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Thursday, August 28, 2014

ScienceDaily: Top News

ScienceDaily: Top News


Water 'thermostat' could help engineer drought-resistant crops

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 12:17 PM PDT

A gene that could help engineer drought-resistant crops has been identified by researchers. The gene, called OSCA1, encodes a protein in the cell membrane of plants that senses changes in water availability and adjusts the plant's water conservation machinery accordingly. The findings could make it easier to feed the world's growing population in the face of climate change.

First study of brain activation in MS using fNIRS

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 12:17 PM PDT

Using functional near infrared spectroscopy, researchers showed differential brain activation patterns between people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and healthy controls. This is first MS study to examine brain activation using fNIRS during a cognitive task.

Encyclopedia of how genomes function gets much bigger

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 12:17 PM PDT

A big step in understanding the mysteries of the human genome has been unveiled in the form of three analyses that provide the most detailed comparison yet of how the genomes of the fruit fly, roundworm, and human function. The analyses will likely offer insights into how the information in the human genome regulates development, and how it is responsible for diseases.

Junk food makes rats lose appetite for balanced diet

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 12:17 PM PDT

A diet of junk food not only makes rats fat, but also reduces their appetite for novel foods, a preference that normally drives them to seek a balanced diet, reports a study. "The interesting thing about this finding is that if the same thing happens in humans, eating junk food may change our responses to signals associated with food rewards," says an author. "It's like you've just had ice cream for lunch, yet you still go and eat more when you hear the ice cream van come by."

Rubber meets the road with new carbon, battery technologies

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 12:16 PM PDT

Recycled tires could see new life in lithium-ion batteries that provide power to plug-in electric vehicles and store energy produced by wind and solar, say researchers. By modifying the microstructural characteristics of carbon black, a substance recovered from discarded tires, a team is developing a better anode for lithium-ion batteries.

Stop and listen: Study shows how movement affects hearing

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 11:17 AM PDT

When we want to listen carefully to someone, the first thing we do is stop talking. The second thing we do is stop moving altogether. The interplay between movement and hearing has a counterpart deep in the brain. A new study used optogenetics to reveal exactly how the motor cortex, which controls movement, can tweak the volume control in the auditory cortex, which interprets sound.

Self-deceived individuals deceive others better

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 11:16 AM PDT

Over-confident people can fool others into believing they are more talented than they actually are, a study has found. These 'self-deceived' individuals could be more likely to get promotions and reach influential positions in banks and other organizations. And these people are more likely to overestimate other people's abilities and take greater risks, possibly creating problems for their organizations.

Stone-tipped spears lethal, may indicate early cognitive and social skills

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 11:16 AM PDT

Attaching a stone tip on to a wooden spear shaft was a significant innovation for early modern humans living around 500,000 years ago. However, it was also a costly behavior in terms of time and effort to collect, prepare and assemble the spear. Researchers conducted controlled experiments to learn if there was a 'wounding' advantage between using a wooden spear or a stone-tipped spear.

Bronze age wine cellar found: Wine residue, herbal additives found in palace cellar jars

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 11:15 AM PDT

A Bronze Age palace excavation reveals an ancient wine cellar. Wine production, distribution, and consumption are thought to have played a role in the lives of those living in the Mediterranean and Near East during the Middle Bronze Age (1900-1600 BC), but little archaeological evidence about Bronze Age wine is available to support art and documentation about the role wine played during this period.

Wolves susceptible to yawn contagion: Social bonds may increase yawning contagion between wolves

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 11:15 AM PDT

Wolves may be susceptible to yawn contagion, according to a new study. Researchers suggest that contagious yawning may be linked to human capacity for empathy, but little evidence apart from studies on primates, exists that links contagious yawning to empathy in other animals. Recently, researchers have documented domestic dogs demonstrating contagious yawning when exposed to human yawns in a scientific setting, but it is unclear whether this phenomenon is rooted in the evolutionary history of mammals, or has evolved in dogs as a result of domestication.

More wolf spiders feasting on American toads due to invasive grass, study shows

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 10:18 AM PDT

An invasive grass species frequently found in forests has created a thriving habitat for wolf spiders, who then feed on American toads, a new study has found. Japanese stiltgrass, which was accidentally introduced to the US in the early 1900s, is one of the most pervasive invasive species. Typically found along roads and in forests, it has been found to impact native plant species, invertebrate populations and soil nutrients.

emotional association of memories changed by researchers

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 10:18 AM PDT

By manipulating neural circuits in the brain of mice, scientists have altered the emotional associations of specific memories. The research reveals that the connections between the part of the brain that stores contextual information about an experience and the part of the brain that stores the emotional memory of that experience are malleable.

Marijuana compound may offer treatment for Alzheimer's disease

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 10:18 AM PDT

Extremely low levels of the compound in marijuana known as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, may slow or halt the progression of Alzheimer's disease, a recent study from neuroscientists shows.

More accurate Twitter analysis tools developed

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 10:17 AM PDT

'Trending' topics on Twitter show the quantity of tweets associated with a specific event but trends only show the highest volume keywords and hashtags, and may not give information about the tweets themselves. Now, using data associated with the Super Bowl and World Series, researchers have developed and validated a software program that analyzes event-based tweets and measures the context of tweets rather than just the quantity.

Snowfall in a warmer world

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 10:17 AM PDT

Big snowstorms will still occur in the Northern Hemisphere following global warming, a study shows. While most areas in the Northern Hemisphere will likely experience less snowfall throughout a season, the study concludes that extreme snow events will still occur, even in a future with significant warming.

Shared biology in human, fly and worm genomes: Powerful commonalities in biological activity, regulation

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 10:17 AM PDT

Researchers analyzing human, fly, and worm genomes have found that these species have a number of key genomic processes in common, reflecting their shared ancestry. The findings offer insights into embryonic development, gene regulation and other biological processes vital to understanding human biology and disease.

Breaking benzene selectively, at relatively mild temperatures

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 10:17 AM PDT

Scientists have demonstrated a way to use a metallic complex, trinuclear titanium hydride, to accomplish the task of activating benzene by breaking the aromatic carbon-carbon bonds at relatively mild temperatures and in a highly selective way.

Neuroscientists reverse memories' emotional associations: Brain circuit that links feelings to memories manipulated

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 10:16 AM PDT

Most memories have some kind of emotion associated with them: Recalling the week you just spent at the beach probably makes you feel happy, while reflecting on being bullied provokes more negative feelings. A new study from neuroscientists reveals the brain circuit that controls how memories become linked with positive or negative emotions.

Evolution used similar molecular toolkits to shape flies, worms, and humans

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 10:16 AM PDT

Although separated by hundreds of millions of years of evolution, flies, worms, and humans share ancient patterns of gene expression, according to a massive analysis of genomic data. Two related studies tell a similar story: even though humans, worms, and flies bear little obvious similarity to each other, evolution used remarkably similar molecular toolkits to shape them.

Detecting neutrinos, physicists look into the heart of the sun

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 10:16 AM PDT

Using one of the most sensitive neutrino detectors on the planet, physicists have directly detected neutrinos created by the 'keystone' proton-proton fusion process going on at the sun's core for the first time.

Flexing the brain: Why learning tasks can be difficult

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 10:16 AM PDT

Learning a new skill is easier when it is related to an ability we already have. For example, a trained pianist can learn a new melody easier than learning how to hit a tennis serve. Scientists have discovered a fundamental constraint in the brain that may explain why this happens.

Red Planet's Climate History uncovered in Unique Meteorite

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 10:15 AM PDT

Was Mars — now a cold, dry place — once a warm, wet planet that sustained life? Research underway may one day answer those questions — and perhaps even help pave the way for future colonization of the Red Planet. By analyzing the chemical clues locked inside an ancient Martian meteorite known as Black Beauty, scientists are revealing the story of Mars' ancient, and sometimes startling, climate history.

Early growth of giant galaxy, just 3 billion years after the Big Bang, revealed

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 10:15 AM PDT

The birth of massive galaxies, according to galaxy formation theories, begins with the buildup of a dense, compact core that is ablaze with the glow of millions of newly formed stars. Evidence of this early construction phase, however, has eluded astronomers — until now. Astronomers identified a dense galactic core, dubbed "Sparky," using a combination of data from several space telescopes. Hubble photographed the emerging galaxy as it looked 11 billion years ago, just 3 billion years after the birth of our universe in the big bang.

Walking fish reveal how our ancestors evolved onto land

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 10:15 AM PDT

About 400 million years ago a group of fish began exploring land and evolved into tetrapods – today's amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. But just how these ancient fish used their fishy bodies and fins in a terrestrial environment and what evolutionary processes were at play remain scientific mysteries.

Educated consumers more likely to use potentially unreliable online healthcare information

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 09:26 AM PDT

Consumers are increasingly turning to forums, video-sharing sites, and peer support groups to gather anecdotal health-care information and advice, which may distract them from more reliable and trustworthy sources. New research studies the characteristics of consumers who use the Internet to collect health-care information.

Parents, listen next time your baby babbles

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 09:26 AM PDT

Parents who try to understand their baby's babbling let their infants know they can communicate, which leads to children forming complex sounds and using language more quickly. The study's results showed infants whose mothers attended more closely to their babbling vocalized more complex sounds and develop language skills sooner.

Impact of cultural diversity in brain injury research

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 09:26 AM PDT

The implications for cultural diversity and cultural competence in brain injury research and rehabilitation has been the focus of recent study. Risk for brain injury is higher among minorities, as is the likelihood for poorer outcomes. More research is needed to reduce health disparities and improve outcomes among minorities with brain injury, experts say.

'Junk' blood tests may offer life-saving information

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 09:26 AM PDT

Thirty percent of all positive hospital blood culture samples are discarded every day because they reflect the presence of skin germs instead of specific disease-causing bacteria. Now research demonstrates that rather than toss these samples into the trash, clinicians may be able to use the resistance profiles of skin bacteria to treat patients with antibiotics appropriate to their ailment.

Yellowstone supereruption would send ash across North America

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 09:26 AM PDT

In the unlikely event of a volcanic supereruption at Yellowstone National Park, the northern Rocky Mountains would be blanketed in meters of ash, and millimeters would be deposited as far away as New York City, Los Angeles and Miami, according to a new study.

New smartphone app can detect newborn jaundice in minutes

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 09:25 AM PDT

Engineers and physicians have developed a smartphone application that checks for jaundice in newborns and can deliver results to parents and pediatricians within minutes. Skin that turns yellow can be a sure sign that a newborn is jaundiced and isn't adequately eliminating the chemical bilirubin. But that discoloration is sometimes hard to see, and severe jaundice left untreated can harm a baby.

Materials Other Than Silicon for Next Generation Electronic Devices

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 09:25 AM PDT

Silicon has been the most successful material of the 20th century, with major global industries and even a valley named after it. But silicon may be running out of steam for high performance/low power electronics. As silicon strains against the physical limits of performance, could a material like InGaAs provide enough of an improvement over silicon that it would be worth the expense in new equipment lines and training to make the switch worthwhile?

Southwest U. S. may face 'megadrought' this century

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 09:25 AM PDT

Due to global warming, scientists say, the chances of the southwestern United States experiencing a decade long drought is at least 50 percent, and the chances of a "megadrought" – one that lasts over 30 years – ranges from 20 to 50 percent over the next century.

Group identity emphasized more by those who just make the cut

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 08:21 AM PDT

People and institutions who are marginal members of a high-status or well-esteemed group tend to emphasize their group membership more than those who are squarely entrenched members of the group, according to new research.

Promising new cancer therapy uses molecular 'Trash Man' to exploit a common cancer defense

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 08:21 AM PDT

While many scientists are trying to prevent the onset of a cancer defense mechanism known as autophagy, other researchers are leveraging it in a new therapy that causes the process to culminate in cell death rather than survival.

NOAA's Marine Debris Program reports on national issue of derelict fishing traps

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 08:19 AM PDT

Thousands of fishing traps are lost or abandoned each year in US waters. A new NOAA report is the first of its kind to examine the derelict fish trap problem, nationally, and recommends actions to better manage and prevent it.

Pacific plate shrinking as it cools

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 08:19 AM PDT

The Pacific tectonic plate is not as rigid as scientists believe, according to new calculations. Scientists have determined that cooling of the lithosphere -- the outermost layer of Earth -- makes some sections of the Pacific plate contract horizontally at faster rates than others and cause the plate to deform.

Paleontologists describe a possible dinosaur nest and young 'babysitter'

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 08:19 AM PDT

A new examination of a rock slab containing fossils of 24 very young dinosaurs and one older individual is suggestive of a group of hatchlings overseen by a caretaker, according to a new study.

Common anemia: Drug represents first potential treatment

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 08:19 AM PDT

An experimental drug designed to help regulate the blood's iron supply shows promise as a viable first treatment for anemia of inflammation, according to results from the first human study of the treatment. Anemia is a condition that occurs when red blood cells are in short supply or do not function properly. When an individual has anemia, the body does not get enough oxygen, since there are fewer red blood cells to carry the iron-rich protein hemoglobin that helps distribute oxygen throughout the body.

Greenhouse gases: New group of soil micro-organisms can contribute to their elimination

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 08:18 AM PDT

The ability of soils to eliminate N2O can mainly be explained by the diversity and abundance of a new group of micro-organisms that are capable of transforming it into atmospheric nitrogen (N2).

Orion rocks! Pebble-size particles may jump-start planet formation

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 08:18 AM PDT

Astronomers have discovered that filaments of star-forming gas near the Orion Nebula may be brimming with pebble-size particles -- planetary building blocks 100 to 1,000 times larger than the dust grains typically found around protostars.

Marching in unison may increase risk of use of excessive force in policing protests

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 07:14 AM PDT

What if the simple act of marching in unison -- as riot police commonly do -- increases the likelihood that law enforcement will use excessive force in policing protests? That's the suggestion of a new study that examined the judgments of men who were asked to walk in step with other men.

Why Listeria bacterium is so hard to fight

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 07:02 AM PDT

The harmful and potentially deadly bacterium Listeria is extremely good at adapting to changes. Now research uncovers exactly how cunning Listeria is and why it is so hard to fight. The discovery can help develop more efficient ways to combat the bacteria.

Measurement at Big Bang conditions confirms lithium problem

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 07:02 AM PDT

The field of astrophysics has a stubborn problem and it's called lithium. The quantities of lithium predicted to have resulted from the Big Bang are not actually present in stars. But the calculations are correct -- a fact which has now been confirmed for the first time.

Leading scientists call for a stop to non-essential use of fluorochemicals

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 07:02 AM PDT

A number of leading international researchers recommend that fluorochemicals are only used where they are absolutely essential, until better methods exist to measure the chemicals and more is known about their potentially harmful effects. Fluorochemicals are synthetically produced chemicals, which repel water and oil and are persistent towards aggressive physical and chemical conditions in industrial processing. These characteristics have made the fluorochemicals useful in numerous processes and products, such as coatings for food paper and board.

Fighting prostate cancer with tomato-rich diet

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 07:02 AM PDT

Men who eat over 10 portions a week of tomatoes have an 18 percent lower risk of developing prostate cancer, new research suggests. With 35,000 new cases every year in the UK, and around 10,000 deaths, prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men worldwide. Rates are higher in developed countries, which some experts believe is linked to a Westernised diet and lifestyle.

Museum specimens, modern cities show how an insect pest will respond to climate change

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 06:21 AM PDT

Century-old museum specimens hold clues to how global climate change will affect a common insect pest that can weaken and kill trees -- and the news is not good. "Recent studies found that scale insect populations increase on oak and maple trees in warmer urban areas, which raises the possibility that these pests may also increase with global warming," says the lead author of the paper.

What lit up the universe?

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 06:21 AM PDT

New research shows we will soon uncover the origin of the ultraviolet light that bathes the cosmos, helping scientists understand how galaxies were built. The study by cosmologists shows how forthcoming astronomical surveys will reveal what lit up the cosmos.

Gamblers are greedy bird-brains, new research finds

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 06:21 AM PDT

Gamblers show the same tendencies as pigeons when they make risky decisions, new research has shown. Researchers conducted tests that found that both human gamblers and pigeons were 35% more likely to gamble for high-value than low-value rewards.

Specialization: Choosy wasps survive better, study shows

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 06:21 AM PDT

Specialized parasitic wasps, such as those using only a few host species, have a greater chance of establishing stable populations than generalist species, a new study shows. These results help with understanding the appearance of specialists in the history of animal evolution and could improve the effectiveness of biological control programs against insect pests.

The evolutionary roots of human altruism

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 06:20 AM PDT

Scientists have long been searching for the factor that determines why humans often behave so selflessly. It was known that humans share this tendency with species of small Latin American primates of the family Callitrichidae (tamarins and marmosets), leading some to suggest that cooperative care for the young, which is ubiquitous in this family, was responsible for spontaneous helping behavior. But it was not so clear what other primate species do in this regard, because most studies were not comparable.

Eat your fruits, vegetables for skin with sun-kissed glow

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 06:19 AM PDT

Forget sun beds, sunbathing and fake tanning lotions. The secret to a healthy glow lies in eating your five-a-day servings of fruit and vegetables, reveals new breakthrough research. This research is the first to show strong evidence for the importance of skin coloration in attractiveness judgements.

Thunder God Vine, with assists by nanotechnology, could shake up future cancer treatment

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 06:19 AM PDT

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the second leading cause of cancer-associated death worldwide. These regrettably poor prognoses are due to the difficulty in treating this cancer using conventional chemo drugs, which are not able to reach in a sufficient concentration the liver tumor cells safely. Considering the large percentage of patients that are deemed ineligible to undergo conventional curative interventions, it is highly important to develop alternative drug treatment options that are able to target the tumor tissues, without inducing toxicity in other parts of the body.

Fear, safety and the role of sleep in human PTDS

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 06:01 AM PDT

The effectiveness of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment may hinge significantly upon sleep quality, report researchers. PTSD is an often difficult-to-treat mental health condition triggered by a terrifying event. It is characterized by severe anxiety, flashbacks, nightmares and uncontrollable thoughts, often fearful. Research has shown that fear conditioning, considered an animal model of PTSD, results in disruption of animals' rapid eye movement (REM) sleep -- periods of deeper, dream-filled slumber.

HIV antibodies block infection by reservoir-derived virus in laboratory study

Posted: 26 Aug 2014 06:01 PM PDT

A laboratory study lends further weight to the potential effectiveness of passive immunotherapy to suppress HIV in the absence of drug treatment. Passive immunotherapy for HIV is an experimental strategy that involves periodically administering broadly neutralizing HIV-specific antibodies (bNAbs) to control the virus.

Sorting cells with sound waves

Posted: 26 Aug 2014 05:57 PM PDT

Researchers have devised a new way to separate cells by exposing them to sound waves as they flow through a tiny channel. Their device, about the size of a dime, could be used to detect the extremely rare tumor cells that circulate in cancer patients' blood, helping doctors predict whether a tumor is going to spread.

Fever's origin discovered by researchers

Posted: 26 Aug 2014 05:57 PM PDT

Fever is a response to inflammation, and is triggered by an onset of the signaling substance prostaglandin. Researchers can now see precisely where these substances are produced -- a discovery that paves the way for smarter drugs.

Sheepdogs use simple rules to herd sheep

Posted: 26 Aug 2014 05:55 PM PDT

Sheepdogs use just two simple rules to round up large herds of sheep, scientists have discovered. The findings could lead to the development of robots that can gather and herd livestock, crowd control techniques, or new methods to clean up the environment.

Protecting brains of very preterm infants

Posted: 26 Aug 2014 05:55 PM PDT

Premature babies are far more at risk than infants born at term of developing brain damage resulting in neurodevelopmental delay that may persist throughout their lives. A team of specialists in infant brain imaging has demonstrated that administering three doses of erythropoietin may help.

New estrogen-based compound suppresses binge-like eating behavior in female mice

Posted: 26 Aug 2014 05:55 PM PDT

The hormone estrogen can specifically trigger brain serotonin neurons to inhibit binge eating in female mice, researchers report. They add that this result is consistent with data in humans. "We can speculate that in women who develop binge eating who also happen to have irregular menstrual cycles, it is probably because their estrogen function is somehow damaged, which is what leads to the development of binge eating," said the study's lead author.

Alcoholics have an abnormal CD8 T cell response to the influenza virus

Posted: 26 Aug 2014 05:55 PM PDT

Chronic drinking is associated with an increased incidence and severity of respiratory infections. A reduced CD8 T cell response was previously implicated in increased disease severity due to influenza virus infections. New rodent findings indicate that only some CD8 T cell functions are damaged while others remain intact.

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