ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

---

• Do women place less importance on their careers than men? Professor rebuts common misconception
• People can raise their pain threshold by altering brain chemistry, study in arthritis patients shows
• Faster optimization of computer algorithms
• Signs of faster aging process identified through gene research
• Light exposure linked to weight gain in children
• Focus on treatment decisions: Doctor, patient should decide together
• Field to fork, potato harvest reduced by half
• Steaming out some of luminol's wrinkles
• Depression too often reduced to a checklist of symptoms
• Molecular mechanism behind early flowering identified
• New modular partial wrist implant may help more people with painful wrist arthritis
• Drilling the world's hottest geothermal well
• Collaborative research reveals a new view of cell division
• New methane-metabolizing organisms discovered 600 meters below sea surface
• Is climate change responsible for more salt in the North Atlantic?
• A friendly robot: Robot adjusts path to keep out of the way of people
• Toxins remain in your clothes
• Online gambling to get safer through better prediction of addiction
• Sarcoidosis: surface marker allows new diagnostic approaches
• Treating pulmonary diseases using Alaska pollock gelatin
• Endogenous 'cannabis' influences development of the fetal pancreas
• Active body, active mind: The secret to a younger brain may lie in exercising your body
• Flying ants mate close to home, produce inbred offspring
• Japanese sea defense guidelines could assist other tsunami-prone nations, study suggests
• Mini-kidney organoids re-create disease in lab dishes
• New study characterizes pediatric ED visits attributed to contact with law enforcement
• Photons open the gateway for quantum networks
• A subpopulation of white blood cells guards against tumor lung metastasis
• Spotting the earliest signs of type 1 diabetic kidney disease
• How parasites take a bigger bite
• Researchers identify potential new leukemia drug target
• Drugs commonly used in kidney transplant patients not as effective as previously thought
• Certain vulnerable groups are less likely to use e-health resources
• It takes a thief: Researchers discover how CRISPR/Cas steals foreign DNA for the bacterial immune system
• 'Sensor' protein could help fight against obesity, diabetes
• Toddler's rare disease identified and treated using precision medicine
• Language literacy in kindergarten important for success in learning English

Do women place less importance on their careers than men? Professor rebuts common misconception Posted: 23 Oct 2015 09:20 AM PDT A new study analyzed data collected from employees in 11 countries to determine if gender differences in career centrality — the importance of one's career to their identity — exist, and examined how those differences relate to professional demands, gender role beliefs and cultural expectations.

People can raise their pain threshold by altering brain chemistry, study in arthritis patients shows Posted: 23 Oct 2015 09:19 AM PDT The numbers of opiate receptors in the brain increases to combat severe pain in arthritis sufferers, researchers have shown for the first time. By applying heat to the skin using a laser stimulator, the researchers showed that the more opiate receptors there are in the brain, the higher the ability to withstand the pain.

Faster optimization of computer algorithms Posted: 23 Oct 2015 09:18 AM PDT Computer programmers have developed a new 'cutting-plane' algorithm, a general-purpose algorithm for solving optimization problems. The algorithm improves on the running time of its most efficient predecessor, and the researchers offer some reason to think that they may have reached the theoretical limit.

Signs of faster aging process identified through gene research Posted: 23 Oct 2015 09:18 AM PDT New research has shed light on the molecular changes that occur in our bodies as we age. In the largest study of its kind, an international group of researchers examined expression of genes in blood samples from 15,000 people across the world. They found 1,450 genes that are linked to aging, and also uncovered a link between these genes and factors such as diet, smoking and exercise.

Light exposure linked to weight gain in children Posted: 23 Oct 2015 07:59 AM PDT A world-first study has revealed pre-schoolers exposed to more light earlier in day tend to weigh more. She says the research suggests light exposure, artificial and natural, needs to be part of the conversation about the weight of children, along with calorie intake, decreased physical activity and sleep patterns.

Focus on treatment decisions: Doctor, patient should decide together Posted: 23 Oct 2015 07:59 AM PDT Two new articles investigate the following questions: Do patients benefit from shared decision making? Is treatment more effective as a result? How do physicians gain from training in shared decision making?

Field to fork, potato harvest reduced by half Posted: 23 Oct 2015 07:58 AM PDT On the way from field to fork, more than half of the potato harvest is lost, according to new research. Waste is greater for organically farmed table potatoes because these fail to satisfy the high quality standards more often than conventional ones, the researchers say.

Steaming out some of luminol's wrinkles Posted: 23 Oct 2015 07:58 AM PDT A potential rival to the storied forensics tool luminol has emerged. Researchers show that using a hand steamer in combination with thermal imaging, a visualization technique they term "steam thermography," can make even 1/1000-diluted blood spots stand out from the background. And it works in some places luminol can't.

Depression too often reduced to a checklist of symptoms Posted: 23 Oct 2015 07:58 AM PDT How can you tell if someone is depressed? The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) -- the 'bible' of psychiatry -- diagnoses depression when patients tick off a certain number of symptoms on the DSM checklist. A large-scale quantitative study now shows that some symptoms play a much bigger role than others in driving depression, and that the symptoms listed in DSM may not be the most useful ones.

Molecular mechanism behind early flowering identified Posted: 23 Oct 2015 07:58 AM PDT Plants adapt their flowering time to the temperature. But what exactly triggers their flowering at the molecular level? Can this factor switch flowering on or off and thus respond to changes in the climate? In a new study, a team of scientists describes a molecular mechanism with which plants adapt their flowering time and indicate ways in which it can be predicted.

New modular partial wrist implant may help more people with painful wrist arthritis Posted: 23 Oct 2015 06:51 AM PDT Studies are underway to determine if a new modular partial wrist replacement will allow for better movement and last longer than traditional implants for people seeking relief from painful wrist arthritis.

Drilling the world's hottest geothermal well Posted: 23 Oct 2015 06:44 AM PDT There is an infinite amount of energy lying right beneath our feet. It is a renewable and stable energy source – free of CO2 emissions. Researchers are now planning to drill deep into the Earth to extract it. If they succeed it will be a major technological breakthrough. Ninety-nine per cent of planet Earth has a temperature in excess of 1,000 degrees Celsius as a result of residual heat inherited from the Earth's primordial origins and the breakdown of radioactive materials. This heat can be transformed into energy – and there is more than enough to go round.

Collaborative research reveals a new view of cell division Posted: 23 Oct 2015 06:43 AM PDT Basic research into the mechanisms of cell division, using eggs and embryos from frogs and starfish, has led researchers to an unexpected discovery about how animal cells control the forces that shape themselves. During a key point in cytokinesis a cell's cortex becomes an excitable medium resulting in waves that serve to regulate enzyme activities.

New methane-metabolizing organisms discovered 600 meters below sea surface Posted: 23 Oct 2015 06:43 AM PDT Textbooks on methane-metabolizing organisms might have to be rewritten after researchers discovered two new organisms. These new organisms played an unknown role in greenhouse gas emissions and consumption.

Is climate change responsible for more salt in the North Atlantic? Posted: 23 Oct 2015 05:45 AM PDT Researchers have studied the dynamics of the Mediterranean outflow through the Straits of Gibraltar, and the impact on global ocean circulation. They conclude that as a result of global warming, more extremely salty water masses from the Mediterranean will be flowing into the North Atlantic through the Straits of Gibraltar.

A friendly robot: Robot adjusts path to keep out of the way of people Posted: 23 Oct 2015 05:45 AM PDT Researchers have developed a robot that adjusts its movements in order to avoid colliding with the people and objects around it. This provides new opportunities for more friendly interaction between people and machines.

Toxins remain in your clothes Posted: 23 Oct 2015 05:45 AM PDT Thousands of chemicals are used in clothes manufacturing. Researchers have examined if there are chemicals in the clothes we buy as well. Several substances related to health risks were identified and not even organic cotton was a guarantee for non-toxic textiles.

Online gambling to get safer through better prediction of addiction Posted: 23 Oct 2015 05:45 AM PDT A new 'early warning' system that automatically informs gamblers as soon as their behavior shows signs of turning into an addiction is helping people engage in the pastime responsibly.

Sarcoidosis: surface marker allows new diagnostic approaches Posted: 23 Oct 2015 05:45 AM PDT A new strategy has been developed to determine monocyte subsets involved in diseases. The results could help facilitating the diagnosis of sarcoidosis and may improve the respective patient management.

Treating pulmonary diseases using Alaska pollock gelatin Posted: 23 Oct 2015 05:45 AM PDT In recent years, patients with pulmonary emphysema have been increasing mainly among middle-aged and elderly males due to aging and excessive smoking. Emphysema makes brittle lungs, and in severe cases, holes develop in the lung tissue, causing air leakage. Researchers have developed a new sealant to close holes developed in lungs and blood vessels using Alaska pollock gelatin, and have reported that the sealant is about 12 times stronger than conventional sealants and is able to resist pressure as high as approximately 2.8 times the normal blood pressure.

Endogenous 'cannabis' influences development of the fetal pancreas Posted: 23 Oct 2015 05:44 AM PDT Endocannabinoids, cannabis-like substances produced by the body itself, can affect the development of a baby's pancreas. The study also highlights the importance of diet during pregnancy for the fetal pancreas to form, new research shows.

Active body, active mind: The secret to a younger brain may lie in exercising your body Posted: 23 Oct 2015 05:44 AM PDT It is widely recognized that our physical fitness is reflected in our mental fitness, especially as we get older. How does being physically fit affect our aging brains? Neuroimaging studies, in which the activity of different parts of the brain can be visualized, have provided some clues. Until now, however, no study has directly linked brain activation with both mental and physical performance.

Flying ants mate close to home, produce inbred offspring Posted: 23 Oct 2015 05:41 AM PDT Ant queens stay close to home in their hunt for a mate and as a result produce thousands of inbred offspring, a study has found. A queen mates only once, can live up to 30 years, and will continue re-producing long after her male mate is dead using the original sperm. The one mating flight will therefore determine the fate of a colony for decades to come. Inbred colonies will produce fewer offspring and a queen who is herself inbred will have a much shorter lifespan.

Japanese sea defense guidelines could assist other tsunami-prone nations, study suggests Posted: 23 Oct 2015 05:41 AM PDT Japan's lead in implementing sea defense improvements is an important reference point for other tsunami-prone nations to help guard against future disasters, a study has suggested.

Mini-kidney organoids re-create disease in lab dishes Posted: 23 Oct 2015 05:41 AM PDT Using kidney organoids grown from stem cells and gene editing, scientists have re-created human kidney disease in lab petri dishes. The findings pave the way for personalized kidney drug discovery.

New study characterizes pediatric ED visits attributed to contact with law enforcement Posted: 23 Oct 2015 05:41 AM PDT In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers have found that injuries related to legal interventions, or contact with law enforcement, involving male teenagers is not an uncommon occurrence in the United States.

Photons open the gateway for quantum networks Posted: 23 Oct 2015 05:41 AM PDT There is tremendous potential for new information technology based on light (photons). Quantum technology based on photons -- called quantum photonics, will be able to hold much more information than current computer technology. But in order to create a network with photons, you need a photon contact, a kind of transistor that can control the transport of photons in a circuit. Researchers have managed to create such a contact.

A subpopulation of white blood cells guards against tumor lung metastasis Posted: 22 Oct 2015 04:23 PM PDT Among foot soldiers on the immune front line is a subpopulation of white blood cells called "patrolling monocytes," whose job is to cruise the bloodstream, cart off cellular debris, and block invasion of a less benign population of inflammatory cells. Now, a study illustrates that patrolling monocytes may also play an anti-cancer role, particularly in the lung.

Spotting the earliest signs of type 1 diabetic kidney disease Posted: 22 Oct 2015 04:21 PM PDT In an effort to pinpoint the earliest signs of diabetic kidney disease, researchers are leading a multi-institutional international effort dedicated to finding a new breed of disease indicators.

How parasites take a bigger bite Posted: 22 Oct 2015 04:19 PM PDT A team of international scientists uncovered an important mechanism behind Leishmania, a deadly parasitic disease transmitted by sandflies. In a new study, researchers described how key molecules known as exosomes, boost the process by which the Leishmania parasite infects humans and other mammals. These findings could lead to the development of new potential vaccine targets and diagnostic tools.

Researchers identify potential new leukemia drug target Posted: 22 Oct 2015 04:19 PM PDT In some cases of acute myeloid leukemia, a mutant protein is known to cause dramatic changes in gene expression. Now researchers have identified a second protein with similar function that plays an even broader role in the disease.

Drugs commonly used in kidney transplant patients not as effective as previously thought Posted: 22 Oct 2015 04:18 PM PDT Kidney transplants saves lives and dramatically improve quality of life, but transplant recipients often must take dozens of pills a day to keep their new kidney functioning and prevent complications. Now, new studies show that three of these drugs are not nearly as effective as previously thought and may have serious side-effects. The results are expected to change medical practice around the world.

Certain vulnerable groups are less likely to use e-health resources Posted: 22 Oct 2015 04:18 PM PDT Black race, lower neighborhood household income, older age, and Medicaid/Medicare insurance status were each linked with less use of an electronic health record portal by kidney disease patients.

It takes a thief: Researchers discover how CRISPR/Cas steals foreign DNA for the bacterial immune system Posted: 22 Oct 2015 01:50 PM PDT The discovery researchers of the structural basis by which bacteria are able to capture genetic information from viruses and other foreign invaders for use in their own immunological system holds promise for studying or correcting problems in human genomes.

'Sensor' protein could help fight against obesity, diabetes Posted: 22 Oct 2015 01:11 PM PDT Aan internal 'sensor' that helps fight obesity by instructing cells to burn their fat stores has been identified by researchers. The finding could play a major role in the fight against obesity and metabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, they say.

Toddler's rare disease identified and treated using precision medicine Posted: 22 Oct 2015 11:19 AM PDT A 20-month-old girl suffering from a rare neurodegenerative disease was diagnosed by exome sequencing and successfully treated. The case, say researchers, exemplifies the potential of precision medicine.

Language literacy in kindergarten important for success in learning English Posted: 22 Oct 2015 11:17 AM PDT English learners are more likely to become proficient English speakers if they enter kindergarten with a strong initial grasp of academic language literacy, either in their primary language or in English, a new analysis has found.

You are subscribed to email updates from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States