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ScienceDaily: Latest Science News New insight on potent HIV antibody could improve vaccine design Native California medicinal plant may hold promise for treating Alzheimer's The medium shapes the message: New communication technologies may bias historical record Zebra stripes are not good landing strips Complex structures' organization studied in slime mold Peer support, healing hands may curb prescription opioid misuse Establishing the molecular blueprint of early embryo development Correlated nucleons may solve 35-year-old mystery Massive database traces mammal organ development, cell by single cell Scientists identify genetic mechanism involved in how females inherit traits Researchers discover a flipping crab feeding on methane seeps Thermally-painted metasurfaces yield perfect light absorbers for high-tech applications Bat influenza viruses could infect humans Putting data privacy in the hands of users Nitisinone increases melanin in people with albinism Fossil fuel combustion is the main contributor to black carbon around Arctic Ingredients for water could be made on surface of moon, a chemical factory Genetic clues to high rates of asthma in those of African ancestry Vigorous exercise, fasting, hormones improve elimination of toxic, misfolded, unnecessary proteins in mouse and human cells Viruses that linger in gut could trigger type 1 diabetes A volcanic binge and its frosty hangover New therapeutic approach to combat African sleeping sickness Earth may be 140 years away from reaching carbon levels not seen in 56 million years As genetic data expand, researchers urge caution in how predictors of education outcomes are used Yea, team! Winning fans see self-esteem boost The 'blue' in blueberries can help lower blood pressure Can a nerve injury trigger ALS? Protecting small forests fails to protect bird biodiversity 'Butterfly-shaped' palladium subnano cluster built in 3-D Did you get it? I can see it in your eyes Plants: How cell walls are assembled Cocktail of common antibiotics can fight resistant E. coli Water is more homogeneous than expected New insight into river flows and sediment transport under ice cover Superconduction: Why does it have to be so cold? Melanoma brain metastases are immunosuppressive with treatment-resistant metabolism Physicists 'flash-freeze' crystal of 150 ions Developmental changes resulted in changes to crocodile snouts Genetic blueprint for extraordinary wood-munching fungus Activating tooth regeneration in mice Cold-temperature variability important in evaluating climate change Researchers define cells used in bone repair An intricate interaction: Dietary fatty acid intake influences hypertension risk Young bone marrow rejuvenates aging mouse brains Foreign bees monopolize prize resources in biodiversity hotspot Steep rise in self-poisonings in children and adolescents Extinguishing fear memories relies on an unusual change to DNA The holy grail of nanowire production Drug 'librarian' discovers new compound that may thwart common surgery complication Powering a pacemaker with a patient's heartbeat Keeping heavy metals out of beer and wine Combining morning exercise with short walking breaks helps control blood pressure Fibers from old tires can improve fire resistance of concrete New compound could help treat ovarian cancer Young children may see nationality as biological Interacting with more people is shown to keep older adults more active Tinier and less power-hungry quantum atomic clock push toward intelligent IoT Computer simulators show how to reduce damage to lungs of children in intensive care Scientists solve mystery of a fish called Mary's 'virgin' birth Peering inside the mind of the worm for clues on how memories form New insight on potent HIV antibody could improve vaccine design Posted: 20 Feb 2019 02:41 PM PST A new observation highlights the importance of previously unstudied mutations that arises early in bnAbs, giving the antibodies the flexibility to adapt to changes in the virus's outer envelope protein structure. This flexibility enables the antibody to dock on diverse strains of the virus and more potently neutralize them. Native California medicinal plant may hold promise for treating Alzheimer's Posted: 20 Feb 2019 02:41 PM PST The medicinal powers of aspirin, digitalis, and the anti-malarial artemisinin all come from plants. A discovery of a potent neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory chemical in a native California shrub may lead to a treatment for Alzheimer's disease based on a compound found in nature. The medium shapes the message: New communication technologies may bias historical record Posted: 20 Feb 2019 11:50 AM PST The introduction of communication technologies appears to bias historical records in the direction of the content best suited for each technology, according to a new study. Zebra stripes are not good landing strips Posted: 20 Feb 2019 11:50 AM PST The stripes of a zebra deter horse flies from landing on them, according to a new study. Complex structures' organization studied in slime mold Posted: 20 Feb 2019 11:50 AM PST Researchers in Japan think they have found an answer to the fundamental biological question of how individual cells know which way to position themselves within a complex, multicellular body. Depending on a cell's purpose in the larger structure, contact or diffuse chemical signals direct it to its final destination. Peer support, healing hands may curb prescription opioid misuse Posted: 20 Feb 2019 10:36 AM PST A program offering group support, acupuncture, mindfulness, massage and gentle exercise may help prevent patients on prescription opioids from spiraling down to drug misuse, overdose and death, according to a new study. Establishing the molecular blueprint of early embryo development Posted: 20 Feb 2019 10:36 AM PST A team of biologists, physicists and mathematical modellers have studied the genetic activity of over 100,000 embryonic cells to establish the molecular blueprint of mouse early embryo development. This new research provides fundamentally important information on how mammalian embryos develop during gastrulation, a key stage of development, and paves the way for new understanding of the earliest stages of life. Correlated nucleons may solve 35-year-old mystery Posted: 20 Feb 2019 10:36 AM PST A careful re-analysis of data taken as revealed a possible link between correlated protons and neutrons in the nucleus and a 35-year-old mystery. The data have led to the extraction of a universal function that describes the EMC Effect, the once-shocking discovery that quarks inside nuclei have lower average momenta than predicted, and supports an explanation for the effect. Massive database traces mammal organ development, cell by single cell Posted: 20 Feb 2019 10:36 AM PST A new study has traced an important period of organ formation, cell by cell, in the developing mouse. The study is by far the largest dataset of its kind to date. Scientists identify genetic mechanism involved in how females inherit traits Posted: 20 Feb 2019 10:36 AM PST Female cells randomly and permanently shut off one of the X chromosomes during embryonic development through a process called X chromosome inactivation, or XCI. Just how XCI occurs has remained unclear -- until now. New research performed on mouse female embryonic stem cells traces the origin of XCI to an RNA splicing mechanism. Researchers discover a flipping crab feeding on methane seeps Posted: 20 Feb 2019 10:35 AM PST Researchers have documented a group of tanner crabs vigorously feeding at a methane seep on the seafloor off British Columbia -- one of the first times a commercially harvested species has been seen using this energy source. Thermally-painted metasurfaces yield perfect light absorbers for high-tech applications Posted: 20 Feb 2019 10:35 AM PST Researchers report their insights into how colors are generated on heated metal surfaces and apply those findings to create a nickel thin-film that perfectly absorbs red light. Bat influenza viruses could infect humans Posted: 20 Feb 2019 10:35 AM PST Bats don't only carry the deadly Ebola virus, but are also a reservoir for a new type of influenza virus. These newly discovered flu viruses could potentially also attack the cells of humans and livestock, researchers have now shown. Putting data privacy in the hands of users Posted: 20 Feb 2019 10:35 AM PST Researchers have developed Riverbed, a platform that ensures web and mobile apps using distributed computing in data centers adhere to users' preferences on how their data are shared and stored in the cloud. Nitisinone increases melanin in people with albinism Posted: 20 Feb 2019 09:19 AM PST A small pilot clinical study suggests that the drug nitisinone increases melanin production in some people with oculocutaneous albinism type 1B (OCA-1B), a rare genetic disease that causes pale skin and hair and poor vision. Increased melanin could help protect people with the condition against the sun's UV rays and promote the development of normal vision. Fossil fuel combustion is the main contributor to black carbon around Arctic Posted: 20 Feb 2019 09:19 AM PST Fossil fuel combustion is the main contributor to black carbon collected at five sites around the Arctic, which has implications for global warming, according to a new study. Ingredients for water could be made on surface of moon, a chemical factory Posted: 20 Feb 2019 09:19 AM PST When a stream of charged particles known as the solar wind careens onto the moon's surface at 450 kilometers per second (or nearly 1 million miles per hour), they enrich the moon's surface in ingredients that could make water, scientists have found. Genetic clues to high rates of asthma in those of African ancestry Posted: 20 Feb 2019 09:19 AM PST In the largest study of its kind, researchers have found new clues into the parts of the human genome associated with the higher rates of asthma in those of African ancestry. Vigorous exercise, fasting, hormones improve elimination of toxic, misfolded, unnecessary proteins in mouse and human cells Posted: 20 Feb 2019 09:19 AM PST A new study shows vigorous exercise and fasting improve the ability of human and mouse cells to remove misfolded, toxic, unnecessary proteins. The findings reveal a previously unknown mechanism that activates the cells' protein-disposal machinery, allowing them to adapt their protein content to shifting demands and new conditions. Viruses that linger in gut could trigger type 1 diabetes Posted: 20 Feb 2019 08:37 AM PST Researchers provide new evidence supporting an association between elevated levels of enteroviruses in the intestinal tracts of children and islet autoimmunity, a precursor to type 1 diabetes. A volcanic binge and its frosty hangover Posted: 20 Feb 2019 08:22 AM PST A major volcanic event could have triggered one of the largest glaciations in Earth's history -- the Gaskiers glaciation, which turned the Earth into a giant snowball approximately 580 million years ago. Researchers have discovered remnants of such a large igneous province that resulted from vast lava flows. New therapeutic approach to combat African sleeping sickness Posted: 20 Feb 2019 08:22 AM PST Scientists working in a range of disciplines joined forces to identify a new approach to combat African sleeping sickness. Fundamental research has revealed a promising strategy to develop a suitable agent. Earth may be 140 years away from reaching carbon levels not seen in 56 million years Posted: 20 Feb 2019 08:22 AM PST Total human carbon dioxide emissions could match those of Earth's last major greenhouse warming event in fewer than five generations, new research finds. A new study finds humans are pumping carbon dioxide into the atmosphere at a rate nine to 10 times higher than the greenhouse gas was emitted during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), a global warming event that occurred roughly 56 million years ago. As genetic data expand, researchers urge caution in how predictors of education outcomes are used Posted: 20 Feb 2019 08:22 AM PST Authors of a new review article warn that as the predictive power of genes tied to learning and educational outcomes increases and access to genetic data expands, researchers, educators, and policymakers must be cautious in how they use such data, interpret related findings, and, in the not-too-distant future, apply genetics-informed student interventions. Yea, team! Winning fans see self-esteem boost Posted: 20 Feb 2019 08:22 AM PST Fans of a college football team that wins a big game could experience a boost in self-esteem that lasts at least two days after the event, a new study suggests. The 'blue' in blueberries can help lower blood pressure Posted: 20 Feb 2019 08:22 AM PST A new study has found that eating 200g of blueberries every day for a month can lead to an improvement in blood vessel function and a decrease in systolic blood pressure in healthy people. Can a nerve injury trigger ALS? Posted: 20 Feb 2019 08:22 AM PST Researchers have demonstrated that a peripheral nerve injury can trigger the onset and spread of the disease in an animal model of ALS. Protecting small forests fails to protect bird biodiversity Posted: 20 Feb 2019 08:22 AM PST Simply protecting small forests will not maintain the diversity of the birds they support over the long run, a new study says. Forests need to be carefully monitored and managed to maintain their ecological integrity. 'Butterfly-shaped' palladium subnano cluster built in 3-D Posted: 20 Feb 2019 07:34 AM PST Scientists have produced a 3-D cluster molecule based on palladium. First, they created a 'butterfly-shaped' Pd4 framework, using an organosilicon compounds bearing the aromatic substitutents as both template and support for the palladium atoms. Then, using another template, they connected two butterfly-shaped Pd4 skeleton, via chlorine, into a Pd6 cluster based on edge-sharing tetrahedra. This strategy using organosilicons to design customized subnano-architectures may enable design of a range of functional materials and catalysts. Did you get it? I can see it in your eyes Posted: 20 Feb 2019 07:34 AM PST Small involuntary eye movements, independent of any response, can be used to determine whether one has successfully learned. This finding opens new possibilities in understanding the process of learning in populations that are less responsive to external events, such young children, or individuals with certain mental or physical conditions. Plants: How cell walls are assembled Posted: 20 Feb 2019 07:34 AM PST Plant researchers are providing new insights into basic cell division in plants. The scientists have succeeded in understanding how processes are coordinated that are pivotal in properly separating daughter cells during cell division. They describe the tasks of certain membrane building blocks and how plants are impacted when these building blocks are disrupted. Cocktail of common antibiotics can fight resistant E. coli Posted: 20 Feb 2019 07:34 AM PST Scientists have discovered that a combination of two common antibiotics is able to eliminate multi-drug resistant E. coli causing urinary tract infections. This combination treatment could become an effective measure against clinically relevant antibiotic resistant urinary tract infections. Water is more homogeneous than expected Posted: 20 Feb 2019 07:34 AM PST In order to explain the known anomalies in water, some researchers assume that water consists of a mixture of two phases even under ambient conditions. However, new X-ray spectroscopic analyses show that this is not the case. At room temperature and normal pressure, the water molecules form a fluctuating network with an average of 1.74 ± 2.1 percent donor and acceptor hydrogen bridge bonds per molecule each, allowing tetrahedral coordination between close neighbors. New insight into river flows and sediment transport under ice cover Posted: 20 Feb 2019 07:34 AM PST The ice-covered season plays an important role in the development of river channels, a new study shows. The spatial variability of sediment transport and differences in depositional and erosional locations increase in ice-covered conditions. Superconduction: Why does it have to be so cold? Posted: 20 Feb 2019 07:34 AM PST Currently, there is no precise computation method to describe superconducting materials. Scientists have now made a major advance towards achieving this goal and, at the same time, has furthered an understanding of why conventional materials only become superconducting at around -200°C. Melanoma brain metastases are immunosuppressive with treatment-resistant metabolism Posted: 20 Feb 2019 07:34 AM PST Melanoma tumors that have spread to the brain are equipped to thwart immunotherapies and targeted therapies that succeed against tumors growing in other sites. Researchers report that the heavy reliance of these tumors on a specific metabolic pathway presents a potentially new therapeutic against these lethal tumors. Physicists 'flash-freeze' crystal of 150 ions Posted: 20 Feb 2019 07:34 AM PST Physicists have 'flash-frozen' a flat crystal of 150 beryllium ions (electrically charged atoms), opening new possibilities for simulating magnetism at the quantum scale and sensing signals from mysterious dark matter. Developmental changes resulted in changes to crocodile snouts Posted: 20 Feb 2019 07:34 AM PST Despite often being portrayed as creatures that have remained virtually unchanged for millions of years, a new Harvard study shows crocodiles have repeatedly altered their developmental patterns, leading to much of the diversity found in modern, living crocodiles. Genetic blueprint for extraordinary wood-munching fungus Posted: 20 Feb 2019 07:33 AM PST The first time someone took note of Coniochaeta pulveracea was more than two hundred years ago, when the South African-born mycologist Dr Christiaan Hendrik Persoon mentioned it in his 1797 book on the classification of fungi. Now C. pulveracea has had its whole genome sequenced by microbiologists. All because this relatively unknown fungus has an extraordinary ability to degrade wood -- hence the descriptor 'pulveracea', meaning powdery. Activating tooth regeneration in mice Posted: 20 Feb 2019 07:33 AM PST Most reptiles and fish have multiple sets of teeth during their lifetime. However, most mammals, such as humans, have only one set of replacement teeth and some mammals, like mice, have only a single set with no replacement. This diversity raises both evolutionary questions -- how did different tooth replacement strategies evolve? -- and developmental ones -- which mechanisms prevent replacement teeth in animals that lost them? Cold-temperature variability important in evaluating climate change Posted: 20 Feb 2019 07:33 AM PST New research highlights the importance of considering cold temperature variability, and not just warming temperatures, when evaluating the impact of climate change. Researchers define cells used in bone repair Posted: 20 Feb 2019 07:33 AM PST Research has uncovered the roles of two types of cells found in the vessel walls of fat tissue and described how these cells may help speed bone repair. An intricate interaction: Dietary fatty acid intake influences hypertension risk Posted: 20 Feb 2019 07:33 AM PST Hypertension is an important public health problem that can lead to life-threatening cardiovascular events, including heart attack and stroke. Here, the relationship between dietary intake of n-6 fatty acids and hypertension, using blood pressure measurement and a diet history questionnaire. A research team found that increased dietary intake of n-6 fatty acids positively impacted hypertension, but that this benefit was limited to individuals without impaired glucose tolerance. Young bone marrow rejuvenates aging mouse brains Posted: 20 Feb 2019 07:33 AM PST A new study has found that transplanting the bone marrow of young laboratory mice into old mice prevented cognitive decline in the old mice, preserving their memory and learning abilities. The findings support an emerging model that attributes cognitive decline, in part, to aging of blood cells, which are produced in bone marrow. Foreign bees monopolize prize resources in biodiversity hotspot Posted: 20 Feb 2019 07:33 AM PST New research revealed that foreign honey bees often account for more than 90 percent of pollinators observed visiting flowers in San Diego, considered a global biodiversity hotspot. The non-native bees have established robust feral populations and currently make up 75 percent of the region's observed pollinators. Their monopoly over the most abundantly blooming plant species may strongly affect the ecology and evolution of species that are foundational to the stability of the region's plant-pollinator interactions. Steep rise in self-poisonings in children and adolescents Posted: 20 Feb 2019 07:33 AM PST Self-harm from self-poisoning in children and adolescents is not only increasing but starting at a younger age, finds new research. The study found there were more than 33,500 self-poisonings in young people in Australia from 2006 - 2016, with a 98 per cent increase over this time. Extinguishing fear memories relies on an unusual change to DNA Posted: 20 Feb 2019 07:33 AM PST Researchers have discovered a DNA modification that enhances our ability to extinguish fear. The findings could help guide the development of new treatments for fear-related anxiety disorders. Professor Timothy Bredy of UQ's Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) said while fear is an important survival mechanism which uses cues in the environment to prompt certain responses, so too is the ability to inhibit fear when it's no longer needed. The holy grail of nanowire production Posted: 20 Feb 2019 07:33 AM PST Researchers have found a way to control and standardize the production of nanowires on silicon surfaces. This discovery could make it possible to grow nanowires on electronic platforms, with potential applications including the integration of nanolasers into electronic chips and improved energy conversion in solar panels. Drug 'librarian' discovers new compound that may thwart common surgery complication Posted: 20 Feb 2019 05:26 AM PST In a strategic search, scientists created and screened a library of 45,000 new compounds containing chemical elements of widely used immune system suppressants, and say they found one that may prevent reperfusion injury, a tissue-damaging and common complication of surgery, heart attack and stroke. Powering a pacemaker with a patient's heartbeat Posted: 20 Feb 2019 05:26 AM PST Implantable pacemakers have without doubt altered modern medicine, saving countless lives by regulating heart rhythm. But they have one serious shortcoming: Their batteries last only five to 12 years, at which point they have to be replaced surgically. Now, researchers have surmounted this issue by designing a pacemaker powered by the energy of heartbeats. The device was successfully tested in pigs, which have a similar physiology to humans. Keeping heavy metals out of beer and wine Posted: 20 Feb 2019 05:25 AM PST Researchers report that a material often used as a filter in the production of alcoholic beverages could be transferring heavy metals such as arsenic to beer and wine. They also found ways to possibly limit this contamination. Combining morning exercise with short walking breaks helps control blood pressure Posted: 20 Feb 2019 04:46 AM PST Treadmill walking for 30 minutes in the morning lowered average blood pressure over an eight-hour day among older, overweight or obese men and women. Women who are overweight or obese enhanced the beneficial effects of morning exercise to reduce blood pressure by adding three-minute breaks from sitting every half hour throughout the day. Fibers from old tires can improve fire resistance of concrete Posted: 20 Feb 2019 04:46 AM PST A new way of protecting concrete from fire damage using materials recycled from old tires has been successfully tested. New compound could help treat ovarian cancer Posted: 20 Feb 2019 04:46 AM PST Scientists have discovered a compound that could be more effective in treating certain cancers than standard chemotherapy. Young children may see nationality as biological Posted: 20 Feb 2019 04:46 AM PST Young children see national identity, in part, as biological in nature, a perception that diminishes as they get older. But despite changes in views of nationality as we age, the work suggests the intriguing possibility that the roots of nationalist sentiments are established early in life. Interacting with more people is shown to keep older adults more active Posted: 20 Feb 2019 04:46 AM PST Researchers have found that older adults who spend more time interacting with a wide range of people were more likely to be physically active and had greater emotional well-being. Tinier and less power-hungry quantum atomic clock push toward intelligent IoT Posted: 20 Feb 2019 04:46 AM PST Scientists have developed an ultra-low-power atomic clock (ULPAC) for small satellites to enable future communication systems beyond 5G. The proposed device outperforms the current industry standards in various benchmarks, such as size, stability, and power consumption. Computer simulators show how to reduce damage to lungs of children in intensive care Posted: 20 Feb 2019 04:46 AM PST Changing the ventilation settings for children on life support can reduce the risk of damage to their lungs, researchers have found on computer simulated patients. Scientists solve mystery of a fish called Mary's 'virgin' birth Posted: 20 Feb 2019 04:45 AM PST A female stickleback fish, nick-named 'Mary,' has produced offspring from eggs that appear to have been fertilized while they were still inside her, according to scientists. Peering inside the mind of the worm for clues on how memories form Posted: 20 Feb 2019 04:45 AM PST A new study lays the ground for uncovering the molecular basis of memory blocking that has baffled scientists for decades