| Mixing modern materials? Math app helps you manage your mashup Posted: 22 Dec 2015 01:34 PM PST Polymers play a vast number of roles in daily life, but they lack many properties that would make them even more useful. As in cooking, a way around these limitations is to mix in other ingredients that have the right properties. Scientists have just made recipe development a more palatable job. |
| Are you Facebook dependent? Posted: 22 Dec 2015 01:34 PM PST What can create a dependency on Facebook? In a new study, researchers learned the more a person uses Facebook to fulfill goals, the more dependent on the social media platform they may become. A Facebook dependency is not equivalent to an addiction. Rather, the reasons why people use Facebook determine the level of dependency they have on the social network. 301 Facebook users between the ages of 18 and 68 who post on the site at least once per month were studied. |
| Cool roofs in China offer enhanced benefits during heat waves Posted: 22 Dec 2015 01:34 PM PST It is well established that white roofs can mitigate the urban heat island effect, reflecting the sun's energy back into space and reducing a city's temperature. In a new study of Guangzhou, China, researchers found that during a heat wave, the effect is significantly more pronounced. Reflective roofs, also called cool roofs, save energy by keeping buildings cooler, thus reducing the need for air conditioning. |
| Mothers should be cautious when discussing weight with daughters Posted: 22 Dec 2015 01:34 PM PST How should a concerned mother discuss issues of diet and weight with her daughter? Very carefully, according to a developmental psychology doctoral student. |
| Tooth fillings of the future may incorporate bioactive glass Posted: 22 Dec 2015 01:34 PM PST A few years from now millions of people around the world might be walking around with an unusual kind of glass in their mouth, and using it every time they eat. Engineers have made some promising findings about the ability of 'bioactive' glass to help reduce the ability of bacteria to attack composite tooth fillings -- and perhaps even provide some of the minerals needed to replace those lost to tooth decay. |
| Even before ACA, cancer survivors in non-expansion states had less health-care access Posted: 22 Dec 2015 01:34 PM PST Even in the health-care landscape as it existed before the ACA, cancer survivors in states without expanded Medicaid were less likely to have a personal doctor and more likely to report inability to see a doctor due to cost (odds ratios 0.76 and 1.14 respectively), says a new report. |
| Increased number of IVF cycles can be beneficial, findings suggest Posted: 22 Dec 2015 01:31 PM PST Although in vitro fertilization (IVF) is often limited to three or four treatment cycles, new research shows the effectiveness of extending the number of IVF cycles beyond this number, according to a study. |
| By asking, ;what's the worst part of this?' physicians can ease suffering Posted: 22 Dec 2015 01:30 PM PST When patients suffer, doctors tend to want to fix things and if they cannot many doctors then withdraw emotionally. But by turning toward the suffering, physicians can better help their patients and find more meaning in their work, write authors of a new report. |
| Cassini completes final close Enceladus flyby Posted: 22 Dec 2015 08:41 AM PST NASA's Cassini spacecraft has begun transmitting data and images from the mission's final close flyby of Saturn's active moon Enceladus. Cassini passed Enceladus at a distance of 3,106 miles (4,999 kilometers) on Saturday, Dec. 19, at 9:49 a.m. PST (12:49 p.m. EST). |
| Lowdown on Ceres: Images from Dawn's closest orbit Posted: 22 Dec 2015 08:38 AM PST NASA's Dawn spacecraft, cruising in its lowest and final orbit at dwarf planet Ceres, has delivered the first images from its best-ever viewpoint. The new images showcase details of the cratered and fractured surface. 3-D versions of two of these views are also available. |
| Space lab technology may help researchers detect early signs of cataract Posted: 22 Dec 2015 08:37 AM PST As we age, proteins in the lenses of our eyes start misbehaving: They unfold and congregate in clusters that block, scatter and distort light as it passes through the lens. A cloudy area, or cataract, forms. In a new study, scientists found that throughout our lifetime, levels of a key protein decline, and may be an early warning sign of a developing cataract. The study suggests that there is a window before cataracts develop when there may be time to intervene and prevent them. |
| Less financial burden for cancer patients with paid sick leave, study finds Posted: 22 Dec 2015 08:37 AM PST In a survey of more than 1,300 patients with stage 3 colorectal cancer, researchers found that only 55 percent who were employed at the time of diagnosis retained their jobs after treatment. Patients who had paid sick leave were nearly twice as likely to retain their jobs as those without paid sick leave. |
| Closest relatives of Baltic Sea plankton are found in brackish North American waters Posted: 22 Dec 2015 08:36 AM PST The first large-scale mapping of genomes of bacterial plankton in the Baltic Sea shows that the bacterias' closest relatives are not found in oceans or freshwater lakes, but in other brackish environments. The genomes may not yet answer where these plankton came from, but they will help scientists to better understand brackish, or briny, ecosystems. |
| New kind of hydrothermal vent system found in Caribbean Posted: 22 Dec 2015 08:36 AM PST Researchers have identified hydrothermal vents in the deep sea of the Caribbean which are unlike any found before. They are unusual in their structure, formed largely of talc, rather than the more usual sulphide minerals. Researchers analyzed samples from the VDVF - a vent field south of the Cayman Islands discovered by scientists and crew on board the RRS James Cook in 2010, and have published their findings. |
| Move aside carbon: Boron nitride-reinforced materials are even stronger Posted: 22 Dec 2015 08:36 AM PST When mixed with lightweight polymers, tiny carbon tubes reinforce the material, promising lightweight and strong materials for airplanes, spaceships, cars and even sports equipment. While such carbon nanotube-polymer nanocomposites have attracted enormous interest from the materials research community, a group of scientists now has evidence that a different nanotube -- made from boron nitride -- could offer even more strength per unit of weight. |
| Road rumble strips are a wake-up call to pull over Posted: 22 Dec 2015 08:35 AM PST Drowsy drivers are being urged to stop and take a break the first time they hit a road rumble strip these school holidays, with new research revealing the audio-tactile vibrations should be a wake-up call to pull over. |
| New technique to examine how the brain categorizes images Posted: 22 Dec 2015 08:35 AM PST Despite the obvious difference between a chihuahua and a doberman, the human brain effortlessly categorizes them both as dogs, a feat that is thus far beyond the abilities of artificial intelligence. Previous research has established that the brain can recognize and categorize objects extremely rapidly, however the way this process occurs is still largely unknown. Researchers now have pioneered a new image modulation technique known as semantic wavelet-induced frequency-tagging (SWIFT) to further test how images are processed. |
| Corals may fare better in turbid waters, research finds Posted: 22 Dec 2015 08:35 AM PST Corals may survive better in warm oceans where the water is clouded by floating particles, new research finds. The work shows that moderate levels of turbidity -- cloudy water -- could lower stress by shading the corals from extremely high light. |
| Low zinc levels may suggest potential breast-feeding problems Posted: 22 Dec 2015 08:35 AM PST Zinc levels in breast milk may be able to serve as an indicator of breast function during lactation, according to health researchers who suggest that by identifying women with abnormally low levels of zinc in breast milk, they may be able to more quickly recognize mothers who might have trouble breast-feeding. |
| Fighting rice fungus Posted: 22 Dec 2015 08:35 AM PST Plant scientists are uncovering more clues critical to disarming a fungus that leads to rice blast disease and devastating crop losses. They have identified a stress hormone that appears to play a crucial role in increasing the virulence of the fungus. |
| Mechanism of an AIDS vaccine candidate filmed in vivo Posted: 22 Dec 2015 08:35 AM PST Using innovative technology, scientists have filmed in vivo the process by which an AIDS vaccine candidate triggers the immune response. This previously unseen footage clearly shows how the vaccine recruits the immune cells needed to destroy infected cells. These results shed new light on the mode of action and potential of this vaccine. |
| In pursuit of the causes of cardiac hypertrophy Posted: 22 Dec 2015 08:35 AM PST Specific genes are responsible for determining cell growth and differentiation during the early stages of cardiac development. Reactivation of these genes later in life can lead to an abnormal thickening of the heart muscle, say researchers who have been able to identify the underlying molecular mechanism. |
| Old drugs, new tricks: Medications approved for other uses also have antibiotic action Posted: 22 Dec 2015 08:34 AM PST A number of drugs already approved to treat parasitic infections, cancers, infertility and other conditions also show promise as antibiotic agents against staph and tuberculosis infections, according to a new study. Because these agents act against multiple targets within the bacteria, it may be harder for bacteria to develop resistance, say the researchers. |
| Newly developed liquid crystal elastomer material could enable advanced sensors Posted: 22 Dec 2015 08:34 AM PST World experts have collaborated in new liquid crystal elastomers research. Recently, they have developed the first type of cholesteric liquid crystal elastomers with special properties that enable it to precisely emit laser light, without the use of mirrors, while being stretched. |
| Pediatric medication poisonings more likely in poor, rural areas Posted: 22 Dec 2015 08:34 AM PST Children younger than 5 who live in economically disadvantaged areas had a greater risk of medication poisoning that resulted in referral to a health care facility, according to scientists. These areas were rural and experienced high unemployment, along with lower rates of high school graduation and lower household income. |
| Simple shell of plant virus sparks immune response against cancer Posted: 22 Dec 2015 08:31 AM PST Shells of cowpea mosaic virus inhaled into a lung tumor or injected into ovarian, colon or breast tumors, not only triggered the immune system in mice to wipe out the tumors, but provided systemic protection against metastases, scientists report. |
| Focused Spin Wave Beams Created by researchers Posted: 22 Dec 2015 08:30 AM PST Researchers have finally found the secret to synchronize an unlimited number of spintronic oscillators. Such devices are very promising for future applications requiring wideband functionality. |
| Mazes and brains: When preconception trumps logic Posted: 22 Dec 2015 08:30 AM PST Rhe regions of the brain responsible for preconception have been found by researchers who have decoded what scenes people picture in their minds. The discovery helps researchers to reconstruct what we see in our minds when we navigate -- and explain how we get directions wrong. |
| Still a champion runner at 80: Do elite athletes have an anti-aging secret in their muscles? Posted: 22 Dec 2015 05:47 AM PST Elite runners do not experience the muscle weakening associated with aging as non-athletes do. A new study examines if their superb fitness is because their muscles have not aged. |
| Study uncovers inherited genetic susceptibility across 12 cancer types? Posted: 22 Dec 2015 05:47 AM PST Researchers have shed light on the hereditary elements across 12 cancer types -- showing a surprising inherited component to stomach cancer and providing some needed clarity on the consequences of certain types of mutations in well-known breast cancer susceptibility genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2. |
| Toxic secretions from intracranial tumor damage the inner ear Posted: 22 Dec 2015 05:47 AM PST In some cases of vestibular schwannoma, a sometimes-lethal tumor often associated with neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2), secretions from the tumor contain toxic molecules that damage the inner ear. The findings explain why some vestibular schwannomas cause hearing loss even though they are not large enough to compress nearby structures that control hearing. |
| Mental time travel: An exclusively human capacity? Posted: 22 Dec 2015 05:23 AM PST Are humans the only ones who are able to remember events that they had experienced and mentally time travel not only into the past but also the future? Or do animals have the same capacity? To a certain extent they do, according to three researchers who are contributing a new theoretical model to this long-standing discussion. |
| Giant comets could pose danger to life on Earth Posted: 22 Dec 2015 05:23 AM PST The discovery of hundreds of giant comets in the outer planetary system over the last two decades means that these objects pose a much greater hazard to life than asteroids, a team of astronomers reports. |
| Stroking helps calves develop a better relationship with humans, increases weight gain Posted: 22 Dec 2015 05:22 AM PST Gentle interactions improve the relationship between humans and animals. In a recent study, researchers show that calves that were stroked by people early in their life gained weight more quickly than animals that were not stroked. This can be of commercial value for farmers, as cows produce more milk if they had a higher weight gain as calves. |
| Reproduction, stem cell researchers set up a rescue plan for Northern White Rhino Posted: 22 Dec 2015 05:22 AM PST International scientists set up a rescue plan for the last three northern white rhinos (Ceratotherium simum cottoni) on Earth. The goal is to use the remaining three rhinos and tissue samples from already dead individuals to multiply them into a viable self-sustaining population. For this purpose, scientists apply recent findings in reproduction and stem cell research. |
| Nature's masonry: First steps in how thin protein sheets form polyhedral shells Posted: 22 Dec 2015 05:20 AM PST Scientists have for the first time viewed how bacterial proteins self-assemble into thin sheets and begin to form the walls of the outer shell for nano-sized polyhedral compartments that function as specialized factories. The new insight may aid scientists who seek to tap this natural origami by designing novel compartments or using them as scaffolding for new types of nanoscale architectures, such as drug-delivery systems. |
| Healthy theme park meals? Posted: 22 Dec 2015 05:20 AM PST When meals at Disney World restaurants came with a fruit or vegetables instead of fries, about half of diners opted to keep the healthier option, a new study has demonstrated. |
| New study indicates that metformin has the potential to prevent and treat preeclampsia Posted: 22 Dec 2015 05:20 AM PST A commonly used drug for the treatment of diabetes, metformin, may have the potential to prevent and treat preeclampsia, researchers report. Metformin has long been used to treat diabetes in both non-pregnant and pregnant patients, and is considered safe during pregnancy. |
| Methane emissions in Arctic cold season higher than expected Posted: 21 Dec 2015 04:34 PM PST The amount of methane gas escaping from the ground during the long cold period in the Arctic each year and entering Earth's atmosphere is likely much higher than estimated by current climate change models. Far more methane is escaping from Arctic tundra during the cold months -- when the soil surface is frozen -- as well as from upland tundra, than prevailing assumptions and climate modelers previously believed. |
| Economic opportunity may have a significant effect on health behaviors, risks Posted: 21 Dec 2015 04:34 PM PST Evidence has been found that economic opportunity -- the prospect that individuals may be able to improve their economic status -- may have important effects on the health of a community. The researchers found that mortality rates were higher and that risk factors like obesity and smoking and the prevalence of hypertension and diabetes were greater in areas with the lowest levels of economic opportunity, based on a nationwide database. |
| 'Pill mill' crackdown linked to fewer painkiller overdose deaths in Florida Posted: 21 Dec 2015 04:34 PM PST A crackdown on Florida's 'pill mills' -- clinics dispensing large quantities of prescription painkillers often for cash-only and without proper medical examinations -- appears to have dramatically reduced the number of overdose deaths in the state from these drugs and may have also led to a drop in heroin overdose deaths, new research suggests. |
| Mothers-to-be, babies benefit from group prenatal care, study finds Posted: 21 Dec 2015 04:34 PM PST Group prenatal care can substantially improve health outcomes for both mothers and their infants, a new study has found. Women who received group -- rather than individual -- prenatal care were 33% less likely to have infants who were small for gestational age, had reduced risk for preterm delivery and low birthweight, and babies born to these women also spent fewer days in the neonatal intensive care unit. |
| Radial access used less than femoral approach for emergency angioplasty Posted: 21 Dec 2015 04:34 PM PST Although using the radial artery as the access point for angioplasty has been linked to reduced bleeding compared to use of the femoral artery, only a small number of high-risk heart attack patients who undergo rescue angioplasty -- emergency procedures following failed therapy with clot-busting drugs -- are treated by radial access, according to a study. |
