الثلاثاء، 7 أبريل 2015

ScienceDaily: Top News

ScienceDaily: Top News


Climate change, plant roots may accelerate carbon loss from soils

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 01:55 PM PDT

Soil, long thought to be a semi-permanent storehouse for ancient carbon, may be releasing carbon dioxide to the atmosphere faster than anyone thought. In a new study, researchers showed that chemicals emitted by plant roots act on carbon that is bonded to minerals in the soil, breaking the bonds and exposing previously protected carbon to decomposition by microbes.

Sound separates cancer cells from blood samples

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 01:54 PM PDT

Separating circulating cancer cells from blood cells for diagnostic, prognostic and treatment purposes may become much easier using an acoustic separation method and an inexpensive, disposable chip, according to a team of engineers.

Breastfeeding women and sex: Higher sex drive or relationship management?

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 01:54 PM PDT

New mothers in the Philippines spend more time in the bedroom with their partner in the first few weeks after giving birth than they did before they became pregnant. This might be a type of survival strategy to keep the relationships with the fathers of their new babies alive and well, to ensure continued support for their offspring.

New test measures deadly protein in Huntington's disease patients' spinal fluid

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 01:54 PM PDT

A new test has been able to measure for the first time the build-up of a harmful mutant protein in the nervous system of patients during the progression of Huntington's disease (HD). HD is a genetic neurodegenerative disease that usually develops in adulthood and causes abnormal involuntary movements, psychiatric symptoms, and dementia. It is caused by a single gene mutation that results in the production of mutant huntingtin protein. The mutated gene was identified in 1993 but until now it has not been possible to quantify the mutant protein in the nervous system of living HD patients.

Characteristic pattern of protein deposits in brains of retired NFL players who suffered concussions

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 01:51 PM PDT

A new study takes another step toward the early understanding of a degenerative brain condition called chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, which affects athletes in contact sports who are exposed to repetitive brain injuries. Using a new imaging tool, researchers found a strikingly similar pattern of abnormal protein deposits in the brains of retired NFL players who suffered from concussions.

Common antidepressant increased coronary atherosclerosis in animal model

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 01:51 PM PDT

A commonly prescribed antidepressant caused up to a six-fold increase in atherosclerosis plaque in the coronary arteries of non-human primates, according to a study. Coronary artery atherosclerosis is the primary cause of heart attacks.

A third of breast cancer patients concerned about genetic risk

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 01:51 PM PDT

Many women diagnosed with breast cancer are concerned about the genetic risk of developing other cancers themselves or of a loved one developing cancer, a new study confirms. Overall, 35 percent of women with breast cancer expressed a strong desire for genetic testing, but 43 percent of those women did not have a relevant discussion with a health care professional. The study also found that racial minority patients with a strong desire for testing were less likely than white patients to discuss it with a professional, even though studies show that minority patients are not at lower risk for these mutations.

Middle-aged athletes at low risk for sudden cardiac arrest while exercising

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 01:51 PM PDT

Middle-aged athletes are at low risk for having a sudden cardiac arrest while playing sports, and those who do have a greater chance of surviving the usually-fatal condition, shows a new study.

Under the microscope, strong-swimming swamp bacteria spontaneously organize into crystals

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 01:51 PM PDT

The researchers dubbed the individual cells "microscopic tornadoes" for their rapid rotation, which both forms the crystals by drawing in other cells and then powers the crystals' own motion.

Computers that mimic the function of the brain

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 12:30 PM PDT

A team researchers used a promising new material to build more functional memristors, bringing us closer to brain-like computing. Both academic and industrial laboratories are working to develop computers that operate more like the human brain. Instead of operating like a conventional, digital system, these new devices could potentially function more like a network of neurons.

Internet-style 'local area networks' in cerebral cortex of rats

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 12:30 PM PDT

Studying 40 years' worth of data on rat brains, scientists found that the rat cerebral cortex has hubs and 'local area networks,' much like the Internet.

Fishing amplifies forage fish collapses

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 12:29 PM PDT

A new study implicates fishing in the collapse of forage fish stocks and recommends risk-based management tools that would track a fishery's numbers and suspend fishing when necessary.

Discovery may be breakthrough for hydrogen cars

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 12:29 PM PDT

Unlike other hydrogen fuel production methods that rely on highly processed sugars, the team used dirty biomass -- the husks and stalks of corn plants -- to create their fuel. This not only reduces the initial expense of creating the fuel, it enables the use of a fuel source readily available near the processing plants, making the creation of the fuel a local enterprise.

Sea sponge anchors are natural models of strength

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 12:29 PM PDT

The Venus' flower basket sea sponge has hair-like appendages that hold it in place on the sea floor. Researchers show that the internal structure of those fibers is fine-tuned for strength. The findings from this natural system could inform the engineering of load-bearing structural members.

Mechanism that drives melanoma to metastasize identified

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 12:28 PM PDT

In a unique partnership demonstrating excellence in "team science," investigators identified a role for the molecule CXCR3 (widely known to regulate the migration of immune cells) as a key mediator of melanoma metastasis. The significance of this work is its descriptions of alternative mechanisms by which tumors move and settle in new locations.

Near-death brain signaling accelerates demise of the heart

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 12:28 PM PDT

What happens in the moments just before death is widely believed to be a slowdown of the body's systems as the heart stops beating and blood flow ends. But there's a brainstorm happening, strongly synchronized with heart rhythm. Blocking this brain outflow may change the odds of survival for those who suffer cardiac arrest.

Neighborhood stigma affects online transactions

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 12:28 PM PDT

The stigma associated with particular neighborhoods has a direct impact on economic transactions, a team of sociologists has found. Their study shows that when sellers are seen as being from an economically disadvantaged neighborhood, they receive fewer responses to advertisements placed in online marketplaces.

Researchers track protein 'hitchhiker' in fluorescent worms

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 11:46 AM PDT

A new mechanism that ensures proper cell division in worms has been identified by researchers. They believe that same process may also be happening in humans and understanding healthy cell division could have implications for cancer patients and embryos.

Better sensors for medical imaging, contraband detection

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 11:46 AM PDT

A new, ultrasensitive magnetic-field detector has been developed that is 1,000 times more energy-efficient than its predecessors. It could lead to miniaturized, battery-powered devices for medical and materials imaging, contraband detection, and even geological exploration.

Facebook use linked to depressive symptoms

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 11:46 AM PDT

The social media site, Facebook, can be an effective tool for connecting with new and old friends. However, some users may find themselves spending quite a bit of time viewing Facebook and may inevitably begin comparing what's happening in their lives to the activities and accomplishments of their friends.

For marketers, failing to align emotions of your ads with TV programs may turn off consumers

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 11:45 AM PDT

New research shows why marketers and ad buyers might want to opt for ads that are only moderately energetic as opposed to ads with boundless energy and pep. "When you feel low or sad, ads that are high energy are difficult to watch," a researcher says. "So you spend less time watching, and the ad is less effective."

New research complicates seismic hazard for British Columbia, Alaska region

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 11:45 AM PDT

The Pacific and North America plate boundary off the coast of British Columbia and southeastern Alaska is a complex system of faults capable of producing very large earthquakes. The recent 2012 Mw 7.8 Haida Gwaii and 2013 Mw 7.5 Craig earthquakes released strain built up over years, but did not release strain along the Queen Charlotte Fault, which remains the likely source of a future large earthquake.

Accelerating materials discovery with world's largest database of elastic properties

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 10:36 AM PDT

Scientists have published the world's largest set of data on the complete elastic properties of inorganic compounds, increasing by an order of magnitude the number of compounds for which such data exists.

Stress and obesity: Your family can make your fat

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 10:36 AM PDT

A new study suggests a relationship between long-term exposure to three specific types of family stressors and children becoming obese by the time they turn 18.

Consequences of driving drunk are paying off

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 10:36 AM PDT

Punishments for drivers whose blood alcohol content is measured above legal thresholds for impairment have reduced the likelihood of repeat offenses, says an economist. To further discourage drunk driving, the researcher suggests lowering the thresholds and instituting harsher penalties based on blood alcohol content.

Winning women: Fielding more female candidates helps political parties gain votes

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 10:36 AM PDT

Political parties find that their fortunes improve when they put more women on the ballot, according to a study. The study analyzes changes to municipal election laws in Spain, which a decade ago began requiring political parties to have women fill at least 40 percent of the slots on their electoral lists. With other factors being equal, the research found, parties that increased their share of female candidates by 10 percentage points more than their opponents enjoyed a 4.2 percentage-point gain at the ballot box, or an outright switch of about 20 votes per 1,000 cast.

Producing rubber from lettuce

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 10:36 AM PDT

Prickly lettuce, a common weed that has long vexed farmers, has potential as a new cash crop providing raw material for rubber production, according to scientists. These findings open the way for breeding for desired traits and developing a new crop source for rubber in the Pacific Northwest.

Origin of cancer wasting identified in fruit flies

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 10:36 AM PDT

The progressive wasting of muscle and fat tissue throughout the body is one of the most visible and heartbreaking manifestations of cancer, yet little is known about how tumors cause distant tissues to degenerate. Two studies reveal that a tumor-secreted molecule drives the loss of fat and muscle tissue in fly cancer models that replicate key features of tumor-induced wasting in humans. The findings could lead to much-needed therapies for wasting.

Pomegranate-date cocktail a day keeps the doctor away

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 10:35 AM PDT

Pomegranates and dates are delicious, increasingly trendy, and healthy to boot. As it turns out, when consumed together they are a winning combination in the war against heart disease. The researchers conclude that people at high risk for cardiovascular diseases, as well as healthy individuals, could benefit from consuming the combination of half a glass of pomegranate juice (4 ounces), together with 3 dates. Ideally, the pits should be ground up into a paste and eaten as well, but even without the pits, the combination is better than either fruit alone.

Next-gen temperature sensor developed to measure ocean dynamics

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 09:14 AM PDT

Temperature is one of the key variables in studying the ocean. A fiber-optic sensor can register significantly smaller temperature changes, roughly 30 times faster than existing commercial sensors.

How do you feel? Video of your face may tell all

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 09:14 AM PDT

Researchers are developing a touch-free system that monitors patients' vital signs via video while compensating for skin tone, lighting and movement.

Multiple sclerosis patients could benefit from brain boost study

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 09:14 AM PDT

Multiple sclerosis patients could one day benefit from treatments that boost their brain function, a study suggests. Increasing the activity of neurons could be beneficial in people with the disease, researchers say. It could stimulate the production of a substance that protects nerve fibres, the researchers say.

Water makes wires even more nano

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 09:14 AM PDT

Researchers have created sub-10-nanometer wires from a variety of materials by using water as a mask in a simple etching process. The process is promising for microelectronics manufacturers who seek to shrink the circuits in their devices.

Producing strawberries in high-pH soil at high elevations

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 09:14 AM PDT

Scientists designed an experiment with 16 strawberry cultivars planted in two perennial planting systems in New Mexico. The experiments evaluated strawberry tolerance to high-pH soil, and determined yield potential in high-pH soil of the high-elevation areas in the US Southwest. Results indicated that growers can produce certain varieties of strawberries in the challenging conditions. The study contains recommendations regarding the most tolerant strawberry cultivars for the conditions and region.

Researchers discover N-type polymer for fast organic battery

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 09:14 AM PDT

Researchers have reported developing an efficient conductive electron-transporting polymer, a long-missing puzzle piece that will allow ultra-fast battery applications. The discovery relies upon a 'conjugated redox polymer' design with a naphthalene-bithiophene polymer, which has traditionally been used for applications including transistors and solar cells. With the use of lithium ions as dopant, researchers found it offered significant electronic conductivity and remained stable and reversible through thousands of cycles of charging and discharging energy.

Living mulch, organic fertilizer tested on broccoli

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 09:14 AM PDT

Field experiments examined whether the effects of living mulch on broccoli yield and yield components are dependent on fertilizer rates. In one experiment, broccoli yields were similar in living mulch and bare soil controls under the highest rates of fertilizer application. In a second experiment, living mulch reduced broccoli yields from 28-63 percent, depending on fertilizer rate. The authors concluded that organic fertilizer may have inconsistent effects on broccoli yields in living mulch systems.

Regulating poinsettia's height

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 09:14 AM PDT

A study determined whether a range of plant height can be achieved using controlled water deficit, and investigated possible adverse effects of WD on ornamental qualities of poinsettia. Results showed that controlled water deficit can be an effective method of height control, but that it may also decrease bract size.

First metal-free catalyst created for rechargeable zinc-air batteries

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 09:14 AM PDT

Researchers have made what they believe is the first metal-free bifunctional electrocatalyst that performs as well or better than most metal and metal oxide electrodes in zinc-air batteries.

Liquid corn, fish fertilizers 'good options' for organic blackberry production

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 09:13 AM PDT

Researchers evaluated the impact of organic fertilizer source on growth, fruit quality, and yield of two blackberry cultivars grown in a machine-harvested, organic production system. The liquid corn and fish organic fertilizers used, although differing in macro- and micronutrient content, supplied sufficient nutrients to meet plant needs, with the exception of calcium and boron. Results also showed that both fertilizers could be applied through drip lines, but emitter performance was reduced over time.

Inning limits don't prevent MLB pitching injuries

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 09:13 AM PDT

Restricting the number of innings young Major League Baseball pitchers throw does not prevent injuries, according to new research. The study also found that gradually increasing the total number of innings pitched per season has no effect on young MLB pitchers' risk of future injury.

The brain game: How decreased neural activity may help you learn faster

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 09:13 AM PDT

Why are some people able to master a new skill quickly while others require extra time or practice? Counterintuitive as it may seem, study participants who showed decreased neural activity learned the fastest. The critical distinction was in areas not directly related to seeing the cues or playing the notes that participants were trying to learn: the frontal cortex and the anterior cingulate cortex. These cognitive control centers are thought to be most responsible for what is known as executive function. The frontal cortex and the anterior cingulate cortex are among the last brain regions to fully develop in humans, which may help explain why children are able to acquire new skills quickly as compared to adults.

New target for anticancer drugs: RNA

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 09:13 AM PDT

Messenger RNAs -- the working copies of genes that are used to assemble proteins -- have typically been ignored as drug targets because they all look about the same. But researchers have found that a subset of mRNAs -- many of which have been linked to cancer -- have unique tags. These short RNA tags bind to a protein, eIF3, that regulates translation at the ribosome, making the binding site a promising target for anticancer drugs.

For ticks, researchers find lemur noses to be males only in Madagascar

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 09:10 AM PDT

Out of 295 ticks collected from the noses of lemurs in Madagascar, 100 percent of them were male. The chosen location may provide a convenient jump-off point for male ticks to switch hosts as the lemurs sniff each other.

Ultrafast aluminum battery offers safe alternative to conventional batteries

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 09:10 AM PDT

Scientists have invented the first high-performance aluminum battery that's fast-charging, long-lasting and inexpensive. Researchers say the new technology could replace many lithium-ion and alkaline batteries in wide use today.

Engineers gain control of gene activity by synthetically creating key component of epigenome

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 09:10 AM PDT

Researchers have developed a new method to activate genes by synthetically creating a key component of the epigenome that controls how our genes are expressed. The new technology allows researchers to turn on specific gene promoters and enhancers -- pieces of our genomes that control our gene activity -- by chemically manipulating proteins that package our DNA.

Western Canada to lose 70 percent of glaciers by 2100

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 09:10 AM PDT

Seventy percent of glacier ice in British Columbia and Alberta could disappear by the end of the 21st century, creating major problems for local ecosystems, power supplies, and water quality, according to a new study.

We can fix the Great Barrier Reef

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 09:10 AM PDT

Leading coral reef scientists say Australia could restore the Great Barrier Reef to its former glory through better policies that focus on science, protection and conservation, experts say.

Working up a sweat: It could save your life

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 09:10 AM PDT

Physical activity that makes you puff and sweat is key to avoiding an early death, a large study of middle-aged and older adults has found. The researchers followed 204,542 people for more than six years, and compared those who engaged in only moderate activity (such as gentle swimming, social tennis, or household chores) with those who included at least some vigorous activity (such as jogging, aerobics or competitive tennis).

Brain's 'lowly' visual processor is more sophisticated than once thought

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 09:09 AM PDT

When managing, assigning each task to a specialist is often the most efficient strategy. Most researchers regard the brain as working similarly, with each region specialized to a given task. But now neuroscientists have found, in rats, that the brain's primary visual cortex not only portrays the visual world but can also drive the timing of actions.

Managers: Motivating the employee willing to go the extra mile

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 09:09 AM PDT

Managers can improve their work teams' performance by focusing their motivation efforts on that "extra miler" instead of trying to motivate everyone equally. A new study finds that teams function better when the team member who shows the most willingness to go above and beyond their job description -- whom the researchers dub the extra miler -- is in a more central position in the workflow where they come into contact with as many teammates as possible.

'Explosive' atom movement is new window into growing metal nanostructures

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 09:08 AM PDT

Scientists expected to see slow, random movement when they dropped lead atoms on a lead-on-silicon surface. But they saw instead? Fast, organized atoms. The unusual "explosive" movement may represent a new way to grow perfect, tiny metal nanostructures for nanostransistors and nanomagnets.

Endangered tortoises thrive on invasive plants

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 09:08 AM PDT

Introduced plants make up roughly half the diet of two subspecies of endangered tortoise, field research in the Galapagos reveals. Tortoises seem to prefer non-native to native plants and the plants may help them to stay well-nourished during the dry season.

Researchers put safety of magic anti-cancer bullet to test

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 07:10 AM PDT

The first systematic study has been carried out analyzing the safety of so-called upconversion nanoparticles that may be used to treat skin cancer and other skin diseases. This study is one of the most important steps on the path to new, safe and effective methods to diagnose and treat cancer.

Common cancers highjack powerhouses of cells

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 07:10 AM PDT

In a breakthrough in the understanding of how cancer does its deadly work, researchers have shown that many cancers -- including nearly all pancreatic cancers -- enslave and deform mitochondria, the powerhouses of cells, to create an environment more conducive to tumor growth.

Northern coastal marshes more vulnerable to nutrient pollution

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 07:10 AM PDT

Salt marshes at higher latitudes, including those in densely populated coastal regions of New England and Europe, are more vulnerable to the effects of eutrophication, which, if left unchecked, can trigger intense overgrazing by marsh herbivores that can destabilize marshes and reduce their ability to defend shorelines from erosion. Geography and evolution both play roles in making these marshes more susceptible to nutrient loading and overgrazing than their counterparts in the tropics.

Erythropoietin combined with radiation therapy does not improve local-regional control in anemic patients with head and neck cancer

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 07:10 AM PDT

Long-term analysis of Radiation Therapy Oncology Group 9903 demonstrates that the addition of erythropoietin did not improve local-regional control for anemic patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma who receive radiation therapy or chemoradiation, according to a study.

How many organisms live in the sea?

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 07:10 AM PDT

A new measurement method has been developed to estimate the distribution of aquatic animals using droplet digital polymerase chain reaction in order to quantify the number of target DNA copies present. This technique can be applied for habitat research on rare or non-native species in the field, researchers say.

Extraversion may be less common than we think

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 07:10 AM PDT

New research documents the 'friendship paradox' within the emerging social networks of a new class of MBA students, showing that extroverted people tend to be disproportionately represented in social networks. The findings indicate that the effect is most pronounced in the networks of socially outgoing people, suggesting that popular people may actually experience the friendship paradox more intensely than others.

Providers have mixed feelings about prescribing HIV prevention

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 07:09 AM PDT

People at substantial ongoing risk for HIV have a prevention option in addition to practicing safer sex: pre-exposure prophylaxis. Proactively taking a regimen of an HIV antiviral medication helps prevent HIV from establishing itself in the body. But for patients and providers, the US Public Health Service's PrEP guidelines may still be too well-kept a secret. Researchers found many US health care providers hesitate to prescribe PrEP to some patients.

Cold, callous and untreatable? Not all psychopaths fit the stereotype, says new study

Posted: 06 Apr 2015 07:09 AM PDT

A new study shows that a subset of pre-psychopathic youth, who appear callous and unemotional to others, are actually masking an unmanageable surplus of feeling and can be treated using approaches like cognitive or dialectical behavioral therapy.

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