Thursday, March 19, 2015

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News


Traffic fatalities spike during spring break

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 12:39 PM PDT

Come spring break, college students from all over the country travel to warmer climates for time off from school and to escape the cold weather. However, it's not all fun in the sun. At popular spring break destinations, fatalities from car crashes are significantly higher during the spring break weeks compared to other times of the year, according to a recent study.

Is too much artificial light at night making us sick?

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 12:39 PM PDT

Modern life, with its preponderance of inadequate exposure to natural light during the day and overexposure to artificial light at night, is not conducive to the body's natural sleep/wake cycle. A cancer epidemiologist and team members suggest such overexposure has possible ties to cancer, obesity, diabetes, and other health issues.

Computer sims: In climatic tug of war, carbon released from thawing permafrost wins handily

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 12:39 PM PDT

There will be a lot more carbon released from thawing permafrost than the amount taken in by more Arctic vegetation, according to new computer simulations. The findings are from an Earth system model that is the first to represent permafrost processes as well as the dynamics of carbon and nitrogen in the soil. Simulations using the model showed that by the year 2300, if climate change continues unchecked, the net loss of carbon to the atmosphere from Arctic permafrost would range from between 21 petagrams and 164 petagrams. That's equivalent to between two years and 16 years of human-induced CO2 emissions.

Mechanism that helps parasites manipulate their hosts may have been discovered

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 12:39 PM PDT

Rodents infected with a common parasite lose their fear of cats, resulting in easy meals for the felines. Now researchers have identified a new way the parasite may modify brain cells, possibly helping explain changes in the behavior of mice -- and humans.

Robot model for infant learning shows bodily posture may affect memory and learning

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 12:39 PM PDT

Using both robots and infants, a cognitive scientist and collaborators have found that posture is critical in the early stages of acquiring new knowledge. "This study shows that the body plays a role in early object name learning, and how toddlers use the body's position in space to connect ideas," an author said. "The creation of a robot model for infant learning has far-reaching implications for how the brains of young people work."

More than a million stars are forming in a mysterious dusty gas cloud in a nearby galaxy

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 11:55 AM PDT

An extremely hot, dusty cloud of molecular gases is forming more than a million young stars in a tiny nearby galaxy, astronomers report.

Insect wings might serve gyroscopic function, new research suggests

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 11:55 AM PDT

Gyroscopes are rarely found in nature. But researchers have discovered that insect wings may act as gyroscopes, helping insects perform aerial acrobatics and maintain stability and direction.

Low vitamin D levels, depression linked in young women, new study shows

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 11:55 AM PDT

There is a relationship between low levels of vitamin D and depression in otherwise healthy young women, a new study shows.

Antibiotic resistance linked to corruption, experts suggest

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 11:54 AM PDT

Researchers have linked antibiotic resistance with poor governance and corruption around the world. "We found poor governance and higher levels of corruption are associated with higher levels of antibiotic resistance," said one author. "It is a finding that will be surprising to most people in the field of Medicine."

How planthoppers got (and changed) their wings

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 11:54 AM PDT

Each year, rice faces a big threat from a sesame seed-sized insect called the brown planthopper. Now, a study reveals the molecular switch that enables some planthoppers to develop short wings and others long based on environmental conditions such as day length and temperature -- a major factor in their ability to invade new rice fields.

First fine-scale genetic map of the British Isles

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 11:54 AM PDT

Many people in the UK feel a strong sense of regional identity, and it now appears that there may be a scientific basis to this feeling, according to a landmark new study into the genetic makeup of the British Isles.

Structure of genetic messenger molecules reveals key role in diseases

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 11:54 AM PDT

Messenger RNAs (mRNA) are linear molecules that contain instructions for producing the proteins that keep living cells functioning. A new study has shown how the three-dimensional structures of mRNAs determine their stability and efficiency inside cells. This new knowledge could help to explain how seemingly minor mutations that alter mRNA structure might cause things to go wrong in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.

Amazon's carbon uptake declines as trees die faster

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 11:54 AM PDT

The Amazon is losing its capacity to absorb carbon from the atmosphere, reveals he most extensive land-based study of the Amazon to date. From a peak of two billion tons of carbon dioxide each year in the 1990s, the net uptake by the forest has halved and is now for the first time being overtaken by fossil fuel emissions in Latin America.

Pesticides not sole culprit in honey bee colony declines

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 11:54 AM PDT

The world's most common insecticide does not significantly harm honey bee colonies at real-world dosage levels, a new multiyear, field-based study shows. "Imidacloprid is the most widely used insecticide in the world. It's not restricted because it is very safe--an order of magnitude safer than organophosphates," an author said, drawing a comparison with a class of chemicals known to be highly toxic to nearly all living things.

Body Temperature and Obesity: New Study Suggests Connection

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 11:48 AM PDT

A new study suggests that a biological inability to create sufficient core body heat could be linked to the obesity epidemic.

Protein sequencing solves Darwinian mystery of strange South American mammals

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 11:48 AM PDT

Scientists have resolved pieces of a nearly 200-year-old evolutionary puzzle surrounding the group of mammals that Charles Darwin called the "strangest animals ever discovered." New research shows that South America's native ungulates, or hooved mammals -- the last of which disappeared only 10,000 years ago -- are actually related to mammals like horses rather than elephants and other species with ancient evolutionary ties to Africa as some taxonomists have maintained.

Strong regulations on gun sales prevent high-risk individuals from accessing firearms, can reduce violent crime

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 11:45 AM PDT

Laws and regulations designed to keep firearms from people at risk of committing violence, such as felons and those under restraining orders, are effective and, in some instances, reduce lethal violence, a review of 28 published studies examining U.S. gun policy has found.

Towels top kitchen contamination hazards list

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 11:45 AM PDT

Food safety research used video observations to show people touching kitchen towels before washing their hands or using towels after washing their hands inadequately. Even after properly washing their hands, they would reuse the infected towels and contaminate themselves all over again. Researchers believe cloth towels can quickly and easily become contaminated at significant levels, including microorganisms that potentially lead to foodborne illnesses.

Researchers identify protein needed for repair of injured kidney cells

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 11:43 AM PDT

A protein known as MG53 is not only present in kidney cells, but necessary for the organ to repair itself after acute injury, cardiovascular researchers have shown. "MG53 is a key component of cellular self-repair. Identification of MG53 as a vital component of reno-protection could lead to new preventive or therapeutic treatments for acute kidney failure," the lead investigator said.

Benefits of immunotherapy, cancer-targeted treatment in triple combo drug for melanoma

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 11:43 AM PDT

A groundbreaking new triple combination therapy shows promising signs of more effectively controlling advanced melanoma than previous BRAF + MEK inhibitor or BRAF inhibitor + immunotherapy combos alone, and with increased immune response and fewer side effects.

New approach to promote regeneration of heart tissue

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 11:43 AM PDT

The heart tissue of mammals has limited capacity to regenerate after an injury such as a heart attack, in part due to the inability to reactivate a cardiac muscle cell and proliferation program. A team has now shown that a subset of microRNAs is important for cardiomyocyte cell proliferation during development and is sufficient to induce proliferation in cardiomyocytes in the adult heart.

'Missing culprit' in heart failure identified by researchers

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 11:43 AM PDT

Working with lab animals and human heart cells, scientists have identified what they describe as "the long-sought culprit" in the mystery behind a cell-signaling breakdown that triggers heart failure. An enzyme called PDE-9 interferes with the body's natural "braking" system needed to neutralize stress on the heart, they report.

Fine-tuning quantum dots from coal

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 11:06 AM PDT

The size of graphene quantum dots made from coal can be finely tuned in a single step for electronic and fluorescent properties, according to scientists.

Finding support for surgery on Facebook

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 11:06 AM PDT

Despite the popularity of social networking sites like Facebook, scientists are only beginning to learn how they affect human interaction. In a recent study, researchers examined Facebook conversations to better understand how people seek and receive support on social networking sites. When the researchers examined the conversations where the initial posts mentioned surgery, they discovered that posts referencing a family member triggered much greater response via comments on that post.

Potential treatment identified for myotonic muscular dystrophy

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 11:06 AM PDT

A doctor who was one of the discoverers of the gene responsible for myotonic muscular dystrophy has now identified a therapeutic that could slow progression of muscle damage and muscle dysfunction associated with the disease.

Glad to be home: Hormonal basis of affiliation, competition among hunters in the Bolivian Amazon

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 11:06 AM PDT

Absence, it seems, really does make the heart grow fonder. That's according to new research conducted by anthropologists, who found that levels of the 'love' hormone oxytocin increases among Tsimane men when they come home to their families after a day of hunting.

Electronic waste has energy value

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 10:44 AM PDT

Using discarded electronic boards, researchers have developed a system for obtaining clean hydrogen that can be used as fuel. The researchers have already registered the patent of the process in Japan.

Study uncovers mechanisms of cancer-causing mutations

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 10:08 AM PDT

The molecular mechanism of cancer development caused by well-known 'resistance' mutations in the gene called epidermal growth factor receptor has been revealed by researchers for the first time. While these mutations were known for quite a long time, the question as to why they cause cancer or make some drugs ineffective was still not answered.

Study sheds new light on asthma, COPD

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 10:07 AM PDT

In diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the body produces too much mucus, making breathing difficult. New research provides clues to potentially counteract inappropriate mucus production.

Antihypertensive drug improves corticosteroid-based skin treatments

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 10:07 AM PDT

Basic research on blood pressure has led researchers to obtain unexpected results: drugs used to treat high blood pressure reduce side effects from corticosteroid-based creams used to treat certain skin diseases.

Iron rain fell on early Earth, new Z machine data supports

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 10:07 AM PDT

Physical tests reveal that, at pressures rivaling those when worlds collide, iron vaporizes at far lower pressures than assumed by theoreticians, explaining why the element is distributed in Earth's mantle rather than collected at its core.

New molecular tool assesses vaginal microbiome health, diagnoses infections -- fast

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 10:07 AM PDT

Bacterial communities within the vagina protect it from unhealthy bacteria and otherwise help to maintain its health. Nonetheless, as in any complex ecosystem, things can go awry. A new microarray-based tool, called VaginArray, offers the potential to provide a fast, reliable and low-cost assessment of vaginal health and diagnoses of infections.

Improved method for coating gold nanorods

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 10:07 AM PDT

Researchers have fine-tuned a technique for coating gold nanorods with silica shells, allowing engineers to create large quantities of the nanorods and giving them more control over the thickness of the shell. Gold nanorods are being investigated for use in a wide variety of biomedical applications, and this advance paves the way for more stable gold nanorods and for chemically functionalizing the surface of the shells.

World's first method for continuous purification of valuable antibodies

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 10:07 AM PDT

The world's first continuous purification method for valuable drugs has been created by scientists. This will lead to significantly reduced production costs and to cheaper pharmaceuticals that are affordable for non-privileged health care systems.

Bats are surprisingly fast decision makers

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 10:07 AM PDT

Bats are not as stereotyped when they hunt as previously believed. New research shows that these flying mammals are capable of making ultra-fast decisions about how to attack their prey -- or maybe even call off the attack. It takes only milliseconds.

Bioinformatics tool for metagenome analysis

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 10:04 AM PDT

A new method for DNA analysis of microbial communities, such as those found in the ocean, the soil, and our own guts, has been developed by scientists. "We have developed a new tool in this rapidly expanding and evolving field of what is called 'metagenomics'" said a researcher. "It uses nucleic acid data and looks for sections that map uniquely to a preconstructed database."

Study may explain low blood oxygen for cystic fibrosis patients with infected lungs

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 10:04 AM PDT

A new bodily process found in mice may explain why blood oxygen levels are lower for patients with cystic fibrosis when they get a lung infection. "Our findings indicate that strategies aimed at restoring or activating the CFTR protein in patients with lung infection, particularly those with cystic fibrosis, might help improve blood oxygen levels and improve circulation," said one researcher.

New optical materials break digital connectivity barriers

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 10:04 AM PDT

In our increasingly networked world, we need much faster computer components to support enormous amounts of data transfer and data processing. A new study finds that new optical materials could serve as the nuts and bolts of future ultra-high-speed optical computing components. These 'nonlinear metamaterials,' which possess physical capabilities not found in nature, may be the building blocks that allow major companies like IBM and Intel to move from electronic to optical computing.

Actual Reality tested in functional assessment post-TBI

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 10:04 AM PDT

Actual Reality has been described as a new tool for assessing performance of activities of everyday life in people with traumatic brain injury (TBI). A new article outlines the first study examining the use of Actual Reality in the TBI population.

How green tea could help improve MRIs

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 10:04 AM PDT

Green tea's popularity has grown quickly in recent years. Its fans can drink it, enjoy its flavor in their ice cream and slather it on their skin with lotions infused with it. Now, the tea could have a new, unexpected role -- to improve the image quality of MRIs. Scientists report that they successfully used compounds from green tea to help image cancer tumors in mice.

Many plastics labeled 'biodegradable' don't break down as expected

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 10:04 AM PDT

Plastic products advertised as biodegradable have recently emerged, but they sound almost too good to be true. Scientists have now found out that, at least for now, consumers have good reason to doubt these claims. Plastics designed to degrade didn't break down any faster than their more conventional counterparts, according to new research.

Understanding proteins involved in fertility could help boost IVF success

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 10:03 AM PDT

Women who have difficulty getting pregnant often turn to in-vitro fertilization (IVF), but it doesn't always work. Now scientists are taking a new approach to improve the technique by studying the proteins that could help ready a uterus for an embryo to implant in its wall. Their report could help researchers develop a new treatment that could potentially increase the success rate of IVF.

Measuring the effect of urban planning changes

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 10:03 AM PDT

With a population likely to grow 27 percent by 2031, putting an end to urban sprawl in Greater Montreal appears impossible for the short to medium term. But it is possible to slow the pace of urban sprawl by harnessing the full development potential of central areas, according to forecasts by the researcher who developed a spatial microsimulation model called Local Demographic Simulations.

Leaf odor attracts Drosophila suzukii

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 10:03 AM PDT

The spotted-wing Drosophila suzukii lays its eggs in fresh and ripening fruits. Infested fruits are often additionally infected with bacteria and fungi, and become unsuitable for sale and further processing. Currently, the only way to control this pest is through the use of insecticides. Scientists have now identified a leaf odor which is highly attractive to Drosophila suzukii. Beta-cyclocitral lures Drosophila suzukii but no other related drosophilids.

Brain networks differ among those with severe schizophrenia, study shows

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 10:03 AM PDT

People with a severe form of schizophrenia have major differences in their brain networks compared to others with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and healthy individuals, a new study shows. Schizophrenia, which affects one in 100 people, is generally known for symptoms of delusions and hallucinations, which can be treated with antipsychotic medications. However, lack of motivation and social withdrawal are also characteristic symptoms of the illness.

Healthy diet reduces risk of cardiovascular disease by a third in over-40s

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 10:03 AM PDT

Men and women who adapt their daily diet to meet current UK dietary guidelines could reduce their risk of a heart attack or a stroke by up to a third, according to a new English study. Those on the modified diet ate oily fish once a week, more fruit and vegetables, replaced refined with wholegrain cereals, swapped high-fat dairy products and meats for low-fat alternatives, and restricted their intake of added sugar and salt.

Are antipsychotic drugs more dangerous to dementia patients than we think?

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 10:03 AM PDT

Drugs aimed at quelling the behavior problems of dementia patients may also hasten their deaths more than previously realized, a new study finds. The research adds more troubling evidence to the case against antipsychotic drugs as a treatment for the delusions, hallucinations, agitation and aggression that many people with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias experience.

Male fish dig pits and build sand castles at the bottom of Lake Malawi to attract females

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 10:03 AM PDT

A new study shows that courtship rituals evolve exceptionally fast among cichlid fish in Lake Malawi. Only in shallow waters where the light is good, males attract females by building sand castles.

Purification, characterization of ATP synthase complexes from mitochondria of four fungal species

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 10:02 AM PDT

ATP, the fuel of life, is produced in mitochondria of living cells by a molecular machine, the ATP synthase. Researchers have isolated the machines from four fungal species, compared their stabilities and identified the proteins from which they are constructed.

Changes in health care delivery essential to combat chronic disease

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 10:02 AM PDT

Chronic disease accounts for 7 of every 10 deaths in the United States and more than 75% of total health care costs. Among people 65 years old and older, over 92% suffer from one or more chronic diseases. By 2020, it is estimated that 48% of the total population will have chronic disease. In a new article, researchers discuss how existing health care delivery models are poorly constructed to manage chronic disease, and how a reengineering of the health care system might offer some hope in meeting this challenge.

Speech-based system for early detection of Alzheimer's disease

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 10:02 AM PDT

Various non-invasive methodologies for the early detection of Alzheimer's disease are under development, researchers report. Alzheimer's disease is the most significant cause of dementia in the elderly: it affects over 35 million people worldwide.

There's a revolution brewing in the technology kitchen: Imagine technology that is good enough to wear, safe enough to eat

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 10:02 AM PDT

Imagine technology that is good enough to wear and safe enough to eat. Technology innovation specialists are working on a project to design a range of wide-reaching sensing devices for people suffering with anxiety.

Custodial grandparents: depressed, anxious and stressed?

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 10:02 AM PDT

Grandparents who care for grandchildren with abnormal emotional and hyperactive symptoms are more likely to experience lower levels of life satisfaction, a study has found.

Moral decisions can be influenced by eye tracking

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 07:14 AM PDT

Our opinions are affected by what our eyes are focusing on in the same instant we make moral decisions. Researchers have managed to influence people's responses to questions such as 'is murder defensible?' by tracking their eye movements. When the participants had looked at a randomly pre-selected response long enough, they were asked for an immediate answer. Fifty-eight percent chose that answer as their moral position.

Scientists unknowingly tweak experiments, article suggests

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 07:13 AM PDT

Some scientists are unknowingly tweaking experiments and analysis methods to increase their chances of getting results that are easily published, a new article suggests. P-hacking happens when researchers either consciously or unconsciously analyze their data multiple times or in multiple ways until they get a desired result. If p-hacking is common, the exaggerated results could lead to misleading conclusions, even when evidence comes from multiple studies.

Superradiant matter: A new paradigm to explore dynamic phase transitions

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 07:13 AM PDT

In a new approach to understand dynamic phase transitions an experimental and theoretical effort was undertaken using a novel type of quantum matter in a so-called superradiant state.

The new frontier in plasma medicine

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 07:13 AM PDT

Applications of plasmas in medicine are a new frontier in therapeutic treatment. For example, they can help in stimulating tissue regeneration in the contexts of wound healing and dermatology. Essential to this topic is the understanding of processes at work in plasmas -- a unique kind of gas-like state of matter containing charged particles. A new study provides previously unavailable data on oxygen ion transport and the likelihood of such ions interacting with water molecules.

Frequency of blood tests in heart surgery patients may lead to anemia, transfusions

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 07:13 AM PDT

Laboratory testing among patients undergoing cardiac surgery can lead to excessive bloodletting, which can increase the risk of developing hospital-acquired anemia and the need for blood transfusion, according to a new article.

Scientists pioneer new drug regimen that reduces toxicities for renal cancer patients

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 07:12 AM PDT

Conclusive results have been revealed in reducing toxicities for Asian patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma or cancer that has spread beyond the kidney. The findings have revolutionized the standard protocol for patient management in NCCS with an attenuated-dose regimen of sunitinib for patients with mRCC.

Extent of moon's giant volcanic eruption is revealed

Posted: 18 Mar 2015 07:12 AM PDT

Scientists have produced a new map of the Moon's most unusual volcano showing that its explosive eruption spread debris over an area much greater than previously thought. A team of astronomers and geologists studied an area of the lunar surface in the Compton-Belkovich Volcanic Complex.