resistant barley Posted: 25 Jul 2014 05:01 AM PDT New research has opened the way for the development of new lines of barley with resistance to powdery mildew. "Powdery mildew is a significant problem wherever barley is grown around the world," says the lead researcher. "Growers with infected crops can expect up to 25% reductions in yield and the barley may also be downgraded from high quality malting barley to that of feed quality, with an associated loss in market value."

Brain tumor causes, risk factors elude scientists Posted: 25 Jul 2014 05:01 AM PDT Today, nearly 700,000 people in the U.S. are living with a brain tumor, and yet, when it comes to pinpointing causes or risk factors, scientists are still searching for answers. "Unlike the strong correlation between smoking and lung cancer, we just haven't found a specific risk factor like that for brain tumors," said a researcher. "We have determined that ionizing radiation to the head is a risk factor when received in therapeutic doses, but even in those cases, the risk of developing a brain tumor is low."

Steam energy from the sun: New spongelike structure converts solar energy into steam Posted: 24 Jul 2014 06:39 PM PDT A new material structure generates steam by soaking up the sun. The structure -- a layer of graphite flakes and an underlying carbon foam -- is a porous, insulating material structure that floats on water. When sunlight hits the structure's surface, it creates a hotspot in the graphite, drawing water up through the material's pores, where it evaporates as steam. The brighter the light, the more steam is generated.

Common blood thinner for pregnant women proven ineffective Posted: 24 Jul 2014 04:20 PM PDT A daily injection to the belly commonly prescribed for pregnant women at risk of developing blood clots is found to be ineffective. As many as one in 10 pregnant women have a tendency to develop blood clots in their veins, a condition called thrombophilia. The anticoagulant LMWH has been prescribed for two decades to prevent related pregnancy complications. Now, a study provides conclusive evidence that it has no positive benefits for the mother or child, and could actually cause pregnant women some minor harm.

Overweight, obese preschoolers lose more weight when parent is also treated Posted: 24 Jul 2014 02:21 PM PDT Primary care treatment of overweight and obese preschoolers works better when treatment targets both parent and child compared to when only the child is targeted. The study results suggest that overweight or obese children and their parents can be successfully treated in the primary care setting with the assistance of practice enhancers.

New characteristics of complex oxide surfaces revealed Posted: 24 Jul 2014 02:19 PM PDT A combination of microscopy and data processing has given researchers an unprecedented look at the surface of a material known for its unusual physical and electrochemical properties.

Global wildlife decline driving slave labor, organized crime Posted: 24 Jul 2014 11:42 AM PDT Global decline of wildlife populations is driving increases in violent conflicts, organized crime and child labor around the world, according to a experts. Researchers call for biologists to join forces with experts such as economists, political scientists, criminologists, public health officials and international development specialists to collectively tackle a complex challenge.

Tiny new species of frog from Brazil with a heroic name Posted: 24 Jul 2014 08:26 AM PDT Molecular analysis helps scientists discover and describe a tiny new species of narrow-mouthed frog from the genus Chiasmocleis. The news species, Chiasmocleis quilombola is named after the quilombos -- communities constituted by and used as refuges for slaves who had the brevity to escape in colonial Brazil.

Newly discovered gut virus lives in half the world's population Posted: 24 Jul 2014 06:42 AM PDT Odds are, there's a virus living inside your gut that has gone undetected by scientists for decades. A new study has found that more than half the world's population is host to a newly described virus, named crAssphage, which infects one of the most common gut bacterial species, Bacteroides. This bacterium thought to be connected with obesity, diabetes and other gut-related diseases.

You are subscribed to email updates from All Top News -- ScienceDaily To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610