ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Smoking cessation medications do not appear to increase risk of neuropsychiatric side effects, study finds
• Trust in the cloud could be pinned to online scoring system
• Cell death mechanism may, paradoxically, enable aggressive pancreatic cells to live on
• Research team realizes 3-color photodetector
• Genes that control smooth muscle contraction identified
• Effectiveness of extractive industries transparency initiative explored
• Researchers develop magnifying smartphone screen app for visually impaired
• Investigators reduce sugar content of yogurt without reducing sweetness
• Novel collagen fingerprinting identifies a Neanderthal bone among 2,000 fragments
• How skeletal stem cells form the blueprint of the face
• Paperbark tree to unlock climate change
• When beauty becomes the beast: Research efforts successfully combat invasive species
• Attosecond physics: Understanding the microcosmos
• Changing the world, one fridge at a time
• Critical to screen patients with rheumatoid arthritis for hearing impairment
• Gateway to the brain
• Cpf1: CRISPR-enzyme scissors cutting both RNA and DNA
• Researchers uncover 'local heroes' of immune system
• DNA barcodes gone wild
• Successful laboratory test of photoswitchable anti-tumor agent
• Bourbon or rye? You can't tell the difference, new study says
• Drug-overdose deaths hold steady in some high drug trafficking areas
• Fructose alters hundreds of brain genes, which can lead to a wide range of diseases
• Blood pressure targets for individuals with kidney disease should consider patients' age
• Higher muscle mass associated with lower mortality risk in people with heart disease
• Rainforest study shows biodiversity loss worse than anticipated
• Climate change threatens already volatile Urmia Lake
• Finding the Genetic Cause for Intellectual disability
• Single molecule electronic DNA sequencing advanced
• Gender stereotyping may start as young as three months, study of babies' cries shows
• Test aims to identify shale gas hazard in groundwater
• Blood transfusions in high risk malaria zones could be made safer with new blood treatment technology
• Inspirational managers may harm workers' health
• Adding some salt to the recipe for energy storage materials
• Sleep loss detrimental to blood vessels
• Infant BMI is good predictor of obesity at age two
• Researcher studies how animals puncture things
• Study of chimpanzees explores early origins of human hand dexterity
• Organ recipients with previous cancers linked to higher death rates, new cancers
• Longitudinal trial of safety, efficacy of calcium supplement used to enhance bone mineral density
• Study points to how low-income, resource-poor communities can reduce substance abuse
• Plastic below the ocean surface
• New study shows electronic health records often capture incomplete mental health data
• Study links neighborhood greenness to reduction in chronic diseases
• In child heart patients, novel approach improves symptoms of hazardous lymph blockage
• Researchers find moderate vascular risk in southwest native population
• Water color, phytoplankton growth in the Gulf of Maine are changing
• Immune cells in organ cavities play essential role in fast tissue repair
• Tighter enforcement along the US-Mexico border backfired, researchers find
• Young adult survivors of childhood cancer report feeling middle-aged
• Leg-wing cooperation in baby birds, dinosaurs is key transition in origin of flight
• Trick of the light may help diseased plants attract greenfly
• The importance of resting phases in B cell development

Smoking cessation medications do not appear to increase risk of neuropsychiatric side effects, study finds Posted: 22 Apr 2016 05:10 PM PDT The smoking cessation medications varenicline and bupropion do not appear to increase the incidence of serious neuropsychiatric side effects compared to placebo, according to a new study.

Trust in the cloud could be pinned to online scoring system Posted: 22 Apr 2016 11:17 AM PDT An easy-to-use online tool to help build people's trust in the cloud has been developed by computer scientists. Cloud computing is widely recognized as a highly useful technology, with multiple benefits such as huge data storage capabilities, computational power, lower costs for companies and individuals, simplicity of use, and flexibility of application.

Cell death mechanism may, paradoxically, enable aggressive pancreatic cells to live on Posted: 22 Apr 2016 11:12 AM PDT The most aggressive form of pancreatic cancer -- often described as one of the hardest malignancies to diagnose and treat -- thrives in the presence of neighboring tumor cells undergoing a particular form of 'orchestrated cell death,' according to a major study.

Research team realizes 3-color photodetector Posted: 22 Apr 2016 11:12 AM PDT There's a new approach to design results in a device that can detect different infrared wavebands, which could lead to applications in imaging and entertainment, report scientists.

Genes that control smooth muscle contraction identified Posted: 22 Apr 2016 11:12 AM PDT A new molecular pathway has been identified that is critical for maintaining the smooth muscle tone that allows the passage of materials through the digestive system.

Effectiveness of extractive industries transparency initiative explored Posted: 22 Apr 2016 11:12 AM PDT A political researcher has authored a report on the effectiveness of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative in improving transparency and domestic government in resource rich countries suffering from the 'resource curse.'

Researchers develop magnifying smartphone screen app for visually impaired Posted: 22 Apr 2016 11:12 AM PDT A smartphone application that projects a magnified smartphone screen to Google Glass has been developed, which allows users to navigate using head movements to view a corresponding portion of the magnified screen. They have shown that the technology can potentially benefit low-vision users, many of whom find the smartphone's built-in zoom feature to be difficult to use due to the loss of context.

Investigators reduce sugar content of yogurt without reducing sweetness Posted: 22 Apr 2016 11:12 AM PDT A team from a Danish food ingredients company has manipulated the metabolic properties of yogurt-producing bacteria to sweeten the yogurt naturally, while reducing sugar in the final product. Similar manipulations have also all but eliminated lactose, so that those with lactose intolerance can also enjoy the yogurt. They have accomplished all of this using microbiological methods that predate the era of genetic technologies.

Novel collagen fingerprinting identifies a Neanderthal bone among 2,000 fragments Posted: 22 Apr 2016 09:07 AM PDT Scientists have used a new molecular fingerprinting technique to identify one Neanderthal bone from around 2,000 bone fragments. All the tiny pieces of bone were recovered from a key archaeological site, Denisova Cave in Russia, with the remaining fragments found to be from animal species like mammoths, woolly rhino, wolf and reindeer. It is the first time that researchers have identified traces of an extinct human from an archaeological site using a technique called 'Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry' or ZooMS.

How skeletal stem cells form the blueprint of the face Posted: 22 Apr 2016 08:56 AM PDT Timing is everything when it comes to the development of the vertebrate face. In a new study, researchers have identified the roles of key molecular signals that control this critical timing.

Paperbark tree to unlock climate change Posted: 22 Apr 2016 08:56 AM PDT Synonymous with the Australian landscape, the paperbark tree is most recognized for its distinctive bark, but it is the leaves that have found themselves at the center of research which could provide crucial insights into climate change. The research found Melaleuca leaves preserved in ancient wetlands could be used to reconstruct past rainfall activity.

When beauty becomes the beast: Research efforts successfully combat invasive species Posted: 22 Apr 2016 08:55 AM PDT New research helps halt the spread of non-native plants into natural wooded areas, giving native plants a fighting chance and the opportunity to re-establish themselves.

Attosecond physics: Understanding the microcosmos Posted: 22 Apr 2016 08:55 AM PDT With the aid of terahertz radiation, physicists have developed a method for generating and controlling ultrashort electron pulses. With further improvements, this technique should be capable of capturing even electrons in motion.

Changing the world, one fridge at a time Posted: 22 Apr 2016 08:55 AM PDT To help change the world, have a look inside your fridge -- this is one of the messages contained in a new article. Food waste has attained monumental proportions in both the developed and developing worlds, and the sum of individual consumer's actions can have major impacts on a global scale, according to the article's author.

Critical to screen patients with rheumatoid arthritis for hearing impairment Posted: 22 Apr 2016 08:55 AM PDT The objective of a new review is to evaluate published clinical reports related to hearing impairment in patients with RA. Furthermore, researchers discuss possible pathologies and associated factors as well as new treatment modalities.

Gateway to the brain Posted: 22 Apr 2016 08:53 AM PDT Scientists have derived a structural model of a transporter at the blood-brain barrier called Mfsd2a. This is the first molecular model of this critical transporter, and could prove important for the development of therapeutic agents that need to be delivered to the brain --- across the blood-brain barrier. In future, this could help treat neurological disorders such as glioblastoma.

Cpf1: CRISPR-enzyme scissors cutting both RNA and DNA Posted: 22 Apr 2016 08:53 AM PDT Scientists delineate molecular details of a new bacterial CRISPR-Cpf1 system and open possible avenue for alternative gene editing uses like targeting several genes in parallel.

Researchers uncover 'local heroes' of immune system Posted: 22 Apr 2016 08:53 AM PDT The genes Hobit and Blimp1 have been identified, and researchers have found that these genes control a universal molecular program responsible for placing immune cells at the 'front lines' of the body to fight infection and cancer.

DNA barcodes gone wild Posted: 22 Apr 2016 08:53 AM PDT A new technology has been developed that can stitch together DNA barcodes inside a cell to simultaneously search amongst millions of protein pairs for protein interactions, report scientists.

Successful laboratory test of photoswitchable anti-tumor agent Posted: 22 Apr 2016 06:19 AM PDT Photoswitchable agents might reduce side effects of a chemotherapy. So far, photodynamic therapies have been dependent on oxygen in the tissue. But hardly any oxygen exists in malignant, rapidly growing tumors. A group of researchers has now developed a photo-switchable molecule as a basis of an oxygen-independent method.

Bourbon or rye? You can't tell the difference, new study says Posted: 22 Apr 2016 06:19 AM PDT When asked to sort American whiskeys, consumers were more influenced by alcohol content, age at bottling and product brand, a food scientist has found.

Drug-overdose deaths hold steady in some high drug trafficking areas Posted: 22 Apr 2016 06:19 AM PDT Areas in the US with the highest drug-overdose death rates are not always places with high drug trafficking, according to a new analysis. Drug-overdose mortality rates have increased an average of 6.7 percent per year since 1979 but held relatively steady in most US border counties, indicating that drugs appear to pass through these counties without affecting the death rates of their residents.

Fructose alters hundreds of brain genes, which can lead to a wide range of diseases Posted: 22 Apr 2016 06:19 AM PDT Consuming fructose, a sugar that's common in the Western diet, alters hundreds of genes that may be linked to many diseases, life scientists report. However, they discovered good news as well: an important omega-3 fatty acid known as DHA seems to reverse the harmful changes produced by fructose.

Blood pressure targets for individuals with kidney disease should consider patients' age Posted: 22 Apr 2016 05:01 AM PDT Systolic blood pressure levels above 140 mmHg were linked with higher risks of coronary heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and death in patients with chronic kidney disease of all ages, but the magnitude of these associations diminished with more advanced age, report researchers at the end of their study on the topic. Diastolic blood pressure levels below 70 mmHg were associated with a higher risk of death, but otherwise they showed no association with cardiovascular outcomes.

Higher muscle mass associated with lower mortality risk in people with heart disease Posted: 22 Apr 2016 05:00 AM PDT Cardiovascular disease patients who have high muscle mass and low fat mass have a lower mortality risk than those with other body compositions, researchers have found. The findings also suggest that regardless of a person's level of fat mass, a higher level of muscle mass helps reduce the risk of death.

Rainforest study shows biodiversity loss worse than anticipated Posted: 22 Apr 2016 04:54 AM PDT The loss of plant and animal species around the world due to human activities could have been significantly underestimated due to a commonly used scientific method, according to a new study.

Climate change threatens already volatile Urmia Lake Posted: 22 Apr 2016 04:54 AM PDT Climate change is likely to worsen the situation of the largely drought-stricken hypersaline Urmia Lake in Iran. Even in the most optimistic climate change scenario and without any further human impact, a study shows.

Finding the Genetic Cause for Intellectual disability Posted: 22 Apr 2016 04:54 AM PDT Disorders in the same gene PIGG are the cause for intellectual disability with seizures and hypotonia, scientists have discovered. PIGG is one of the enzymes active in the GPI anchor glycolipid synthesis and the current study revealed its significance in the development of the cerebral nervous system.

Single molecule electronic DNA sequencing advanced Posted: 22 Apr 2016 04:52 AM PDT A team reports achieving real-time single molecule electronic DNA sequencing at single-base resolution using a protein nanopore array. The work sets the stage for revolutionary, cost-effective genetic diagnostic platforms with unprecedented potential for precision medicine.

Gender stereotyping may start as young as three months, study of babies' cries shows Posted: 22 Apr 2016 04:52 AM PDT Gender stereotyping may start as young as three months, according to a study of babies' cries. Despite no actual difference in pitch between the voices of girls and boys before puberty, the study found that adults make gender assumptions about babies based on their cries.

Test aims to identify shale gas hazard in groundwater Posted: 22 Apr 2016 04:52 AM PDT A test has been developed to check for contamination of shallow groundwater from unconventional gas extraction techniques, such as fracking. Methods used for shale gas extraction include hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking, in which shale rocks below ground are split with high-pressure fluids to release gas that is recovered for fuel. Coal bed methane is extracted from deep coal seams by drilling into the coal to reduce the pressure and release gas.

Blood transfusions in high risk malaria zones could be made safer with new blood treatment technology Posted: 22 Apr 2016 04:52 AM PDT Patients, especially children, who undergo blood transfusions in sub-Saharan Africa are at high risk of transfusion-transmitted malaria. A new trial suggests that treating donated blood with a new technology that combines UV radiation and vitamin B is safe and could minimize the risk of malaria infection following blood transfusions.

Inspirational managers may harm workers' health Posted: 22 Apr 2016 04:52 AM PDT Managers who inspire their staff to perform above and beyond the call of duty may actually harm their employees' health over time, according to researchers. Transformational leadership has previously been associated with positive employee well-being, better sleep quality, fewer depressive symptoms and reduced general absenteeism in the short term.

Adding some salt to the recipe for energy storage materials Posted: 22 Apr 2016 04:51 AM PDT A team of researchers has recently discovered a way to improve the recipe for energy storage materials, and make the resulting materials bigger and better and soaking up energy -- the secret? Just add salt.

Sleep loss detrimental to blood vessels Posted: 22 Apr 2016 04:51 AM PDT Getting too little sleep causes changes in the metabolism of cholesterol, demonstrates a new study. According to the results, long-term sleep loss may contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease.

Infant BMI is good predictor of obesity at age two Posted: 22 Apr 2016 04:51 AM PDT Babies with a high body mass index (BMI) at age two months are at risk for obesity at age two years, say pediatric researchers. The authors say that BMI better predicts early childhood obesity than weight-for-length, the current standard measurement.

Researcher studies how animals puncture things Posted: 22 Apr 2016 04:51 AM PDT If shooting arrows from a crossbow into cubes of ballistics gelatin doesn't sound like biological science to you, you've got a lot to learn. A researcher has aimed to answer the fundamental question about how animals use their fangs, claws and tentacles to puncture other animals.

Study of chimpanzees explores early origins of human hand dexterity Posted: 22 Apr 2016 04:51 AM PDT Chimpanzees use manipulative dexterity to evaluate and select figs, a vital resource when preferred foods are scarce, according to a new study. The action resembles that of humans shopping for fruits, and the study demonstrates the foraging advantages of opposable fingers and careful manual prehension, or the act of grasping an object with precision. The findings shed new light on the ecological origins of hands with fine motor control.

Organ recipients with previous cancers linked to higher death rates, new cancers Posted: 22 Apr 2016 04:51 AM PDT People who had cancer before receiving an organ transplant were more likely to die of any cause, die of cancer or develop a new cancer than organ recipients who did not previously have cancer, a new paper has found.

Longitudinal trial of safety, efficacy of calcium supplement used to enhance bone mineral density Posted: 21 Apr 2016 02:14 PM PDT A recent study examines the safety and efficacy of a vitamin/mineral enhanced plant-sourced calcium supplement in female consumers who had taken the supplement from 1 to 7 years.

Study points to how low-income, resource-poor communities can reduce substance abuse Posted: 21 Apr 2016 02:13 PM PDT Cocaine use has increased substantially among African Americans in some of the most underserved areas of the United States. Interventions designed to increase connection to and support from non-drug using family and friends, with access to employment, the faith community, and education, are the best ways to reduce substance use among African Americans and other minorities in low-income, resource-poor communities, a study concludes.

Plastic below the ocean surface Posted: 21 Apr 2016 02:13 PM PDT Current measurement methods skim the surface of the ocean while computer modeling shows ocean turbulence may force plastics far below the surface despite their buoyancy.

New study shows electronic health records often capture incomplete mental health data Posted: 21 Apr 2016 02:13 PM PDT This study compares information available in a typical electronic health record (EHR) with data from insurance claims, focusing on diagnoses, visits, and hospital care for depression and bipolar disorder.

Study links neighborhood greenness to reduction in chronic diseases Posted: 21 Apr 2016 02:13 PM PDT Higher levels of greenness (trees, park space and other vegetation) in neighborhoods is linked with significantly lower chronic illnesses, diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol, public health researchers has shown. The findings were based on 250,000 Medicare recipients age 65 and vegetation presence measured by NASA satellite imagery.

In child heart patients, novel approach improves symptoms of hazardous lymph blockage Posted: 21 Apr 2016 02:13 PM PDT Pediatric researchers have devised an innovative, safe and minimally invasive procedure that helps relieve rare but potentially life-threatening airway blockages occurring in children who had surgery for congenital heart defects. Physician-researchers developed new imaging tools to treat plastic bronchitis -- in which abnormal circulation causes lymphatic fluid to dry into solid casts that clog a child's airways.

Researchers find moderate vascular risk in southwest native population Posted: 21 Apr 2016 02:13 PM PDT A relatively low prevalence of vascular risk has been reported among participants of the Southwest Heart Mind Study, especially among those treated for hypertension and hyperlipidemia despite overweight and obesity.

Water color, phytoplankton growth in the Gulf of Maine are changing Posted: 21 Apr 2016 02:12 PM PDT The amount of dissolved organic carbon from rivers emptying into the Gulf of Maine has increased over the last 80 years, a trend they predict will continue through 2100 if annual precipitation continues to increase, warn researchers. Runoff is changing the color of the seawater, reducing the light available to phytoplankton for photosynthesis, causing a decline in overall productivity.

Immune cells in organ cavities play essential role in fast tissue repair Posted: 21 Apr 2016 02:12 PM PDT While scientists have known for many years that there are cells living in the cavities surrounding various organs such as the heart, lung and liver, their function has remained unknown. A recent study examined these cells, and discovered they play an integral role in fast tissue repair.

Tighter enforcement along the US-Mexico border backfired, researchers find Posted: 21 Apr 2016 02:11 PM PDT The rapid escalation of border enforcement over the past three decades has backfired as a strategy to control undocumented immigration between Mexico and the United States, according to new research that suggests further militarization of the border is a waste of money.

Young adult survivors of childhood cancer report feeling middle-aged Posted: 21 Apr 2016 02:11 PM PDT Do survivors of childhood cancer return to normal health as they grow up? New research finds young adult survivors of childhood cancer, age 18-29, report health-related quality of life that resembles that of adults, 40-49, in the general population, according to a study.

Leg-wing cooperation in baby birds, dinosaurs is key transition in origin of flight Posted: 21 Apr 2016 12:00 PM PDT New research based on high-resolution x-ray movies reveals that despite having extremely underdeveloped muscles and wings, young birds acquire a mature flight stroke early in their development, initially relying heavily on their legs and wings to work in tandem to power the strenuous movement. The new study is important for understanding the development of flight in modern birds and reconstructing its origins in extinct dinosaurs.

Trick of the light may help diseased plants attract greenfly Posted: 21 Apr 2016 12:00 PM PDT The leaves of virus-infected plants reflect light differently to attract the attention of disease-spreading greenfly, new research suggests. Scientists have shown for the first time that plant viruses alter the surface of leaves, influencing how light is polarized and helping insects to potentially 'see' infected plants.

The importance of resting phases in B cell development Posted: 21 Apr 2016 12:00 PM PDT Everyone preparing for the London Marathon likely knows that to perform their best during the event, they need to rest up now. New research describes a new mechanism through which B cells ensure that they rest up between intensive developmental events.

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