Thursday, May 26, 2016

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News


Scientists explain the art of creating digital hurricanes

Posted: 25 May 2016 07:05 PM PDT

A team of scientists spends its days incorporating millions of atmospheric observations, sophisticated graphic tools and lines of computer code to create computer models simulating the weather and climate conditions responsible for hurricanes.

Boosting productivity at work may be simple: Stand up

Posted: 25 May 2016 07:05 PM PDT

Most people have heard the argument that standing desks are good for the body. They can help burn more calories and fight obesity. Standing can even help improve students' attention and cognitive functioning. Now, new research indicates that they may boost productivity in adults as well.

Near-Earth asteroid Bennu: NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission will have a map for that

Posted: 25 May 2016 07:05 PM PDT

On Sept. 8, NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is scheduled to launch for terra incognita: the unknown surface of the near-Earth asteroid Bennu. Like expeditions of old, OSIRIS-REx's mission includes mapping the exotic terrain it explores.

High altitude archaeology: Prehistoric paintings revealed

Posted: 25 May 2016 07:00 PM PDT

Archaeologists have undertaken pioneering scans of the highest prehistoric paintings of animals in Europe.

Number of habitable planets could be limited by stifling atmospheres

Posted: 25 May 2016 07:00 PM PDT

Fewer than predicted planets may be capable of harboring life because their atmospheres keep them too hot, new research suggests.

Multiple personality disorder may be rooted in traumatic experiences

Posted: 25 May 2016 07:00 PM PDT

A new study supports the notion that multiple personality disorder is rooted in traumatic experiences such as neglect or abuse in childhood, rather than being related to suggestibility or proneness to fantasy.

Genome sequencing provides diagnosis for some types of intellectual disability

Posted: 25 May 2016 07:00 PM PDT

A study is one of the first to show the life-changing benefits of genome-wide sequencing for children with certain kinds of intellectual disability, report scientists.

'Wonderful' and 'thankful' versus 'battle' and 'enemy'

Posted: 25 May 2016 01:19 PM PDT

In a computational analysis of the words used by more than 65,000 consenting Facebook users in some 10 million messages, it was discovered that women use language that is warmer and more agreeable than men.

Prenatal fruit consumption boosts babies' cognitive development

Posted: 25 May 2016 01:15 PM PDT

The benefits of eating fruit can begin as early as in the womb. A new study, using data from nearly 700 Edmonton children, demonstrates that infants do significantly better on developmental tests when their mothers consume more fruit during pregnancy.

Making some of the world's most durable materials corrosion-resistant

Posted: 25 May 2016 01:15 PM PDT

Borides are among the hardest and most heat-resistant substances on the planet, but their Achilles' Heel, like so many materials', is that they oxidize at high temperatures. Researchers have now produced an aluminum-layered boride whose unique behavior at high temperatures keeps it one step ahead of nature's slow march toward high- temperature chemical degradation.

Clouds provide clue to better climate predictions

Posted: 25 May 2016 01:15 PM PDT

A research group from the CERN Cloud experiment has uncovered the processes behind the formation and evolution of small atmospheric particles free from the influence of pollution. Their findings are key to creating accurate models to understand and predict global climate change.

Study reveals protein that dials immune responses up and down

Posted: 25 May 2016 01:15 PM PDT

New research has identified a new regulator of immune responses. The study sheds new light on why T cells fail to clear chronic infections and eliminate tumors.

Making AI decision-making accountable

Posted: 25 May 2016 01:15 PM PDT

Machine-learning algorithms increasingly make decisions about credit, medical diagnoses, personalized recommendations, advertising and job opportunities, among other things, but exactly how usually remains a mystery. Now, new measurement methods could provide important insights to this process.

Is symptom expression a form of communication?

Posted: 25 May 2016 01:13 PM PDT

Organisms, including humans, express or suppress symptoms of illness based on need, a new report indicates. Symptoms of illness are not inevitably tied to an underlying disease --rather, many organisms, including humans, adapt their symptom expression to suit their needs, the author suggests.

Tiny 'vampires': Paleobiologist finds evidence of predation in ancient microbial ecosystems

Posted: 25 May 2016 01:13 PM PDT

A paleobiologist has found evidence of predation in ancient microbial ecosystems dating back more than 740 million years. Using a scanning electron microscope to examine minute fossils, Porter found perfectly circular drill holes that may have been formed by an ancient relation of Vampyrellidae amoebae. These single-celled creatures perforate the walls of their prey and reach inside to consume its cell contents.

Human amyloid-beta acts as natural antibiotic in the brain: Alzheimer's-associated amyloid plaques may trap microbes

Posted: 25 May 2016 01:13 PM PDT

A new study provides additional evidence that amyloid-beta protein -- which is deposited in the form of beta-amyloid plaques in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease -- is a normal part of the innate immune system, the body's first-line defense against infection.

Scientists block breast cancer cells from hiding in bones

Posted: 25 May 2016 01:13 PM PDT

A molecular key that breast cancer cells use to invade bone marrow in mice, where they may be protected from chemotherapy or hormonal therapies that could otherwise eradicate them, has been discovered by a team of researchers. Through years of experiments in mice, the scientists have found ways to outmaneuver this stealth tactic by not only preventing breast cancer cells from entering the bone marrow, but also by flushing cancer cells out into the blood stream where they could be targeted for destruction.

Humiliation from stares are worse than tiny seats for obese air travelers, new study

Posted: 25 May 2016 11:07 AM PDT

Feelings of shame and humiliation bother obese air passengers more than tight seat belts and tiny seats, according to a new study.

First large-scale proteogenomic study of breast cancer provides insight into potential therapeutic targets

Posted: 25 May 2016 11:07 AM PDT

A new study integrates genomic and proteomic data to yield a more complete picture of cancer biology than either analysis could do alone, report scientists.

Scientists capture the elusive structure of essential digestive enzyme

Posted: 25 May 2016 11:07 AM PDT

Researchers have revealed new structural data that has eluded scientists for years on a liver enzyme that is critical for human health.

Saving Nemo: Bleaching threatens clownfish

Posted: 25 May 2016 11:05 AM PDT

Clownfish became a household name over a decade ago when Disney released the movie 'Finding Nemo.' The colorful fish are now at risk due to bleaching of their sea anemone homes in the Indo-Pacific, which has increased due to rising ocean temperatures. Researchers demonstrate how vulnerable clownfish are to the increased frequency of bleaching events.

Dose of transplanted blood-forming stem cells affects their behavior

Posted: 25 May 2016 11:05 AM PDT

Unlike aspirin, bone marrow doesn't come with a neatly printed label with dosage instructions. However, a new study provides clues about how the dose of transplanted bone marrow might affect patients undergoing this risky procedure, frequently used to treat cancer and blood diseases.

Close encounters of a tidal kind could lead to cracks on icy moons

Posted: 25 May 2016 11:05 AM PDT

Researchers are offering a new explanation as to how cracks on icy moons, such as Pluto's Charon, formed. Until now, it was thought that the cracks were the result of geodynamical processes, such as plate tectonics, but new models suggest that a close encounter with another body might have been the cause.

Why fruit fly sperm are giant

Posted: 25 May 2016 11:05 AM PDT

The fruit fly Drosophila bifurca is only a few millimeters in size but produces almost six centimeters long sperm. Researchers provide the first explanation for the evolution of such giant sperm. Larger sperm are able to displace their smaller competitors from the female reproductive tract -- a competitive advantage in fertilizing the eggs. Female promiscuity increases the fertilization success by larger males, which can produce more of the longer sperm.

Out of tune: Mismatch of vascular, neural responses suggests limits of fMRI

Posted: 25 May 2016 11:05 AM PDT

During sensory stimulation, increases in blood flow are not precisely 'tuned' to local neural activity, report investigators. This finding challenges the long-held view that vascular and local neural responses are tightly coupled and could suggest limitations for functional magnetic resonance imaging, which assumes that vascular changes reflect a proportional change in local neural activity.

Female meerkats compete to outgrow their sisters

Posted: 25 May 2016 11:05 AM PDT

New research shows subordinate meerkat siblings grow competitively, boosting their chance of becoming a dominant breeder when a vacancy opens up by making sure that younger siblings don't outgrow them.

Dialing up chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer with ultrasound

Posted: 25 May 2016 11:05 AM PDT

By enhancing the ability of cells to absorb chemotherapeutics, researchers have nearly doubled the median patient survival time from diagnosis in a phase I clinical trial. Researchers have combined a laboratory ultrasound technique called 'sonoporation' with the commercially-available chemotherapy compound Gemcitabine to increase the porosity of pancreatic cells with microbubbles and to help get the drug into cancer cells where it is needed.

40-year math mystery and four generations of figuring

Posted: 25 May 2016 10:28 AM PDT

In 1977, Princeton mathematician Paul Seymour made a conjecture about certain large graphs. Nearly 40 years later, mathematicians have come up with a proof he was right. The conjecture is 13 words long; the proof covers 120 pages of math reasoning.

Supermassive black holes in 'red geyser' galaxies cause galactic warming

Posted: 25 May 2016 10:28 AM PDT

Scientists are solving one of the biggest unsolved mysteries in galaxy evolution. Scientists have uncovered a new class of galaxies, called "red geysers," with supermassive black hole winds so hot and energetic that stars can't form. Over the last few billion years, a mysterious kind of "galactic warming" has caused many galaxies to change from a lively place where new stars formed every now and then to a quiet place devoid of fresh young stars. But the mechanism that produces this dramatic transformation and keeps galaxies quiet has been one of the biggest unsolved mysteries in galaxy evolution.

Scientists show commonly prescribed painkiller slows cancer growth

Posted: 25 May 2016 10:26 AM PDT

Scientists have found that one of the most widely prescribed pain and anti-inflammation drugs slows the growth rate of a specific kind of cancer in animal models and suggests the medication could have the same effect on other types of tumors.

Wireless study predicts trouble and solution for 5G cellular

Posted: 25 May 2016 10:26 AM PDT

A new study asserts that the three-parameter 'alpha-beta-gamma' (ABG) model used in the past by 3GPP for predicting signal coverage might spell trouble at frequencies above 6 gigahertz (GHz).

Early use of 'hurricane hunter' data improves hurricane intensity predictions

Posted: 25 May 2016 10:26 AM PDT

Data collected via airplane when a hurricane is developing can improve hurricane intensity predictions by up to 15 percent, according to researchers who have been working to put the new technique into practice.

Humans less likely to return to an automated advisor once given bad advice

Posted: 25 May 2016 10:25 AM PDT

The ubiquitous Chat Bot popping up on websites asking if you need help has become standard on many sites. We dismiss, we engage, but do we trust the algorithm that is aiding our experience? Giving us answers and advice? A recent study found that participants were less likely to return to an automated advisor if given bad advice over a human advisor under the same circumstances.

Is aging inevitable? Not necessarily for sea urchins

Posted: 25 May 2016 10:25 AM PDT

Scientists are studying the regenerative capacity of sea urchins in hopes that a deeper understanding of the process of regeneration, which governs the regeneration of aging tissues as well as lost or damaged body parts, will lead to a deeper understanding of the aging process in humans, with whom sea urchins share a close genetic relationship.

Exploring gender perception via speech

Posted: 25 May 2016 10:25 AM PDT

Snap judgments of speakers' femininity or masculinity are based on acoustic information from the speakers' voices, but some vocal qualities deemed 'feminine' can overlap with acoustic cues for 'clear speech,' which is a set of changes speakers make when they suspect their listener is having difficulty hearing. This overlap inspired researchers to explore gender perception via speech -- largely to determine whether adopting clear speech could help transgender people who would like to sound more feminine.

New concept turns battery technology upside-down

Posted: 25 May 2016 09:28 AM PDT

A new approach to the design of a liquid battery, using a passive, gravity-fed arrangement similar to an old-fashioned hourglass, could offer great advantages due to the system's low cost and the simplicity of its design and operation, says a team of researchers who have made a demonstration version of the new battery.

Full-incision facelift superior to short-scar in neck region, study in multiples shows

Posted: 25 May 2016 09:28 AM PDT

Facelift patients who wish to avoid the dreaded 'turkey wattle' neckline years later should undergo a full-incision surgical technique instead of a short-scar method, according to novel new research who performed the procedure on identical twins and triplets.

Oldest well-documented Blanding's Turtle recaptured at reserve at age 83

Posted: 25 May 2016 09:16 AM PDT

A female Blanding's turtle believed to be at least 83 years old was captured at a forest reserve this week. Researchers say it is the oldest well-documented Blanding's turtle and one of the oldest-known freshwater turtles.

Common antibacterial triclosan found in most freshwater streams

Posted: 25 May 2016 09:16 AM PDT

Most U.S. homes are full of familiar household products with an ingredient that fights bacteria: triclosan. Most of the triclosan is removed in waste water treatment plants. However, a U.S. Geological Survey found the antibacterial in nearly 58% of freshwater streams. What does that mean for the food and soil irrigated with water from streams? As triclosan breaks down, it can turn into other harmful compounds. The breakdown of triclosan produces more effective hormone disruptors.

Neuroscientists illuminate role of autism-linked gene

Posted: 25 May 2016 09:12 AM PDT

Neuroscientists have found that loss of the autism-linked Shank gene prevents brain synapses from maturing, in a study of fruit flies. Many genetic variants have been linked to autism, but only a handful are potent enough to induce the disorder on their own. Among these variants, mutations in a gene called Shank3 are among the most common, occurring in about 0.5 percent of people with autism.

Anemia negatively affects recovery from traumatic brain injuries

Posted: 25 May 2016 09:12 AM PDT

Approximately half of patients hospitalized with traumatic brain injuries are anemic, according to recent studies, but anemia's effects on the recovery of these patients is not clear. Now, researchers have found evidence that anemia can negatively influence the outcomes of patients with traumatic brain injuries.

Harnessing solar and wind energy in one device could power the 'Internet of Things'

Posted: 25 May 2016 09:12 AM PDT

The 'Internet of Things' could make cities 'smarter' by connecting an extensive network of tiny communications devices to make life more efficient. But all these machines will require a lot of energy. Rather than adding to the global reliance on fossil fuels to power the network, researchers say they have a new solution. They report on a single device that harvests wind and solar energy.

Investigating how 'chemo brain' develops in cancer patients

Posted: 25 May 2016 09:12 AM PDT

During and after chemotherapy, many cancer patients describe feeling a mental fog, a condition that has been dubbed 'chemo brain.' Why this happens is unclear, but researchers have found a new clue to understanding this syndrome. A new study reports that chemotherapy in rats affects their chemical messengers dopamine and serotonin, which are associated with cognition.

Many unknown chemicals in the Baltic Sea

Posted: 25 May 2016 09:12 AM PDT

New chemicals are often not recognized in analyses of fish in the Baltic Sea, shows a new study. The reason is that one chooses to search for chemicals that are already known, and much of those who are already regulated by law. Many toxic chemicals that are not yet regulated are often overlooked in the environmental monitoring.

What can Pavlov's dogs tell us about drinking?

Posted: 25 May 2016 09:12 AM PDT

Pavlovian cues that predict alcohol can lead us toward addiction. And sometimes those cues can become desirable in and of themselves, as shown in a new study.

No dessert for you! When it comes to diabetes, 'nagging is caring'

Posted: 25 May 2016 09:12 AM PDT

For men, an unhappy marriage may actually slow the development of diabetes and promote successful treatment once they do get the disease, finds an American study.

Monitoring sun exposure with a portable paper sensor

Posted: 25 May 2016 09:11 AM PDT

Summer is around the corner -- time for cookouts and sunbathing. But too much sun can result in sunburn, which is the main cause of skin cancer. Because the time it takes to get burned depends on many factors, it is not easy to tell when to seek shade. To help people stay safe, researchers report the development of a paper-based sensor for monitoring sun exposure given different skin tones and sunscreen levels.

Spring comes sooner to urban heat islands, with potential consequences for wildlife

Posted: 25 May 2016 08:41 AM PDT

With spring now fully sprung, a new study shows that buds burst earlier in dense urban areas than in their suburban and rural surroundings. This may be music to urban gardeners' ears, but that tune could be alarming to some native and migratory birds and bugs.

Students design prosthetic foot for high heels

Posted: 25 May 2016 08:41 AM PDT

After losing a leg to injury or disease, women adjusting to life with a prosthetic limb face the same challenges as men, with perhaps one added complication: how to wear high-heels? Students have developed an early version of a potential solution.

Fixing cystic fibrosis: In vitro studies show therapeutically robust correction of the most common CF gene mutation

Posted: 25 May 2016 08:41 AM PDT

In experiments with isolated cystic fibrosis lung cells, researchers have partially restored the lost function of those cells to therapeutic levels.

Study examines suicide attempt risk factors, methods and timing, related to deployment among active duty soldiers

Posted: 25 May 2016 08:41 AM PDT

Suicide attempts, like suicides, have increased in the U.S. Army over the last decade. To better understand and prevent suicidal behavior, researchers examined timing and risk factors for suicide attempts among U.S. Army enlisted Soldiers. They found the highest risk was among those who never deployed, and those who never deployed were at greatest risk during their second month of service.

Antiretroviral therapy may not be enough to reduce HIV-associated arterial inflammation

Posted: 25 May 2016 08:39 AM PDT

Initiating antiretroviral therapy soon after diagnosis of an HIV infection did not prevent the progression of significant arterial inflammation in a small group of previously untreated patients.

Study finds elevated cancer risk among women with new-onset atrial fibrillation

Posted: 25 May 2016 08:39 AM PDT

Among nearly 35,000 initially healthy women who were followed-up for about 20 years, those with new-onset atrial fibrillation had an increased risk of cancer, according to a new study.

Scientists explore new concepts of plant behavior, interactions

Posted: 25 May 2016 08:12 AM PDT

While a lot is already known about plant perception, our ecological understanding of plants has largely focused on seeing plants as the sum of a series of building blocks or traits. A new collection of articles gathers researchers who have taken a different approach, theorizing plant activity in terms of behavior.

Thermal modification of wood and a complex study of its properties by magnetic resonance

Posted: 25 May 2016 08:12 AM PDT

Researchers conducted an investigation of various thermally treated wood species from the Central European part of Russia by magnetic resonance methods and revealed important changes in wood structure which were not available for observation by other methods.

Australian cricket team uses guided missile technology to improve bowling

Posted: 25 May 2016 08:12 AM PDT

Researchers have developed a revolutionary algorithm using submarine and guided missile technology to reduce injury and improve performance in cricket fast bowlers. The 'torpedo technology' is being used by the Australian team in preparations for the upcoming Sri Lanka Series. Sports scientists developed the algorithm as the current manual reporting of professional cricketers' workloads -- which only measures how many deliveries a bowler balls, and not the intensity of the effort -- was inadequate.

Could optical clocks redefine the length of a second?

Posted: 25 May 2016 08:12 AM PDT

GPS-based navigation, communication systems, electrical power grids and financial networks all rely on the precise time kept by a network of around 500 atomic clocks located around the world. Researchers now present a way to use optical clocks for more accurate timekeeping than is possible with today's system of traditional atomic clocks. The researchers also measured an optical clock's frequency -- analogous to it's 'ticking' -- with unprecedented precision.

Lung function may affect vocal health for women

Posted: 25 May 2016 08:12 AM PDT

Vocal fatigue is a common complaint among teachers and one of the most debilitating conditions that can lead to vocal damage. The typical symptoms include hoarseness, vocal tiredness, muscle pains and lost or cracked notes. However, the actual physiological mechanism of vocal fatigue is still being explored. Now, a group of researchers have found a potential link between pulmonary function and the symptoms of voice fatigue unique to women, the predominate population of teaching workforce.

The future of sonar in semiheated oceans

Posted: 25 May 2016 08:12 AM PDT

Light doesn't travel very far underwater so the navy uses sound to transmit messages. The speed of underwater sound depends on a combination of temperature, salinity and pressure. Understanding sound speed is crucial for transmitting messages, detecting enemy submarines and avoiding marine animals. As climate change elevates temperatures, understanding underwater sound speed will become increasingly important.

Researchers make a key discovery in how malaria evades the immune system

Posted: 25 May 2016 07:21 AM PDT

The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum hijacks an immune system process to invade red blood cells, according to a study. Understanding how malaria invades the cells could lead to a more effective vaccine.