ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Functional brain imaging reliably predicts which vegetative patients have potential to recover consciousness
• Antibiotics improve growth in children in developing countries
• Prolonged, heavy bleeding during menopause is common
• New study outlines 'water world' theory of life's origins
• Repeated self-healing now possible in composite materials
• New technique will accelerate genetic characterization of photosynthesis
• Brain anatomy differences between deaf, hearing depend on first language learned
• Mouse model would have predicted toxicity of drug that killed 5 in 1993 clinical trial
• Neuroscientists disprove important idea about brain-eye coordination
• Chrono, the last piece of the circadian clock puzzle?
• Brain changes associated with casual marijuana use in young adults: More 'joints' equal more damage
• Long-term predictions for Miami sea level rise could be available relatively soon
• Potent, puzzling and (now less) toxic: Team discovers how antifungal drug works
• Astronomers: 'Tilt-a-worlds' could harbor life
• Pre-diabetes, diabetes nearly double over the past two decades
• SSRI use during pregnancy linked to autism and developmental delays in boys
• Real-time audio of corporal punishment shows kids misbehave within 10 minutes of spanking
• Breaking bad mitochondria: How hepatitis C survives for so long
• Kids' earliest memories might be earlier than they think
• Cultivating happiness often misunderstood
• Lifestyle determines gut microbes: Study with modern hunter-gatherers tells tale of bacteria co-evolution
• How mothers help children explore right and wrong
• Lens turns any smartphone into a portable microscope
• Biologists develop nanosensors to visualize movements and distribution of plant stress hormone
• Gut capacity limits bird's ability to adapt to rapid climate change
• Tiger beetle's chase highlights mechanical law
• Osteoporosis risk heightened among sleep apnea patients
• Genetic pre-disposition toward exercise, mental development may be linked
• New method of screening children for autism spectrum disorders works at 9 months old
• Targeting cancer with a triple threat: New nanoparticles can deliver three drugs at once
• New method isolates immune cells to study how they ward off oral diseases
• Bioarchaeologists link climate instability to human mobility in ancient Sahara
• Key to easy asthma diagnosis is in the blood
• Flaw in 'secure' cloud storage could put privacy at risk
• Regenerated esophagus transplanted in rats
• Sibling cooperation in earwig families provides clues to the early evolution of social behavior
• New insight into SIDS deaths points to lack of oxygen
• Vitamin D deficiency, cognition appear to be linked in older adults
• Hair from infants gives clues about life in womb
• Sensitive detection method may help impede illicit nuclear trafficking
• Whooping cough bacterium evolving in Australia, research shows
• Engineers develop new materials for hydrogen storage
• Bizarre parasite may provide cuttlefish clues
• Outgoing behavior makes for happier humans: Across cultures, extroverts have more fun
• MRI pinpoints region of brain injury in some concussion patients
• European climate at the 2 degrees Celsius global warming threshold
• New therapy helps to improve stereoscopic vision in stroke patients
• Scientists come up with method of reducing solar panel glare
• New design for mobile phone masts could cut carbon emissions
• Obesity: Are lipids hard drugs for the brain?
• Deforestation could intensify climate change in Congo Basin by half
• Exams in cold auditoriums? Better memory at ideal temperature
• Intelligent prosthetic liners could ease pain for lower limb amputees
• Nanocrystalline cellulose modified into efficient viral inhibitor
• Outcome of stroke worse for people with infection
• Medieval slave trade routes in Eastern Europe extended from Finland and the Baltic Countries to Central Asia
• Moth study suggests hidden climate change impacts
• Experimental blood test spots recurrent breast cancers, monitors response to treatment
• Fiber-optic microscope will help physicians detect cancer, diseases at early stages
• Gene variant puts women at higher risk of Alzheimer's than it does men, study finds

Functional brain imaging reliably predicts which vegetative patients have potential to recover consciousness Posted: 15 Apr 2014 05:37 PM PDT A functional brain imaging technique known as positron emission tomography is a promising tool for determining which severely brain damaged individuals in vegetative states have the potential to recover consciousness, according to new research.

Antibiotics improve growth in children in developing countries Posted: 15 Apr 2014 05:36 PM PDT Antibiotics improve growth in children at risk of undernourishment in low and middle income countries, according to researchers who have just conducted a research literature review on the subject. Their results suggest that the youngest children from the most vulnerable populations benefit most and show significant improvements toward expected growth for their age and sex, particularly for weight.

Prolonged, heavy bleeding during menopause is common Posted: 15 Apr 2014 05:36 PM PDT Women going through menopause most likely think of it as the time for an end to predictable monthly periods. Researchers say it's normal, however, for the majority of them to experience an increase in the amount and duration of bleeding episodes, which may occur at various times throughout the menopausal transition.

New study outlines 'water world' theory of life's origins Posted: 15 Apr 2014 04:57 PM PDT Life took root more than four billion years ago on our nascent Earth, a wetter and harsher place than now, bathed in sizzling ultraviolet rays. What started out as simple cells ultimately transformed into slime molds, frogs, elephants, humans and the rest of our planet's living kingdoms. How did it all begin?

Repeated self-healing now possible in composite materials Posted: 15 Apr 2014 03:14 PM PDT Internal damage in fiber-reinforced composites, materials used in structures of modern airplanes and automobiles, is difficult to detect and nearly impossible to repair by conventional methods. A small, internal crack can quickly develop into irreversible damage from delamination, a process in which the layers separate. This remains one of the most significant factors limiting more widespread use of composite materials. Scientists have now created fiber-composite materials that can heal autonomously through a new self-healing system.

New technique will accelerate genetic characterization of photosynthesis Posted: 15 Apr 2014 03:13 PM PDT Photosynthesis provides fixed carbon and energy for nearly all life on Earth, yet many aspects of this fascinating process remain mysterious. We do not know the full list of the parts of the molecular machines that perform photosynthesis in any organism. A team developed a highly sophisticated tool that will transform the work of plant geneticists on this subject.

Brain anatomy differences between deaf, hearing depend on first language learned Posted: 15 Apr 2014 03:13 PM PDT In the first known study of its kind, researchers have shown that the language we learn as children affects brain structure, as does hearing status. 'What we've learned to date about differences in brain anatomy in hearing and deaf populations hasn't taken into account the diverse language experiences among people who are deaf,' says one of the authors.

Mouse model would have predicted toxicity of drug that killed 5 in 1993 clinical trial Posted: 15 Apr 2014 03:13 PM PDT Over 20 years after the fatal fialuridine trial, a new study demonstrates that mice with humanized livers recapitulate the drug's toxicity. The work suggests that this mouse model should be added to the repertoire of tools used in preclinical screening of drugs for liver toxicity before they are given to human participants in clinical trials.

Neuroscientists disprove important idea about brain-eye coordination Posted: 15 Apr 2014 03:12 PM PDT By predicting our eye movements, our brain creates a stable world for us. Researchers used to think that those predictions had so much influence that they could cause us to make errors in estimating the position of objects. Neuroscientists have now shown this to be incorrect. These new findings challenge fundamental knowledge regarding coordination between brain and eyes.

Chrono, the last piece of the circadian clock puzzle? Posted: 15 Apr 2014 03:11 PM PDT All organisms, from mammals to fungi, have daily cycles controlled by a tightly regulated internal clock, called the circadian clock. The whole-body circadian clock, influenced by the exposure to light, dictates the wake-sleep cycle. At the cellular level, the clock is controlled by a complex network of genes and proteins that switch each other on and off based on cues from their environment.

Brain changes associated with casual marijuana use in young adults: More 'joints' equal more damage Posted: 15 Apr 2014 03:11 PM PDT The size and shape of two brain regions involved in emotion and motivation may differ in young adults who smoke marijuana at least once a week, according to a new study. The findings suggest that recreational marijuana use may lead to previously unidentified brain changes, and highlight the importance of research aimed at understanding the long-term effects of low to moderate marijuana use on the brain.

Long-term predictions for Miami sea level rise could be available relatively soon Posted: 15 Apr 2014 12:38 PM PDT Miami could know as early as 2020 how high sea levels will rise into the next century, according to a team of researchers. Scientists conclude that sea level rise is one of the most certain consequences of climate change. But the speed and long-term height of that rise are unknown. Some researchers believe that sea level rise is accelerating, some suggest the rate is holding steady, while others say it's decelerating.

Potent, puzzling and (now less) toxic: Team discovers how antifungal drug works Posted: 15 Apr 2014 12:38 PM PDT Scientists have solved a decades-old medical mystery -- and in the process have found a potentially less toxic way to fight invasive fungal infections, which kill about 1.5 million people a year. The researchers say they now understand the mechanism of action of amphotericin, an antifungal drug that has been in use for more than 50 years -- even though it is nearly as toxic to human cells as it is to the microbes it attacks.

Astronomers: 'Tilt-a-worlds' could harbor life Posted: 15 Apr 2014 12:37 PM PDT A fluctuating tilt in a planet's orbit does not preclude the possibility of life, according to new research. In fact, sometimes it may help. That's because such "tilt-a-worlds," as astronomers sometimes call them -- turned from their orbital plane by the influence of companion planets -- are less likely than fixed-spin planets to freeze over, as heat from their host star is more evenly distributed.

Pre-diabetes, diabetes nearly double over the past two decades Posted: 15 Apr 2014 12:37 PM PDT Cases of diabetes and pre-diabetes in the United States have nearly doubled since 1988, suggests new research, with obesity apparently to blame for the surge. The researchers also found that the burden of the disease has not hit all groups equally, with alarming increases in diabetes in blacks, Hispanics and the elderly.

SSRI use during pregnancy linked to autism and developmental delays in boys Posted: 15 Apr 2014 12:37 PM PDT In a study of nearly 1,000 mother-child pairs, researchers found that prenatal exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a frequently prescribed treatment for depression, anxiety and other disorders, was associated with autism spectrum disorder and developmental delays in boys.

Real-time audio of corporal punishment shows kids misbehave within 10 minutes of spanking Posted: 15 Apr 2014 11:40 AM PDT Real-time audio recordings of children being spanked showed parents responded impulsively or emotionally, rather than being intentional with their discipline, says a psychologist and parenting expert. Researchers discovered that spanking was more common than parents admit, that children were hit for trivial misdeeds, and that children misbehaved within 10 minutes of punishment.

Breaking bad mitochondria: How hepatitis C survives for so long Posted: 15 Apr 2014 11:39 AM PDT A mechanism has been discovered that explains why people with the hepatitis C virus get liver disease and why the virus is able to persist in the body for so long. The hard-to-kill pathogen, which infects an estimated 200 million people worldwide, attacks the liver cells' energy centers -- the mitochondria -- dismantling the cell's innate ability to fight infection. It does this by altering cells mitochondrial dynamics.

Kids' earliest memories might be earlier than they think Posted: 15 Apr 2014 11:27 AM PDT The very earliest childhood memories might begin even earlier than anyone realized -- including the one remembering, his or her parents and memory researchers. Four- to 13-year-olds in upstate New York and Newfoundland, Canada, probed their memories when researchers asked: "You know, some kids can remember things that happened to them when they were very little. What is the first thing you can remember? How old were you at that time?" The researchers then returned a year or two later to ask again about earliest memories -- and at what age the children were when the events occurred.

Cultivating happiness often misunderstood Posted: 15 Apr 2014 10:39 AM PDT The concept of maximizing happiness has been explored by researchers, who have found that pursuing concrete 'giving' goals rather than abstract ones leads to greater satisfaction. One path to happiness is through concrete, specific goals of benevolence -- like making someone smile or increasing recycling -- instead of following similar but more abstract goals -- like making someone happy or saving the environment.

Lifestyle determines gut microbes: Study with modern hunter-gatherers tells tale of bacteria co-evolution Posted: 15 Apr 2014 10:39 AM PDT The intestinal bacteria of present-day hunter-gatherers has for the first time been deciphered by an international team of researchers. Bacterial populations have co-evolved with humans over millions of years, and have the potential to help us adapt to new environments and foods. Studies of the Hadza offer an especially rare opportunity for scientists to learn how humans survive by hunting and gathering, in the same environment and using similar foods as our ancestors did.

How mothers help children explore right and wrong Posted: 15 Apr 2014 10:39 AM PDT Moms want their kids to grow up to be good people -- but how do they actually help their offspring sort out different types of moral issues? A new study shows many moms talk to their kids in ways that help them understand moral missteps. The study also shows that the nature of the maternal role develops along with the children, as parents evolve from gentle teachers for youngsters to sounding boards for teenagers.

Lens turns any smartphone into a portable microscope Posted: 15 Apr 2014 10:38 AM PDT The Micro Phone Lens can turn any smartphone or tablet computer into a hand-held microscope. The soft, pliable lens sticks to a device's camera without any adhesive or glue and makes it possible to see things magnified dozens of times on the screen.

Biologists develop nanosensors to visualize movements and distribution of plant stress hormone Posted: 15 Apr 2014 10:38 AM PDT Biologists have succeeded in visualizing the movement within plants of a key hormone responsible for growth and resistance to drought. The achievement will allow researchers to conduct further studies to determine how the hormone helps plants respond to drought and other environmental stresses driven by the continuing increase in the atmosphere's carbon dioxide, or CO2, concentration.

Gut capacity limits bird's ability to adapt to rapid climate change Posted: 15 Apr 2014 10:38 AM PDT An ornithologist has found that the capacity of a bird's gut to change with environmental conditions is a primary limiting factor in their ability to adapt to the rapidly changing climate. And he believes that most other animals are also limited in a similar way.

Tiger beetle's chase highlights mechanical law Posted: 15 Apr 2014 10:38 AM PDT If an insect drew a line as it chased its next meal, the resulting pattern would be a tangled mess. But there's method to that mess: It turns out the tiger beetle, known for its speed and agility, does an optimal reorientation dance as it chases its prey at blinding speeds.

Osteoporosis risk heightened among sleep apnea patients Posted: 15 Apr 2014 10:38 AM PDT A diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea may raise the risk of osteoporosis, particularly among women or older individuals, according to a new study. Sleep apnea is a condition that causes brief interruptions in breathing during sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea, the most common form, occurs when a person's airway becomes blocked during sleep. If sleep apnea goes untreated, it can raise the risk for stroke, cardiovascular disease and heart attacks.

Genetic pre-disposition toward exercise, mental development may be linked Posted: 15 Apr 2014 09:56 AM PDT A potential link between the genetic pre-disposition for high levels of exercise motivation and the speed at which mental maturation occurs has been found by researchers. These scientists studied the brains of the rats and found much higher levels of neural maturation in the brains of the active rats than in the brains of the lazy rats.

New method of screening children for autism spectrum disorders works at 9 months old Posted: 15 Apr 2014 09:55 AM PDT Researchers have identified head circumference and head tilting reflex as two reliable biomarkers in the identification of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in children that are between 9 and 12 months of age. ASD is identifiable as early as two years old, although most children are not identified until after the age of four. While a number of studies have reported that parents of children with ASD notice developmental problems in children before their first birthday, there has yet to be a screening tool to identify those children.

Targeting cancer with a triple threat: New nanoparticles can deliver three drugs at once Posted: 15 Apr 2014 09:55 AM PDT Chemists have designed nanoparticles that can deliver three cancer drugs at a time. Such particles could be designed to carry even more drugs, allowing researchers to develop new treatment regimens that could better kill cancer cells while avoiding the side effects of traditional chemotherapy. "We think it's the first example of a nanoparticle that carries a precise ratio of three drugs and can release those drugs in response to three distinct triggering mechanisms," says the lead researcher and author.

New method isolates immune cells to study how they ward off oral diseases Posted: 15 Apr 2014 09:53 AM PDT Dental researchers have found a less invasive way to extract single rare immune cells from the mouth to study how the mouth's natural defenses ward off infection and inflammation. By isolating some specialized immune cells (white blood cells known as "leukocytes") to study how they fight diseases in the mouth -- or reject foreign tissues, such as in failed organ transplants -- researchers hope to learn more about treating and preventing such health issues as oral cancers, cardiovascular disease, AIDS and other infectious diseases.

Bioarchaeologists link climate instability to human mobility in ancient Sahara Posted: 15 Apr 2014 09:53 AM PDT Researchers have uncovered clues to how past peoples moved across their landscape as the once lush environment deteriorated. Scientists sampled bone and teeth enamel, and used their chemical signatures to determine individuals' origins, as well as where they resided during the course of their lives. The results suggest that individuals chose different mobility strategies but that near the end of the lake area's occupation, as their environment dried out, Saharan peoples became more mobile.

Key to easy asthma diagnosis is in the blood Posted: 15 Apr 2014 09:53 AM PDT Using just a single drop of blood, a team of researchers has developed a faster, cheaper and more accurate tool for diagnosing even mild cases of asthma. This handheld technology — which takes advantage of a previously unknown correlation between asthmatic patients and the most abundant type of white blood cells in the body — means doctors could diagnose asthma even if their patients are not experiencing symptoms during their visit to the clinic.

Flaw in 'secure' cloud storage could put privacy at risk Posted: 15 Apr 2014 09:52 AM PDT Computer scientists have found a flaw in the way that secure cloud storage companies protect their customers' data. The scientists say this weakness jeopardizes the privacy protection these digital warehouses claim to offer. Whenever customers share their confidential files with a trusted friend or colleague, the researchers say, the storage provider could exploit the security flaw to secretly view this private data.

Regenerated esophagus transplanted in rats Posted: 15 Apr 2014 08:23 AM PDT Tissue engineering has been used to construct natural esophagi, which in combination with bone marrow stem cells have been safely and effectively transplanted in rats. The study shows that the transplanted organs remain patent and display regeneration of nerves, muscles, epithelial cells and blood vessels.

Sibling cooperation in earwig families provides clues to the early evolution of social behavior Posted: 15 Apr 2014 08:22 AM PDT Looking at the question of how social behavior has developed over the course of evolution, scientists have gained new insights from the study of earwigs. "Young earwig offspring don't simply compete for food. Rather the siblings share what is available amongst themselves, especially when the mother is absent," explained one of the researchers.

New insight into SIDS deaths points to lack of oxygen Posted: 15 Apr 2014 08:13 AM PDT Researchers have shed new light onto the possible causes of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), which could help to prevent future loss of children's lives. In a world-first study, researchers have found that telltale signs in the brains of babies that have died of SIDS are remarkably similar to those of children who died of accidental asphyxiation.

Vitamin D deficiency, cognition appear to be linked in older adults Posted: 15 Apr 2014 08:13 AM PDT A study that looks at Vitamin D deficiency and cognition relationship in older adults adds to the existing literature on the subject. "This study provides increasing evidence that suggests there is an association between low vitamin D levels and cognitive decline over time," said the lead author. "Although this study cannot establish a direct cause and effect relationship, it would have a huge public health implication if vitamin D supplementation could be shown to improve cognitive performance over time because deficiency is so common in the population."

Hair from infants gives clues about life in womb Posted: 15 Apr 2014 08:13 AM PDT Like rings of a tree, hair can reveal a lot of information about the past. And, as a team of researchers show in a study of rhesus monkeys, it can also reveal the womb environment in which an infant formed. It's the first time researchers have used infant hair to examine the hormonal environment to which the fetus was exposed during development and it promises to yield a wealth of new information. The findings have significant implications for several fields, from neonatology to psychology, social science to neurology.

Sensitive detection method may help impede illicit nuclear trafficking Posted: 15 Apr 2014 08:13 AM PDT According to a new study, coupling commercially available spectral X-ray detectors with a specialized algorithm can improve the detection of uranium and plutonium in small, layered objects such as baggage. This approach may provide a new tool to impede nuclear trafficking.

Whooping cough bacterium evolving in Australia, research shows Posted: 15 Apr 2014 06:44 AM PDT The bacterium that causes whooping cough, Bordetella pertussis, has changed in Australia -- most likely in response to the vaccine used to prevent the disease -- with a possible reduced effectiveness of the vaccine as a result. A team of researchers analyzed strains of Bordetella pertussis from across Australia and found that many strains no longer produce a key surface protein called pertactin.

Engineers develop new materials for hydrogen storage Posted: 15 Apr 2014 06:44 AM PDT Engineers have created new ceramic materials that could be used to store hydrogen safely and efficiently. The researchers have created for the first time compounds made from mixtures of calcium hexaboride, strontium and barium hexaboride. They also have demonstrated that the compounds could be manufactured using a simple, low-cost manufacturing method known as combustion synthesis.

Bizarre parasite may provide cuttlefish clues Posted: 15 Apr 2014 06:40 AM PDT New research into parasites of cuttlefish, squid and octopus has uncovered details of the parasites' astonishing life cycles, and shown how they may help in investigating populations of their hosts.

Outgoing behavior makes for happier humans: Across cultures, extroverts have more fun Posted: 15 Apr 2014 05:45 AM PDT Happy is as happy does, apparently -- for human beings all over the world. Not only does acting extroverted lead to more positive feelings across several cultures, but people also report more upbeat behavior when they feel free to be themselves.

MRI pinpoints region of brain injury in some concussion patients Posted: 15 Apr 2014 05:45 AM PDT Researchers using information provided by a magnetic resonance imaging technique have identified regional white matter damage in the brains of people who experience chronic dizziness and other symptoms after concussion. The findings suggest that information provided by MRI can speed the onset of effective treatments for concussion patients.

European climate at the 2 degrees Celsius global warming threshold Posted: 15 Apr 2014 05:44 AM PDT A global warming of 2 degrees Celsius relative to pre-industrial climate has been considered as a threshold which society should endeavor to remain below, in order to limit the dangerous effects of anthropogenic climate change.

New therapy helps to improve stereoscopic vision in stroke patients Posted: 15 Apr 2014 05:44 AM PDT Humans view the world through two eyes, but it is our brain that combines the images from each eye to form a single composite picture. If this function becomes damaged, impaired sight can be the result. Such loss of visual function can be observed in patients who have suffered a stroke or traumatic brain injury or when the oxygen supply to the brain has been reduced (cerebral hypoxia). Those affected by this condition experience blurred vision or can start to see double after only a short period of visual effort.

Scientists come up with method of reducing solar panel glare Posted: 15 Apr 2014 05:44 AM PDT The glare from solar farms could be a thing of the past, thanks to new research. Researchers have developed a multi-layer anti-reflection coating for glass surfaces, which reduces the sun's reflection from photovoltaic panels while at the same time improving their efficiency. It is applied using the same technology as that used for depositing anti-reflection coatings on eye glasses.

New design for mobile phone masts could cut carbon emissions Posted: 15 Apr 2014 05:44 AM PDT A breakthrough in the design of signal amplifiers for mobile phone masts could deliver a massive 200MW cut in the load on UK power stations, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by around 0.5 million tons a year.

Obesity: Are lipids hard drugs for the brain? Posted: 15 Apr 2014 05:42 AM PDT Why can we get up for a piece of chocolate, but never because we fancy a carrot? Research has demonstrated part of the answer: triglycerides, fatty substances from food, may act in our brains directly on the reward circuit, the same circuit that is involved in drug addiction. These results show a strong link in mice between fluctuations in triglyceride concentration and brain reward development. Identifying the action of nutritional lipids on motivation and the search for pleasure in dietary intake will help us better understand the causes of some compulsive behaviors and obesity.

Deforestation could intensify climate change in Congo Basin by half Posted: 15 Apr 2014 05:41 AM PDT By 2050, deforestation could cause temperatures in the Congo Basin to increase by 0.7 °C. The increase would intensify warming caused by greenhouse gases by half, according to a new study.

Exams in cold auditoriums? Better memory at ideal temperature Posted: 15 Apr 2014 05:41 AM PDT People's working memory functions better if they are working in an ambient temperature where they feel most comfortable. The conjecture is that working in one's preferred temperature counteracts 'ego depletion': sources of energy necessary to be able to carry out mental tasks get used up less quickly.

Intelligent prosthetic liners could ease pain for lower limb amputees Posted: 15 Apr 2014 05:41 AM PDT A new device could help to relieve the pain and discomfort experienced by thousands of amputees as a result of poorly fitting replacement lower limbs. Researchers are developing a prototype of the world's first prosthetic 'intelligent' liner with integrated pressure sensors, which could be available in as little as three years. The sensors for the device measure the pressure and pulling forces at the interface between a patient's stump and socket of their prosthesis. In excess these pressures in excess can cause tissue damage, leading to painful sores.

Nanocrystalline cellulose modified into efficient viral inhibitor Posted: 15 Apr 2014 05:41 AM PDT Researchers have succeeded in creating a surface on nano-sized cellulose crystals that imitates a biological structure. The surface adsorbs viruses and disables them. The results can prove useful in the development of antiviral ointments and surfaces, for instance. 'It would be possible to provide protection against viruses, spread by mosquitoes, by applying ointment containing nanocrystalline cellulose onto the skin. Nanocrystalline cellulose applied on hospital door handles could kill viruses and prevent them from spreading. However, we first need to ascertain if the compounds will remain effective in a non-liquid form and how they work in animal tests,' one researcher suggested.

Outcome of stroke worse for people with infection Posted: 15 Apr 2014 05:41 AM PDT Infection is bad news for all of us - but it can be really serious to people who have had a stroke. Evidence is mounting that infection makes things much worse after a stroke. The researchers show that rodents with pneumonia fared worse after having a stroke than those without the bacterial infection. This study builds on previous research demonstrating that an anti-inflammatory drug, called 'interleukin-1 receptor antagonist', could dramatically limit the amount of brain damage in experimental stroke.

Medieval slave trade routes in Eastern Europe extended from Finland and the Baltic Countries to Central Asia Posted: 15 Apr 2014 05:41 AM PDT The routes of slave trade in Eastern Europe in the medieval and pre-modern period extended all the way to the Caspian Sea and Central Asia. A recent study suggests that persons captured during raids into areas which today constitute parts of Finland, the Russian Karelia and the Baltic Countries ended up being sold on these remote trade routes.

Moth study suggests hidden climate change impacts Posted: 15 Apr 2014 05:39 AM PDT A 32-year study of subarctic forest moths in Finnish Lapland suggests that scientists may be underestimating the impacts of climate change on animals and plants because much of the harm is hidden from view. Researchers used advanced statistical techniques to examine the roles of different ecological forces affecting the moth populations and found that warmer temperatures and increased precipitation reduced the rates of population growth.

Experimental blood test spots recurrent breast cancers, monitors response to treatment Posted: 15 Apr 2014 05:39 AM PDT A blood test that accurately detects the presence of advanced breast cancer and also holds promise for precisely monitoring response to cancer treatment has been designed by researchers. The test, called the cMethDNA assay, accurately detected the presence of cancer DNA in the blood of patients with metastatic breast cancers up to 95 percent of the time in laboratory studies.

Fiber-optic microscope will help physicians detect cancer, diseases at early stages Posted: 15 Apr 2014 05:39 AM PDT An inexpensive, portable and re-usable endoscopic microscope has been developed that will help clinicians detect and diagnose early-stage disease, primarily cancer. An endoscopic microscope is a tool or technique that obtains histological images from inside the human body in real-time. Some clinicians consider it an optical biopsy.

Gene variant puts women at higher risk of Alzheimer's than it does men, study finds Posted: 14 Apr 2014 04:14 PM PDT Carrying a copy of a gene variant called ApoE4 confers a substantially greater risk for Alzheimer's disease on women than it does on men, according to a new study. The scientists arrived at their findings by analyzing data on large numbers of older individuals who were tracked over time and noting whether they had progressed from good health to mild cognitive impairment -- from which most move on to develop Alzheimer's disease within a few years -- or to Alzheimer's disease itself.

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