ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Astronomers smash cosmic records to see hydrogen in distant galaxy
• Spinning electrons yield positrons for research
• Pluto's polygons may have been formed by convection
• NASA satellite finds unreported sources of toxic air pollution
• Shift work unwinds body clocks, leading to more severe strokes
• Software turns webcams into eye-trackers
• Study finds minimal risk for serious infection with 'in bone' prosthesis
• Research examines social benefits of getting into someone else's head
• Cooperation emerges when groups are small and memories are long, study finds
• New measurement technique shows link between T-cells, aging
• Genetic approach could help identify side-effects at early stages of drug development
• Ancient Wari Empire likely did not cause large shifts in population genetic diversity
• Male orb-weaving spiders cannibalized by females may be choosy about mating
• 17 million women/children tasked with household water collection in 24 African countries
• New insights into muscular dystrophy point to potential treatment avenues
• Team identifies gene involved with fracture healing
• Hydraulic fracturing chemical spills on agricultural land need scrutiny
• Slowing of landslide flows reflects California's drying climate
• 'Jumping gene' took peppered moths to the dark side in Industrial Revolution
• A new look at caspase 12 research
• How comets break up, make up
• Genetic switch that turned moths black also colors butterflies
• Just what sustains Earth's magnetic field anyway?
• Carbon potential of Alaska lands
• In all US regions, broad support for increasing legal age of tobacco sales
• Study highlights 'emotional labor' of college student-athletes
• New approach to nuclear structure cuts amount of computational power required
• A vision for revamping neuroscience education
• Ultra-sensitive, vibration-tolerant gas sensor makes field applications more practical
• Marijuana-smokers harm gums; other physical effects slight
• New muscular dystrophy drug target identified
• Reported data on vaccines may not build public trust or adherence
• Wildfire on warming planet requires adaptive capacity at local, national, international scales
• Soft-bodied robots: Actuators inspired by muscle
• Preparing students for college challenges reduces inequality
• Politics, not ignorance, may pollute support for pro-science solutions
• Employers want college grads to have strong oral skills
• Studies examine use of newer blood test to help identify or rule-out heart attack
• First gene mutation explaining development of multiple sclerosis
• Is beer good for the brain?
• Novel mouse model sheds new light on autism spectrum disorder
• Timing, resistant varieties help decrease wheat virus
• Peas and prosperity
• Imaging biomarker distinguishes prostate cancer tumor grade
• Want to conserve more water? Target those who already save a little
• Kodiak bears track salmon runs in Alaska
• One in five women with ovarian cancer does not undergo surgery, study reveals
• Dietary fiber intake tied to successful aging, research reveals
• New study of the memory through optogenetics
• Online training helps prevent depression
• Stress receptor in brain only used for emergencies
• Nanocars taken for a rough ride: Single-molecule cars tested in open air
• New devices, wearable system aim to predict, prevent asthma attacks
• Association between Medicare eligibility, rehabilitative care
• Belgian researchers check quality of chocolate with ultrasound
• De-coding the character of a hacker
• Women find men more masculine when wearing deodorant
• Organizer of body axes: 600 million years old molecular principles
• Antarctic coastline images reveal four decades of ice loss to ocean
• For women, barriers to physical activity can vary by weight

Astronomers smash cosmic records to see hydrogen in distant galaxy Posted: 01 Jun 2016 05:46 PM PDT An international team of scientists has pushed the limits of radio astronomy to detect a faint signal emitted by hydrogen gas in a galaxy more than five billion light years away -- almost double the previous record.Using the Very Large Array of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in the US, the team observed radio emission from hydrogen in a distant galaxy and found that it would have contained billions of young, massive stars surrounded by clouds of hydrogen gas.

Spinning electrons yield positrons for research Posted: 01 Jun 2016 05:46 PM PDT A team of researchers has successfully demonstrated a new method for producing a beam of polarized positrons, a method that could enable a wide range of applications and research, such as improved product manufacturing and polarized positron beams to power breakthrough scientific research.

Pluto's polygons may have been formed by convection Posted: 01 Jun 2016 01:35 PM PDT On Pluto, icebergs floating in a sea of nitrogen ice are key to a possible explanation of the quilted appearance of the Sputnik Planum region of the dwarf planet's surface. Researchers have proposed that the polygons seen in the images could be individual Rayleigh--Bénard convection cells.

NASA satellite finds unreported sources of toxic air pollution Posted: 01 Jun 2016 01:35 PM PDT Using a new satellite-based method, scientists have located 39 unreported and major human-made sources of toxic sulfur dioxide emissions.

Shift work unwinds body clocks, leading to more severe strokes Posted: 01 Jun 2016 12:20 PM PDT Statistics show that some 15 million Americans don't work the typical nine-to-five. These employees (or shift workers), who punch in for graveyard or rotating shifts, are more prone to numerous health hazards, from heart attacks to obesity, and now, new research shows shift work may also have serious implications for the brain.

Software turns webcams into eye-trackers Posted: 01 Jun 2016 12:20 PM PDT New software turns ordinary computer webcams into eye-tracking devices. The new software could help web developers to optimize content and make websites more user-friendly.

Study finds minimal risk for serious infection with 'in bone' prosthesis Posted: 01 Jun 2016 12:19 PM PDT A new study found minimal risk for severe infection with osseointegrated implants -- a newer prosthetic system, press-fitted directly into the femur bone -- that enables bone growth over a metal, robotic prosthetic limb in patients with above knee amputations.

Research examines social benefits of getting into someone else's head Posted: 01 Jun 2016 12:19 PM PDT Do you often wonder what the person next to you is thinking? You might be high in mind-reading motivation (MRM), a newly coined term for the practice of observing and interpreting bits of social information, like whether the person next to you is rhythmically drumming his fingers because he's anxious or if someone is preoccupied because she's gazing off into the distance.

Cooperation emerges when groups are small and memories are long, study finds Posted: 01 Jun 2016 12:19 PM PDT In a new paper, researchers use game theory to demonstrate the complex set of traits that can promote the evolution of cooperation. Their analysis showed that smaller groups in which actors had longer memories of their fellow group members' actions were more likely to evolve cooperative strategies.

New measurement technique shows link between T-cells, aging Posted: 01 Jun 2016 12:19 PM PDT Researchers discover a new correlation between aging and the effectiveness of T-Cells. The research is based on a novel technique, called iTAST (in situ TCR affinity and sequence test), that is able to measure a T-cell's so-called affinity, a physical parameter that determines how well T-cell receptors recognize and bind to their antigens, such as those derived from bacteria, viruses or cancer cells.

Genetic approach could help identify side-effects at early stages of drug development Posted: 01 Jun 2016 12:19 PM PDT An approach that could reduce the chances of drugs failing during the later stages of clinical trials has been demonstrated. The technique involves identifying genetic variants that mimic the action of a drug on its intended target and then checking in large patient cohorts whether these variants are associated with risk of other conditions, such as cardiovascular disease.

Ancient Wari Empire likely did not cause large shifts in population genetic diversity Posted: 01 Jun 2016 12:19 PM PDT The imperial dominance of the ancient Wari Empire at the Huaca Pucllana site in Lima, Peru, was likely not achieved through population replacement, according to a new study.

Male orb-weaving spiders cannibalized by females may be choosy about mating Posted: 01 Jun 2016 12:19 PM PDT In a colonial orb-weaving spider, Cyrtophora citricola, females often eat the males after mating, but it is often the males that choose their mates, according a new study.

17 million women/children tasked with household water collection in 24 African countries Posted: 01 Jun 2016 12:19 PM PDT Nearly 17 million women and children (mostly girls) in 24 sub-Saharan African countries are responsible for hauling water long distances to their homes, a task that takes them more than 30 minutes per trip, according to a study.

New insights into muscular dystrophy point to potential treatment avenues Posted: 01 Jun 2016 11:15 AM PDT Certain stem cells in our bodies have the potential to turn into either fat or muscle. Experiments in mice suggest prospective drugs that manipulate these cells' fate could make it possible to relieve many of the symptoms of muscular dystrophy.

Team identifies gene involved with fracture healing Posted: 01 Jun 2016 11:15 AM PDT New identification of a gene involved in the fracture healing process could lead to the development of new therapeutic treatments for difficult-to-heal injuries, report scientists.

Hydraulic fracturing chemical spills on agricultural land need scrutiny Posted: 01 Jun 2016 11:15 AM PDT Hydraulic fracturing, a widely used method for extracting oil and gas from otherwise impenetrable shale and rock formations, involves not only underground injections composed mostly of water, but also a mixture of chemical additives. Researchers have now set out to discover whether the degradation of these chemicals in agricultural soil are affected by co-contamination.

Slowing of landslide flows reflects California's drying climate Posted: 01 Jun 2016 11:15 AM PDT Merged data from on-the-ground measurements, aerial photography, satellite imagery and satellite-radar imaging have unveiled an unexpected geological consequence of northern California's ongoing drought. The drying out has dramatically reduced the flow of landslides in the Eel River Basin.

'Jumping gene' took peppered moths to the dark side in Industrial Revolution Posted: 01 Jun 2016 11:15 AM PDT Researchers have identified and dated the genetic mutation that gave rise to the black form of the peppered moth, which spread rapidly during Britain's industrial revolution.

A new look at caspase 12 research Posted: 01 Jun 2016 11:15 AM PDT Inflammasomes are assemblies that are central to inflammatory responses. Now researchers shed new light on function of caspase 12. They have rid the field of a stubborn dogma, which held that caspase 12 was a negative regulator of inflammasomes. These novel insights pave the way for researchers to break from route of existing research and identify the real physiological functions of caspase 12.

How comets break up, make up Posted: 01 Jun 2016 11:15 AM PDT A new study indicates the bodies of some periodic comets -- objects that orbit the sun in less than 200 years -- may regularly split in two, then reunite down the road.

Genetic switch that turned moths black also colors butterflies Posted: 01 Jun 2016 11:15 AM PDT The same gene that enables tropical butterflies to mimic each other's bright and colorful patterning also caused British moths to turn black amid the grime of the industrial revolution, researchers have found.

Just what sustains Earth's magnetic field anyway? Posted: 01 Jun 2016 11:15 AM PDT Earth's magnetic field shields us from deadly cosmic radiation, and without it, life as we know it could not exist here. The motion of liquid iron in the planet's outer core, a phenomenon called a 'geodynamo,' generates the field. But how it was first created and then sustained throughout Earth's history has remained a mystery to scientists. New work sheds light on the history of this incredibly important geologic occurrence.

Carbon potential of Alaska lands Posted: 01 Jun 2016 10:26 AM PDT Through geologic time the cold temperatures of Alaska have led to the storage of vast quantities of soil and biomass carbon. A major concern for this region is how interactions among warming, permafrost thaw, more frequent wildfires, and changes in stream flow will affect carbon storage and greenhouse gas exchange.

In all US regions, broad support for increasing legal age of tobacco sales Posted: 01 Jun 2016 10:26 AM PDT In all nine regions of the country, a majority of adults supported increasing the minimum legal age for tobacco product sales, a new research study concludes.

Study highlights 'emotional labor' of college student-athletes Posted: 01 Jun 2016 10:26 AM PDT A recent study highlights the 'emotional labor' required of collegiate student-athletes, which can leave student-athletes feeling powerless, frustrated and nervous. The study calls on universities to better prepare their student-athletes with communication skills they can use to address the challenges of emotional labor.

New approach to nuclear structure cuts amount of computational power required Posted: 01 Jun 2016 10:25 AM PDT The atomic nucleus is highly complex. Understanding this complexity often requires a tremendous amount of computational power. In a new study researchers propose a new approach to nuclear structure calculations. The results are freely available to the nuclear physicists' community so that other groups can perform their own nuclear structure calculations, even if they have only limited computational resources.

A vision for revamping neuroscience education Posted: 01 Jun 2016 10:24 AM PDT The expanding scope and growing number of tools used for neuroscience is moving beyond what is taught in traditional graduate programs, say leaders in American neuroscience education, funding, and policy. Researchers call for reinvestment in neuroscience graduate and post-graduate training to meet the challenges of this new era in brain science -- such as creating programs to broaden student experiences across disciplines and reimagining scientific staff positions.

Ultra-sensitive, vibration-tolerant gas sensor makes field applications more practical Posted: 01 Jun 2016 10:24 AM PDT A new device that can detect ultra-low concentrations of gases like nitrogen dioxide accurately and nearly instantaneously has been developed by a team of researchers.

Marijuana-smokers harm gums; other physical effects slight Posted: 01 Jun 2016 10:24 AM PDT A study of nearly 1,000 New Zealanders from birth to age 38 has found marijuana smokers have more gum disease, but otherwise do not show worse physical health on a dozen measures including lung function, systemic inflammation, and several measures of metabolic syndrome, including waist circumference, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, glucose control and body mass index. Earlier research from this group however, has shown psychological effects of cannabis use.

New muscular dystrophy drug target identified Posted: 01 Jun 2016 10:24 AM PDT Muscle cells affected by muscular dystrophy contain high levels of an enzyme that impairs muscle repair, scientists have discovered. This finding provides a new target for potential drug treatments for the disease, which currently has no cure.

Reported data on vaccines may not build public trust or adherence Posted: 01 Jun 2016 10:24 AM PDT The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) is a national vaccine safety reporting system that collects information about possible side effects that may occur after inoculation. Recently, researchers proposed that open communication about VAERS could improve public trust that vaccines are safe, thereby increasing vaccine acceptance. Findings from the study suggest that data and stories may not increase the public's acceptance of vaccines.

Wildfire on warming planet requires adaptive capacity at local, national, international scales Posted: 01 Jun 2016 10:23 AM PDT Industrialized nations that view wildfire as the enemy can learn from cultures that have lived compatibly with wildfire -- in some cases for centuries or millennia, says a fire anthropologist who is the lead author on a new report by an international team of scientists who study fire. Climate change will likely make landscapes more prone to fire, so the magnitude of wildfire challenges we'll face will demand greater collaboration and integration across disciplines.

Soft-bodied robots: Actuators inspired by muscle Posted: 01 Jun 2016 10:23 AM PDT To make robots more cooperative and have them perform tasks in close proximity to humans, they must be softer and safer. A new actuator generates movements similar to those of skeletal muscles using vacuum power to automate soft, rubber beams. Like real muscles, the actuators are soft, shock absorbing, and pose no danger to their environment or humans working collaboratively alongside them or the potential future robots equipped with them.

Preparing students for college challenges reduces inequality Posted: 01 Jun 2016 10:23 AM PDT Incoming college students, especially students of color and first-generation college students, who anticipate challenges and recognize these as normal and temporary are more likely to remain enrolled full time and receive better grades, according to a study.

Politics, not ignorance, may pollute support for pro-science solutions Posted: 01 Jun 2016 10:23 AM PDT Mentioning politics in a message about an environmental issue may turn people -- even people informed about the issue -- away from supporting a pro-science solution, according to a team of researchers.

Employers want college grads to have strong oral skills Posted: 01 Jun 2016 10:21 AM PDT Many college graduates are starting new careers. Regardless of their field or profession, employers say new employees need strong oral and interpersonal skills to be successful.

Studies examine use of newer blood test to help identify or rule-out heart attack Posted: 01 Jun 2016 10:21 AM PDT Two studies examine the usefulness of a high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I assay to help identify or exclude the diagnosis of a heart attack for patients reporting to an emergency department with chest pain.

First gene mutation explaining development of multiple sclerosis Posted: 01 Jun 2016 10:21 AM PDT Although multiple sclerosis is known to run in certain families, attempts to find genes linked to the disease have been elusive. Now for the first time researchers are reporting a gene mutation that can be connected directly to the development of the disease.

Is beer good for the brain? Posted: 01 Jun 2016 10:20 AM PDT While most people will agree that excessive consumption of alcohol can have a detrimental effect on the brain, there is less agreement regarding the effects of light or moderate drinking. This includes concern and controversy surrounding the effects of drinking on the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's (AD). This study investigated the association between consumption of different alcoholic beverages – beer, wine, and spirits – and one of the neuropathological signs of Alzheimer's disease, ?-amyloid (A?) aggregation in the brain.

Novel mouse model sheds new light on autism spectrum disorder Posted: 01 Jun 2016 10:18 AM PDT A new mouse model is the first to show that when more of a specific biological molecule moves between different parts of nerve cells in the mouse brain, it can lead to behaviors that resembles some aspects of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in humans.

Timing, resistant varieties help decrease wheat virus Posted: 01 Jun 2016 10:18 AM PDT Strategically timed planting and using resistant wheat varieties help decrease virus incidence, according to a virologist. The plant science professor has been working on wheat viruses for more than 25 years. The major culprit in South Dakota is wheat streak mosaic virus.

Peas and prosperity Posted: 01 Jun 2016 10:18 AM PDT Planting nitrogen-fixing crops, such as peas, in rotation with wheat crops can dramatically reduce the variability of farmers' income with a high-yield, high-protein harvest.

Imaging biomarker distinguishes prostate cancer tumor grade Posted: 01 Jun 2016 10:18 AM PDT Physicians have long used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to detect cancer, but results of a new study describe the potential use of restriction spectrum imaging (RSI) as an imaging biomarker that enhances the ability of MRI to differentiate aggressive prostate cancer from low-grade or benign tumors and guide treatment and biopsy.

Want to conserve more water? Target those who already save a little Posted: 01 Jun 2016 08:50 AM PDT Researchers call them "water considerate" consumers because they conserve water fairly well but could stand some improvement. These water users might be the most appropriate people to target if you want to get more people to conserve water, a new study shows.

Kodiak bears track salmon runs in Alaska Posted: 01 Jun 2016 08:27 AM PDT Brown bears are faced with a challenge: They need to consume lots of salmon each year, but salmon only are available for a few weeks in each shallow spawning ground. Now new research shows that bears greatly extend their use of salmon resources by migrating from one run to another.

One in five women with ovarian cancer does not undergo surgery, study reveals Posted: 01 Jun 2016 08:26 AM PDT Nearly 20 percent of women with ovarian cancer do not undergo surgery, despite it being a standard part of treatment recommendations. The findings, which suggest women may live four times longer with surgical treatment, were especially striking among older patients; researchers found that nearly half of women over 75 with stage III/IV cancer do not have surgery and roughly 25 percent receive no treatment at all.

Dietary fiber intake tied to successful aging, research reveals Posted: 01 Jun 2016 08:26 AM PDT Most people know that a diet high in fiber helps to keep us 'regular.' Now researchers have uncovered a surprising benefit of this often-undervalued dietary component.

New study of the memory through optogenetics Posted: 01 Jun 2016 08:26 AM PDT Scientists have improved memory in mice using optogenetics.The study was based on light stimulation of a group of neurons, named Tac2, in the cerebral amygdala. These neurons play a key role in the memory of fear. Treated mice increased their long-term memory.

Online training helps prevent depression Posted: 01 Jun 2016 08:26 AM PDT For the first time, research shows that depression can be effectively prevented through online training. The team studied 406 people who were at increased risk of developing depression but were not suffering from the disorder.

Stress receptor in brain only used for emergencies Posted: 01 Jun 2016 08:25 AM PDT A stress receptor in the brain is found to regulate metabolic responses to stressful situations differently in male and female mice.

Nanocars taken for a rough ride: Single-molecule cars tested in open air Posted: 01 Jun 2016 08:25 AM PDT Researchers have characterized how single-molecule nanocars move in open air. The research will help the kinetics of molecular machines in ambient conditions over time.

New devices, wearable system aim to predict, prevent asthma attacks Posted: 01 Jun 2016 08:14 AM PDT Researchers have developed an integrated, wearable system that monitors a user's environment, heart rate and other physical attributes with the goal of predicting and preventing asthma attacks. The researchers plan to begin testing the system on a larger subject population this summer.

Association between Medicare eligibility, rehabilitative care Posted: 01 Jun 2016 08:14 AM PDT Becoming Medicare eligible at age 65 (as compared to age 64) was associated with an abrupt 6.4 percentage-point decline in the number of people who were uninsured and a 9.6 percentage-point increase in rehabilitation, researchers have found.

Belgian researchers check quality of chocolate with ultrasound Posted: 01 Jun 2016 08:13 AM PDT The quality of Belgium's famous chocolate largely depends on the crystals that form during the hardening of the chocolate. Researchers from KU Leuven, Belgium, have now developed a new and quicker way to check whether the cocoa butter is crystallizing correctly during the hardening process. The method could save the chocolate industry a lot of time and money.

De-coding the character of a hacker Posted: 01 Jun 2016 08:13 AM PDT A characteristic called systemizing provides insight into what makes and motivates a hacker, says new study.

Women find men more masculine when wearing deodorant Posted: 01 Jun 2016 08:07 AM PDT New research has found that men who are perceived low in masculinity can significantly increase this by applying deodorant, but that this is not the case for men who already have high levels of masculinity.

Organizer of body axes: 600 million years old molecular principles Posted: 01 Jun 2016 08:07 AM PDT Cells need to 'know' where they are in relation to all other cells in order to give rise into the correct cell types and tissues. The so-called 'organizer' is responsible for the formation of these body axes. Developmental biologists have shown that the molecular principles of the organizer are much more ancient than previously thought. The same signals were used already in the common ancestor of sea anemones and vertebrates 600 million years ago.

Antarctic coastline images reveal four decades of ice loss to ocean Posted: 01 Jun 2016 08:07 AM PDT Part of Antarctica's coastline has been losing ice to the ocean for far longer than had been expected by scientists, a study of satellite pictures has shown.

For women, barriers to physical activity can vary by weight Posted: 01 Jun 2016 08:07 AM PDT When it comes to helping women become more physically active, a one-size-fits-all approach may not work, according to a new study.

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