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Saturday, March 15, 2014

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Also, could you please take off your shoes? Like, forever and ever? Great, thanks!

ah it must be Spring

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ScienceDaily: Most Popular News

ScienceDaily: Most Popular News


We must forget to avoid serious mental disorders, and forgetting is actively regulated

Posted: 13 Mar 2014 09:32 AM PDT

In order to function properly, the human brain requires the ability not only to store but also to forget: Through memory loss, unnecessary information is deleted and the nervous system retains its plasticity. A disruption of this process can lead to serious mental disorders. Scientists have now discovered a molecular mechanism that actively regulates the process of forgetting.

What happened when? How the brain stores memories by time

Posted: 13 Mar 2014 06:27 AM PDT

New research shows that a part of the brain called the hippocampus stores memories by their "temporal context" -- what happened before, and what came after -- and not by content. From brain scans of the hippocampus as the volunteers were answering questions in this study, researchers could identify patterns of activity specific to each image. But when they showed the volunteers the same images in a different sequence, they got different patterns of activity. In other words, the coding of the memory in the hippocampus was dependent on its context, not just on content.

Dinosaur skull may reveal T. rex's smaller cousin from the north

Posted: 12 Mar 2014 03:20 PM PDT

A 70-million-year-old fossil found in the Late Cretaceous sediments of Alaska reveals a new small tyrannosaur. Tyrannosaurs, the lineage of carnivorous theropod ("beast feet") dinosaurs that include T. rex, have captivated our attention, but the majority of our knowledge about this group comes from fossils from low- to mid-latitudes of North America and Asia. In this study, scientists analyzed the partial skull roof, maxilla, and jaw, recovered from Prince Creek Formation in Northern Alaska, of a dinosaur originally believed to belong to a different species, and then compared the fossils to known tyrannosaurine species.

Language 'evolution' may shed light on human migration out-of-Beringia: Relationship between Siberian, North American languages

Posted: 12 Mar 2014 03:20 PM PDT

Evolutionary analysis applied to the relationship between North American and Central Siberian languages may indicate that people moved out from the Bering Land Bridge, with some migrating back to central Asia and others into North America.

Key heart failure culprit discovered in tiny piece of RNA

Posted: 12 Mar 2014 12:01 PM PDT

A small, but powerful, new player in the onset and progression of heart failure has been discovered by cardiovascular researchers. The researchers have also shown how they successfully blocked the newly discovered culprit to halt the debilitating and chronic life-threatening condition in its tracks.

Building new drugs just got easier

Posted: 12 Mar 2014 12:00 PM PDT

A method for modifying organic molecules has been developed that significantly expands the possibilities for developing new pharmaceuticals and improving old ones. The innovation makes it easier to modify existing organic compounds by attaching biologically active "functional group" to drug molecules. A typical small-molecule drug derives its activity from such functional groups, which are bound to a relatively simple backbone structure consisting chiefly of carbon atoms.

Laser and radar unveil the secrets of Roman bridges

Posted: 12 Mar 2014 05:26 AM PDT

Discovering hidden arches, visualizing the sloped outline characteristic of the medieval period, finding a Renaissance engraving on a Roman arch or detecting restorations: these are some of the results that have been obtained in a recent study of more than 80 roman and medieval bridges. The assessment was carried out with the help of a ground-penetrating radar, a laser scanner and mathematical models, technology that benefit conservation.

Why antisocial youth are less able to see perspective of others

Posted: 11 Mar 2014 10:36 AM PDT

Adolescents with antisocial personality disorder inflict serious physical and psychological harm on both themselves and others. However, little is yet known about the underlying neural processes. Researchers have pinpointed a possible explanation: Their brain regions responsible for social information processing and impulse control are less developed.

Mongol Empire rode wave of mild climate, but warming now may be tipping region into unparalleled drought

Posted: 10 Mar 2014 12:21 PM PDT

Researchers studying the rings of ancient trees in mountainous central Mongolia think they may have gotten at the mystery of how small bands of nomadic Mongol horsemen united to conquer much of the world within a span of decades, 800 years ago. The rise of the great leader Genghis Khan and the start of the largest contiguous empire in human history was propelled by a temporary run of nice weather.

Smartphones become 'eye-phones' with low-cost devices

Posted: 07 Mar 2014 08:10 AM PST

Researchers have developed two inexpensive adapters that enable a smartphone to capture high-quality images of the front and back of the eye. The adapters make it easy for anyone with minimal training to take a picture of the eye and share it securely with other health practitioners or store it in the patient's electronic record.

ScienceDaily: Top Health News

ScienceDaily: Top Health News


Salad at high school concession stands!?

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:22 PM PDT

Is there something that can be done to improve the healthfulness of high school concession stand food, and preserve the profits they generate? According to this new study the answer is yes! This study shows that if you give people healthy foods they will buy them and be more satisfied, one of the authors said.

Years of High School Football not linked to Neurocognitive Decline, study suggests

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:20 PM PDT

As more parents consider whether it's safe for adolescents to play football, a new study of high school players found no link between years of play and any decline in neurocognitive function. The study suggests that the risks of sport-related brain injuries are relatively low.

Contagious yawning a mystery: May not be linked to empathy after all

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:18 PM PDT

While previous studies have suggested a connection between contagious yawning and empathy, new research finds that contagious yawning may decrease with age and is not strongly related to variables like empathy, tiredness and energy levels. Contagious yawning is a well-documented phenomenon that occurs only in humans and chimpanzees in response to hearing, seeing or thinking about yawning.

Do you know whether this story was written by a human?

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 01:41 PM PDT

A recent study investigates how readers perceive computer-generated news articles.  The advent of new technologies has always spurred questions about changes in journalism -- how it is produced and consumed. A recent development which has come to the fore in the digital world is software-generated content. A recent article investigates how readers perceive automatically produced news articles vs. articles which have been written by a journalist.

Genes may thwart seniors' exercise gains

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 08:15 AM PDT

The ACE I/D gene and how its variations -- the ID, DD, and II genotypes -- cause some seniors' to lose out on the benefits of exercise, new research shows. These findings suggest that the ACE I/D genotype may be a significant factor in how well seniors respond to exercise. This insight could be used to develop more effective, individualized, and senior-friendly exercise recommendations for improving physical function and preventing in disability.

Blood poisoning increases the risk of blood clots, new research shows

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 08:15 AM PDT

The world's largest study of the correlation between blood poisoning and the risk of blood clots is underway. In recent years there has been a growing level of interest for the correlation between the risk of blood clots and infections such as blood poisoning. The researchers hope that the new knowledge can be utilized to ensure better prevention and earlier treatment.

Link between diabetes, pancreatic cancer found

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 08:15 AM PDT

There is an association between pancreatic cancer and diabetes, new research indicates. While the numbers of pancreatic cancer in the population are relatively low, the study suggests a screening program should be considered. "The priority on screening should be on patients with new-onset diabetes but can later be expanded to long-standing diabetic patients," concluded the lead author.

Bone lengthening technique proves useful in patients with cleft palate

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 08:13 AM PDT

A technique called distraction osteogenesis can create increased length of the upper jaw in patients with cleft lip and palate deformities, report researchers. In this technique, hardware is placed to gradually "stretch" bone in the desired direction. The researchers studied the bone-lengthening approach because the maxilla often regresses toward its original position after standard surgical advancement techniques.

New approach to chronic lymphocytic leukemia treatment

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 08:13 AM PDT

A novel and unique approach to treating Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), a form of blood cancer that often requires repeated chemotherapy treatments to which it grows resistant, as been developed by scientists. Unlike other novel therapies that have shown promise in the treatment of CLL, this approach is unique because it does not directly target proteins within the B-cell receptor pathway, but instead uses novel model systems that reverse the pro-survival effects of the microenvironment.

New cell line should accelerate embryonic stem cell research

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:51 AM PDT

A new line of human embryonic stem cells that have the ability to develop into a far broader range of tissues than most existing cell lines has been created by researchers. The cells, called naïve embryonic stem cells, normally appear at the earliest stages of embryonic development. They retain the ability to turn into any of all the different types of cells of the human body -- a capacity called "pluripotency."

Older adults: Build muscle and you'll live longer

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:51 AM PDT

The more muscle mass older Americans have, the less likely they are to die prematurely, new research shows. The findings add to the growing evidence that overall body composition -- and not the widely used body mass index, or BMI -- is a better predictor of all-cause mortality. "In other words, the greater your muscle mass, the lower your risk of death," said the study's co-author. "Thus, rather than worrying about weight or body mass index, we should be trying to maximize and maintain muscle mass."

Drivers with hemianopia fail to detect pedestrians, study shows

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:50 AM PDT

A diagnosis of hemianopia, or blindness in one-half of the visual field in both eyes as the result of strokes, tumors or trauma often means the end of driving. Researchers set out to determine the extent to which people with hemianopia can compensate for the lost vision when driving, with a long term goal of developing and evaluating devices and training that will assist them to drive more safely. The findings suggest that the scanning patterns employed by some drivers with hemianopia may be insufficient for safe driving.

Critical role of one gene to our brain development

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:50 AM PDT

A gene linked to intellectual disability is critical to the earliest stages of the development of human brains, new research has confirmed. An international research team explains in a new paper how mutations in USP9X are associated with intellectual disability. These mutations, which can be inherited from one generation to the next, have been shown to cause disruptions to normal brain cell functioning.

Blood test identifies brain damage from concussion in ice hockey

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:36 AM PDT

Half way into last year's season, 35 of 288 players in the Swedish Hockey League had already had a concussion. Researchers who surveyed all of the players in the league's 12 clubs, have now developed a method that can show just an hour after the injury how severe the concussion is, if there is a risk of long-term symptoms and about when the player can return to the game.

Patients with schizophrenia have impaired ability to imitate, brain mapping confirms

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:35 AM PDT

A brain-mapping study of patients with schizophrenia has found that areas associated with the ability to imitate are impaired, providing new support for the theory that deficits in this basic cognitive skill may underlie the profound difficulty with social interactions that characterize the disorder. According to psychologists, imitation is something that we all do whenever we learn a new skill, whether it is dancing or how to behave in specific social situations.

Mindfulness-based meditation helps teenagers with cancer

Posted: 13 Mar 2014 06:26 PM PDT

Mindfulness-based meditation could lessen some symptoms associated with cancer in teens, according to the results of a clinical trial intervention. Mindfulness-based meditation focuses on the present moment and the connection between the mind and body. Adolescents living with cancer face not only the physical symptoms of their condition, but also the anxiety and uncertainty related to the progression of the disease, the anticipation of physical and emotional pain related to illness and treatment, the significant changes implied in living with cancer, as well as the fear of recurrence after remission

Emotion detectors could make driving safer

Posted: 13 Mar 2014 02:30 PM PDT

Technology now allows us to read facial expressions and identify which of the seven universal emotions a person is feeling: fear, anger, joy, sadness, disgust, surprise, or suspicion. This is very useful in video game development, medicine, marketing, and, perhaps less obviously, in driver safety. We know that in addition to fatigue, the emotional state of the driver is a risk factor.

New stroke research combines brain stimulation, gait training

Posted: 13 Mar 2014 02:29 PM PDT

A researcher will test whether brain stimulation combined with gait training can improve patients' ability to walk after a stroke. People 50 or older who have had a stroke will be enrolled in the study and receive gait-training on a treadmill. The treatment group will receive transcranial direct current stimulation prior to gait training. Electrical stimulation will be administered in combination with motor training of the ankle, as a major problem for people trying to walk after stroke is an inability to flex the ankle on their affected side.

Body's fatty folds may help fight kidney failure

Posted: 13 Mar 2014 02:29 PM PDT

In a new study, it was observed that in rats with kidney disease, functioning of the kidney improved when the organ was fused with the omentum, a fatty fold of tissue that lies close to the kidney and is a rich source of stem cells. The findings suggest that stem cells from a chronic kidney disease patient's own omentum may help heal diseased kidneys without the need for an outside source of cells.

Stroke survivors may lose month of healthy life for 15-minute delay in treatment

Posted: 13 Mar 2014 01:45 PM PDT

Every 15-minute delay in delivering a clot-busting drug after stroke robs survivors of an average month of healthy life. Streamlining the time from symptom onset to clot-busting treatment by just one minute means one less day of disability for a survivor. While all stroke patients benefit from faster treatment, younger patients seem to gain more benefit than older patients.

Husband's health, attitude loom large for happy long-term marriages

Posted: 13 Mar 2014 01:44 PM PDT

A husband's agreeable personality and good health appear crucial to preventing conflict among older couples who have been together a long time, according to a study. The report found that such characteristics in wives play less of a role in limiting marital conflict, perhaps because of different expectations among women and men in durable relationships.

Vitamin D hypothesis challenged: Some racial disparities in childbirth more environmental than genetic

Posted: 13 Mar 2014 12:42 PM PDT

A new study investigating racial disparities in birth outcomes shows that contrary to some theories, vitamin D is unlikely to play a role in differences in preterm birth and low birth weight between African-Americans and whites. "For years there has been this hypothesis that African-Americans have worse birth outcomes because they have more melanin in their skin which reflects the sun and therefore lowers levels of Vitamin D," said the study's author. "But in examining the relationship between ultraviolet exposure and birth outcomes nationwide, there was no evidence to support this."

Reversible mechanism that increases muscle elasticity discovered

Posted: 13 Mar 2014 09:31 AM PDT

A new form of mechanical memory that adjusts the elasticity of muscles to their history of stretching has been discovered. Using highly sensitive atomic force microscopes, the researchers detected a chemical reaction that increases the elasticity of muscle proteins. Crucially, this reaction targets molecules that have been exposed to a stretching force. This finding changes our understanding of how muscles respond to stretching and may lead to new treatments of muscle disorders.

Immune cells need each other to combat deadly lung-invading fungus

Posted: 13 Mar 2014 09:25 AM PDT

Although long recognized as an essential defense against the lung-invading fungus Asperfillus fumigatus, Neutrophils actually require a little help from fellow immune cells, according to a study. The work suggests that although neutrophils alone may contain the fungus initially (these cells are the first on the scene), they need help from inflammatory monocytes for sustained control of infection.

Purified fish oils could help treat rare disease affecting newborn babies

Posted: 13 Mar 2014 06:27 AM PDT

A rare and potentially lethal disease of newborn babies whose bodies make too much insulin may be treatable with fish oils, according to researchers. The disease, called congenital hyperinsulinism, means that the infant's brain is starved of blood sugar which can lead to brain damage or long-term disability. But by giving the children purified fish oils similar to those used to treat some heart attack patients, alongside standard medical treatment, their blood sugar levels improve, the researchers have reported.

ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

ScienceDaily: Top Environment News


Salad at high school concession stands!?

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:22 PM PDT

Is there something that can be done to improve the healthfulness of high school concession stand food, and preserve the profits they generate? According to this new study the answer is yes! This study shows that if you give people healthy foods they will buy them and be more satisfied, one of the authors said.

System to predict lightning under development

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:20 PM PDT

Millions of people who work or play outdoors might one day soon have a new tool to help them reduce the risk of being struck by lightning. While there is no operational lightning forecast system using radar, researchers using the existing Doppler weather radar system can get lightning predictions right about 90 percent of the time, but can only give about a ten to 15 minute lead time.

Genes may thwart seniors' exercise gains

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 08:15 AM PDT

The ACE I/D gene and how its variations -- the ID, DD, and II genotypes -- cause some seniors' to lose out on the benefits of exercise, new research shows. These findings suggest that the ACE I/D genotype may be a significant factor in how well seniors respond to exercise. This insight could be used to develop more effective, individualized, and senior-friendly exercise recommendations for improving physical function and preventing in disability.

Big data tackles tiny molecular machines

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 08:15 AM PDT

Open, feed, cut. Such is the humdrum life of a motor molecule that eats and excretes damaged proteins and turns them into harmless peptides for disposal. The why is obvious: Without these trash bins, the Escherichia coli bacteria they serve would die. And thanks to new research, the how is becoming clearer. Researchers have combined genetic and structural data to begin to solve one of the most compelling mysteries in biology: how proteins perform the regulatory mechanisms in cells upon which life depends.

Little Foot is oldest complete Australopithecus, new stratigraphic research shows

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 08:15 AM PDT

After 13 years of meticulous excavation of the nearly complete skeleton of the Australopithecus fossil named Little Foot, South African and French scientists have now convincingly shown that it is probably around 3 million years old.

Motion, muscles don't always work in lockstep, researchers find in surprising new study

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:51 AM PDT

Animals 'do the locomotion' every day, whether it's walking down the hall to get some coffee or darting up a tree to avoid a predator. And until now, scientists believed the inner workings of movement were pretty much the same. But in a first-of-its-kind study on wild green anole lizards, biologists have discovered that the link between muscle function and movement is a lot more complicated than anyone realized.

New cell line should accelerate embryonic stem cell research

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:51 AM PDT

A new line of human embryonic stem cells that have the ability to develop into a far broader range of tissues than most existing cell lines has been created by researchers. The cells, called naïve embryonic stem cells, normally appear at the earliest stages of embryonic development. They retain the ability to turn into any of all the different types of cells of the human body -- a capacity called "pluripotency."

Number of days without rain to dramatically increase in some world regions

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:51 AM PDT

By the end of the 21st century, some parts of the world can expect as many as 30 more days a year without precipitation, according to a new study. Ongoing climate change caused by human influences will alter the nature of how rain and snow falls; areas that are prone to dry conditions will receive their precipitation in narrower windows of time. Computer model projections of future conditions indicate that regions such as the Amazon, Central America, Indonesia, and all Mediterranean climate regions around the world will likely see the greatest increase in the number of "dry days" per year, going without rain for as many as 30 days more every year. California, with its Mediterranean climate, is likely to have five to ten more dry days per year.

Impacts of climate change in Switzerland: Adaptation and climate change mitigation must go hand in hand

Posted: 14 Mar 2014 06:36 AM PDT

Southern Switzerland emerges as a hotspot of the effects of climate change. And the bark beetle is putting spruces all over Switzerland under increasing pressure, because an additional generation of pests could hatch each year due to the rising temperatures. Also, about half of the remaining glacial ice will already have melted away by 2035.

Vitamin D hypothesis challenged: Some racial disparities in childbirth more environmental than genetic

Posted: 13 Mar 2014 12:42 PM PDT

A new study investigating racial disparities in birth outcomes shows that contrary to some theories, vitamin D is unlikely to play a role in differences in preterm birth and low birth weight between African-Americans and whites. "For years there has been this hypothesis that African-Americans have worse birth outcomes because they have more melanin in their skin which reflects the sun and therefore lowers levels of Vitamin D," said the study's author. "But in examining the relationship between ultraviolet exposure and birth outcomes nationwide, there was no evidence to support this."

Fish species unique to Hawaii dominate deep coral reefs in Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

Posted: 13 Mar 2014 12:42 PM PDT

Deep coral reefs in Papahanaumokakea Marine National Monument may contain the highest percentage of fish species found nowhere else on Earth, according to a study. In waters 100-300 feet deep, nearly 50 percent of fish observed over a two-year period were unique to Hawaii -- higher than any other marine ecosystem. The study also found that on some deeper reefs, more than 90 percent were endemic.

Immune cells need each other to combat deadly lung-invading fungus

Posted: 13 Mar 2014 09:25 AM PDT

Although long recognized as an essential defense against the lung-invading fungus Asperfillus fumigatus, Neutrophils actually require a little help from fellow immune cells, according to a study. The work suggests that although neutrophils alone may contain the fungus initially (these cells are the first on the scene), they need help from inflammatory monocytes for sustained control of infection.

Purified fish oils could help treat rare disease affecting newborn babies

Posted: 13 Mar 2014 06:27 AM PDT

A rare and potentially lethal disease of newborn babies whose bodies make too much insulin may be treatable with fish oils, according to researchers. The disease, called congenital hyperinsulinism, means that the infant's brain is starved of blood sugar which can lead to brain damage or long-term disability. But by giving the children purified fish oils similar to those used to treat some heart attack patients, alongside standard medical treatment, their blood sugar levels improve, the researchers have reported.

Stem cells inside sutures could improve healing in Achilles tendon injuries

Posted: 12 Mar 2014 03:20 PM PDT

Sutures embedded with stem cells led to quicker and stronger healing of Achilles tendon tears than traditional sutures, according to a new study. Achilles tendon injuries are common for professional, collegiate and recreational athletes. These injuries are often treated surgically to reattach or repair the tendon if it has been torn. Patients have to keep their legs immobilized for a while after surgery before beginning their rehabilitation.

Concerns raised about using beta agonists in beef cattle

Posted: 12 Mar 2014 03:19 PM PDT

Use of beta agonists in cattle production has received considerable national attention. A veterinary epidemiologist has found that although there are significant benefits to the practice, an increase in death loss of cattle raises questions about welfare implications of its use.

New treatment guidelines for skin abscesses caused by MRSA

Posted: 12 Mar 2014 03:19 PM PDT

It has been more than 10 years since the clinical battle began with community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and doctors are still grappling with how to diagnose, treat and prevent this virulent form of staph infection, which is immune to many antibiotics. As MRSA cases have increased dramatically, so have the number of skin abscesses -- generally pus-filled boils or pimples with discharge -- that characterize these infections. Updated guidelines outlining the best ways to treat and manage these abscesses have been released.