الأربعاء، 25 يونيو 2014

ScienceDaily: Top News

ScienceDaily: Top News


Not everyone wants cheering up, new study suggests

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 11:23 AM PDT

You may want to rethink cheering up your friends who have low self-esteem because chances are they don't want to hear it. People with low self-esteem have overly negative views of themselves, and often interpret critical feedback, romantic rejections, or unsuccessful job applications as evidence of their general unworthiness. A new study found that they likely don't want you to try to boost their spirits.

Gender differences could mean more risk for cardiovascular death

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 11:22 AM PDT

One expert is advocating the use of gender-based treatment for mitigating the cardiovascular risk factors related to diabetes. Research has shown women with Type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol are less likely than their male peers to reach treatment goals to lower their bad cholesterol, or low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.

Evidence that an Influenza A virus can jump from horses to camels

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 10:58 AM PDT

Evidence that an influenza A virus can jump from horses to camels has been found by scientists – and humans could be next. "Over the last 10 years, we've been amazed at all the cross-species jumps of influenza. Now we're finding yet another," said one researcher. Although there is no immediate risk, the inter-mammalian transmission of the virus is a major concern for public health researchers interested in controlling the threat of pandemic influenza.

Prior drug use is greatest predictor of ecstasy use among U.S. high school seniors

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 10:58 AM PDT

A national sample of high school seniors was examined to determine who is currently at high risk for ecstasy use. Although ecstasy use in the U.S. is not as prevalent as in the late 1990s and early 2000s, its use remains popular among adolescents and young adults. The authors feel the popularity of ecstasy use may be related to increasing popularity of electronic dance festivals.

BMI measurement may be missing 25 percent of children who could be considered obese

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 10:57 AM PDT

Physicians using body mass index (BMI) to diagnose children as obese may be missing 25 percent of kids who have excess body fat despite a normal BMI, which can be a serious concern for long-term health, according to a study. The researchers found that BMI has high specificity in identifying pediatric obesity, meaning BMI accurately identifies children who are obese, but has a moderate sensitivity, meaning the BMI tool misses children who actually should be considered obese, according to the percent of fat in their bodies.

Morphable surfaces cut air resistance: Golf ball-like dimples on cars may improve fuel efficiency

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 08:07 AM PDT

Testing over the years has proved that a golf ball's irregular surface dramatically increases the distance it travels, because it can cut the drag caused by air resistance in half. Now researchers are aiming to harness that same effect to reduce drag on a variety of surfaces -- including domes that sometimes crumple in high winds, or perhaps even vehicles.

Virus kills triple negative breast cancer cells, tumor cells in mice

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 08:07 AM PDT

A virus not known to cause disease kills triple-negative breast cancer cells and killed tumors grown from these cells in mice, according to researchers. Understanding how the virus kills cancer may lead to new treatments for breast cancer. "These results are significant, since tumor necrosis -- or death -- in response to therapy is also used as the measure of an effective chemotherapeutic," one researcher said.

Cell division discovery could optimize timing of chemotherapy, explain some cancers

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 08:07 AM PDT

A new study has been able to demonstrate how the cycle of cell division in mammalian cells synchronizes with the body's own daily rhythm, its circadian clock. The study not only helps to explain why people with sustained disrupted circadian rhythms can be more susceptible to cancer, it may also help establish the optimal time of day to administer chemotherapy.

Restricting competitors could help threatened species cope with climate change

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 08:06 AM PDT

Threatened animal species could cope better with the effects of climate change if competition from other animals for the same habitats is restricted, according to new research. Observing the goats in the Italian Alps during the summer, the researchers found that Chamois tended to move to higher altitudes where it is cooler on hotter days and in the middle of the day, but moved much higher when sheep were present. To their surprise, they discovered that competition with sheep had a far greater effect on Chamois than the predicted effects of future climate change.

New possibilities for leukemia therapy with novel mode of leukemia cell recognition

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 08:05 AM PDT

A new class of lipids in the leukemia cells that are detected by a unique group of immune cells has been discovered by researchers. By recognizing the lipids, the immune cells stimulate an immune response to destroy the leukemia cells and suppress their growth. The newly identified mode of cancer cell recognition by the immune system opens up new possibilities for leukemia immunotherapy.

Young women with polycystic ovary syndrome are 5 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 08:05 AM PDT

Young women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) have a startlingly higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, even if young and not overweight, a leading expert on reproductive health says. "With the dramatic rise in diabetes, this research highlights the need for greater awareness and screening, especially in high risk groups including young women with PCOS."

Bizarre parasite from the Jurassic had mouthparts for sucking blood of salamanders

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 07:58 AM PDT

Around 165 million years ago, a spectacular parasite was at home in the freshwater lakes of present-day Inner Mongolia (China): A fly larva with a thorax formed entirely like a sucking plate. With it, the animal could adhere to salamanders and suck their blood with its mouthparts formed like a sting. To date no insect is known that is equipped with a similar specialized design.

Sweet, sweet straw: Scientists learn to produce sweetener from straw and fungi

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 07:58 AM PDT

The calorie free sweetener erythritol is widely used in Asia; it is also gaining popularity in Europe and America. Now, a new cheap method has been developed to produce erythritol from straw with the help of mould fungi. Erythritol has many great advantages: it does not make you fat, it does not cause tooth decay, it has no effect on the blood sugar and, unlike other sweeteners, it does not have a laxative effect.

Gene in brain linked to kidney cancer, researchers say

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 07:58 AM PDT

A gene known to control brain growth and development is heavily involved in promoting clear cell renal cell carcinoma, the most common form of kidney cancer, researchers are reporting. The research reveals that the gene NPTX2, plays an essential role in this cancer type, which is resistant to common chemotherapy and has a five-year overall survival rate of less than 10 percent in patients with metastatic disease.

The truth behind the '5-second rule': When in doubt, throw it out, expert says

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 07:57 AM PDT

The burger patty that slides off the plate, the ice cream treat that plops on the picnic table, the hot dog that rolls off the grill -- conventional wisdom has it that you have five seconds to pick it up before it is contaminated. Fact or folklore? "A dropped item is immediately contaminated and can't really be sanitized," explains one researcher. "When it comes to folklore, the 'five-second rule' should be replaced with 'When in doubt, throw it out.' "

Potential new treatment approach for lung cancer

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 07:52 AM PDT

More than a third of all human cancers are driven by mutations in a family of genes known as Ras. Ras has long been considered to be a target that does not respond to cancer treating drugs, but recent research suggests new possibilities. Investigators have demonstrated that targeting a metabolic dependency downstream of Ras could provide therapeutic benefit to patients with Ras-driven lung cancers.

Fat of the bone: Exercise, diabetes affect amount of fat inside bones

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 07:50 AM PDT

A new kind of imaging technique shows how exercise and diabetes drugs affect the amount of fat inside our bones, which could play roles in the health of our bones. Our bones are not stagnant, rock-like things. They change. Marrow -- the tissue inside bones -- is full of various kinds of cells. And marrow is also full of fat. The amounts of these cells and fats can decrease or increase over time. And the production of these marrow cells and fat depend on a specific type of progenitor cell called a mesenchymal stem cell.

Kids' risks from toxic metals in dirt downplayed when measured with standard tools

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 07:50 AM PDT

A new laboratory method may improve risk estimates of children's soil exposures. As the study explains, soil ingestion is one of the most important pathways through which children are exposed to toxic substances. Children have higher exposure rates from soil than adults because of their hand-to-mouth behavior. As they play outside in dirt mounds and playgrounds, there is a risk that children will ingest soil particles and heavy metals which may have been underestimated by researchers to date.

Exploring the brain: New findings explain how eyes link to prefrontal cortex

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:33 AM PDT

A research team has linked how our eyes actually see the world to neurons in the prefrontal cortex of the brain. The team studied saccadic eye movements -- those movements where the eye jumps from one point of focus to another -- in an effort to determine exactly how this happens without us being overcome by our brains processing too much visual information.

Computer-aided diagnosis of rare genetic disorders from family snaps

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:33 AM PDT

Computer analysis of photographs could help doctors diagnose which condition a child with a rare genetic disorder has, say researchers. The researchers have come up with a computer program that recognizes facial features in photographs; looks for similarities with facial structures for various conditions, such as Down's syndrome, Angelman syndrome, or Progeria; and returns possible matches ranked by likelihood.

Schizophrenia and cannabis use may share common genes

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:33 AM PDT

Genes that increase the risk of developing schizophrenia may also increase the likelihood of using cannabis, according to a new study. Previous studies have identified a link between cannabis use and schizophrenia, but it has remained unclear whether this association is due to cannabis directly increasing the risk of the disorder. The new results suggest that part of this association is due to common genes.

Facelock: New password alternative which plays to the strengths of human memory

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:33 AM PDT

Forgotten passwords are a serious problem for both IT managers and users. The root of the problem is a trade-off between memorability and security: simple passwords are easy to remember but easy to crack; complex passwords are hard to crack but hard to remember. A newly proposed alternative based on the psychology of face recognition was announced today. Dubbed 'Facelock', it could put an end to forgotten passwords, and protect users from prying eyes.

Should the Higgs boson have caused our universe to collapse? Findings puzzle cosmologists

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:32 AM PDT

British cosmologists are puzzled: they predict that the universe should not have lasted for more than a second. This startling conclusion is the result of combining the latest observations of the sky with the recent discovery of the Higgs boson.

When it rains, it pours ... on the sun

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:32 AM PDT

Just like on Earth, the sun has spells of bad weather, with high winds and showers of rain. But unlike storms on Earth, rain on the sun is made of electrically charged gas (plasma) and falls at around 200,000 kilometers an hour from the outer solar atmosphere, the corona, to the sun's surface. Now a team of solar physicists has pieced together an explanation for this intriguing phenomenon with imagery that shows a 'waterfall' in the atmosphere of the sun.

Sleeping sickness: the tsetse fly genome decoded

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:32 AM PDT

The genome of the tsetse fly has been decoded at last. Ten years of work made it possible for a consortium of 145 scientists to publish the DNA sequence for the vector for sleeping sickness. This result is highly significant as the biology of the tsetse is unique. The information contained in its genome is fundamental for better understanding and controlling the fly. Vector control is still essential for controlling the disease without a vaccine and due to difficult treatments.

Amazon water comprehensively mapped from space

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:32 AM PDT

Groundwater represents more than 96% of the fresh water on Earth. But these reservoirs under our feet remain very difficult to study. For humid regions such as the Amazon, researchers have refined a new method for measuring phreatic levels by satellite. Thus, they have created the first maps of ground water in the Amazon, which lies under the largest rivers in the world. The maps show the height of the aquifer during low water periods. They show the response of the ground water in particular to droughts, and help better characterize its role in the climate and the Amazon.

Chagas' disease: A return announced

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:32 AM PDT

Despite deinsectization campaigns conducted in many Latin American countries, bugs called Triatoma infestans, the main vector species for Chagas' disease, are now reappearing in villages in several regions. Wild populations of Triatoma infestans are recolonizing dwellings. The latter seem very close genetically to their domestic congeners and therefore, like their domestic counterparts, are able to adapt to humans. These wild bugs thus represent a significant risk for the re-emergence of Chagas' disease, as one out of two has been shown to carry the parasite responsible for the infection.

Cancer 'as old as multi-cellular life on Earth': Researchers discover a primordial cancer in a primitive animal

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:25 AM PDT

Can cancer ever be completely defeated? Researchers have now reached a sobering conclusion: "cancer is as old as multi-cellular life on Earth and will probably never be completely eradicated," says one expert, following his latest research results. The researchers have now achieved an impressive understanding of the roots of cancer, providing proof that tumors indeed exist in primitive and evolutionary old animals.

Puzzle games can improve mental flexibility, study shows

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:25 AM PDT

Want to improve your mental finesse? Playing a puzzle game like Cut the Rope could just be the thing you need. A recent study showed that adults who played the physics-based puzzle video game Cut the Rope regularly, for as little as an hour a day, had improved executive functions. The executive functions in your brain are important for making decisions in everyday life when you have to deal with sudden changes in your environment -- better known as thinking on your feet.

Sound waves harnessed to enable precision micro- and nano-manufacturing

Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:25 AM PDT

In a breakthrough discovery, researchers have harnessed the power of sound waves to enable precision micro- and nano-manufacturing. The researchers have demonstrated how high-frequency sound waves can be used to precisely control the spread of thin film fluid along a specially designed chip.

How repeatable is evolutionary history? 'Weakness' in clover genome biases species to evolve same trait

Posted: 23 Jun 2014 07:50 PM PDT

Some clover species have two forms, one of which releases cyanide to discourage nibbling by snails and insects and the other of which does not. A scientist found that this 'polymorphism' has evolved independently in six different species of clover, each time by the wholesale deletion of a gene. The clover species are in a sense predisposed to develop this trait, suggesting that evolution is not entirely free form but instead bumps up against constraints.

Calcium, vitamin D supplementation improves metabolic profile of pregnant women with gestational diabetes

Posted: 23 Jun 2014 07:50 PM PDT

Calcium and vitamin D supplementation improves the metabolic profile of pregnant women with gestational diabetes, new research shows. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), a pregnancy complication, is characterized by carbohydrate intolerance and metabolic disorders. Approximately 7% of all pregnancies in the United States are affected by GDM, but the prevalence ranges from 1 to 14% of all pregnancies in the world depending on the population studied and the diagnostic criteria used.

It is time to abandon obesity myths, experts say

Posted: 23 Jun 2014 07:49 PM PDT

Researchers say it is time to abandon some popular but erroneous obesity myths. In a new article, the team presents nine obesity myths and 10 commonly held but unproven presumptions that the authors suggest lead to poor policy decisions, inaccurate public health recommendations and wasted resources.

Cocoa extract may counter specific mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease

Posted: 23 Jun 2014 07:49 PM PDT

Insights into mechanisms behind cocoa's benefit may lead to new treatments or dietary regimens for those suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Lavado cocoa is primarily composed of polyphenols, antioxidants also found in fruits and vegetables, with past studies suggesting that they prevent degenerative diseases of the brain.

Fatal cellular malfunction identified in Huntington's disease

Posted: 23 Jun 2014 07:49 PM PDT

Researchers believe they have learned how mutations in the gene that causes Huntington's disease kill brain cells, a finding that could open new opportunities for treating the fatal disorder. Huntington's disease is caused by a defect in the huntingtin gene, which makes the huntingtin protein. Life expectancy after initial onset is about 20 years.

Titan's building blocks might pre-date Saturn

Posted: 23 Jun 2014 02:07 PM PDT

A combined NASA and European Space Agency (ESA)-funded study has found firm evidence that nitrogen in the atmosphere of Saturn's moon Titan originated in conditions similar to the cold birthplace of the most ancient comets from the Oort cloud. The finding rules out the possibility that Titan's building blocks formed within the warm disk of material thought to have surrounded the infant planet Saturn during its formation.

Ferroelectric switching seen in biological tissues

Posted: 23 Jun 2014 12:51 PM PDT

Researchers have shown that a favorable electrical property is present in a type of protein found in organs that repeatedly stretch and retract. These findings are the first that clearly track this phenomenon, called ferroelectricity, occurring at the molecular level in biological tissues.

Understanding the ocean's role in Greenland glacier melt

Posted: 23 Jun 2014 12:51 PM PDT

The Greenland Ice Sheet is a 1.7 million-square-kilometer, 2-mile thick layer of ice that covers Greenland. Its fate is inextricably linked to our global climate system.

Emergence of bacterial vortex explained

Posted: 23 Jun 2014 12:47 PM PDT

When a bunch of B. subtilis bacteria are confined within a droplet of water, a very strange thing happens. The chaotic motion of individual swimmers spontaneously organizes into a swirling vortex, with bacteria on the outer edge of the droplet moving in one direction while those on the inside move the opposite direction. Researchers have now explained for the first time how that dual-motion vortex is generated.

Diabetes susceptibility gene regulates health of cell's powerhouse, study finds

Posted: 23 Jun 2014 11:43 AM PDT

A research team has found that a susceptibility gene for type 1 diabetes regulates self-destruction of the cell's energy factory. The pathway central to this gene could be targeted for prevention and control of type-1 diabetes and may extend to the treatment of other metabolic-associated diseases.

Learning by repetition impairs recall of details, study shows

Posted: 23 Jun 2014 11:20 AM PDT

While repetition enhances the factual content of memories, it can reduce the amount of detail stored with those memories, neurobiologists report following a recent study. This means that with repeated recall, nuanced aspects may fade away.

Scientists use X-rays to look at how DNA protects itself from UV light

Posted: 23 Jun 2014 11:20 AM PDT

The molecular building blocks that make up DNA absorb ultraviolet light so strongly that sunlight should deactivate them -- yet it does not. Now scientists have made detailed observations of a 'relaxation response' that protects these molecules, and the genetic information they encode, from UV damage.

Among weight loss methods, surgery and drugs achieve highest patient satisfaction

Posted: 23 Jun 2014 11:19 AM PDT

Obese and overweight Americans who have tried losing weight report far greater overall satisfaction with weight loss surgery and prescription weight loss medications than with diet, exercise and other self-modification methods, an Internet survey finds.

'Smat pill' reduces weight in overweight and obese subjects

Posted: 23 Jun 2014 11:18 AM PDT

A new 'smart pill' called Gelesis100 leads to greater weight loss in overweight and obese individuals compared with those who receive an active comparator/placebo capsule, while all subjects have similar diet and exercise instructions, a new study finds.

Gut microbe levels are linked to type 2 diabetes and obesity

Posted: 23 Jun 2014 11:18 AM PDT

People with Type 2 diabetes or obesity have changes in the composition of their intestinal micro-organisms —- called the gut microbiota -— that healthy people do not have, researchers have found.

Growth hormone treatment for children may exacerbate feelings of depression

Posted: 23 Jun 2014 11:18 AM PDT

Short, otherwise healthy children who are treated with growth hormone (GH) may become taller, but they may also become more depressed and withdrawn over time, compared to children the same age and height who are not treated with GH, a new study finds. "This novel study of the cognitive and emotional effects of GH therapy in children with GHD and ISS compared to untreated short children raises concerns that, despite improvements in height, these children may not achieve psychosocial benefits," one researcher said.

Young indoor tanning increases early risk of skin cancer

Posted: 23 Jun 2014 11:18 AM PDT

Early exposure to the ultraviolet radiation lamps used for indoor tanning is related to an increased risk of developing basal cell carcinomas (BCC) at a young age, researchers confirm. Since indoor tanning has become increasingly popular among adolescents and young adults, this research calls attention to the importance of counseling young people about the risk of indoor tanning. The study notes that indoor tanning products can produce 10 to 15 times as much UV radiation as the midday sun.

Bone loss persists two years after weight loss surgery

Posted: 23 Jun 2014 11:17 AM PDT

For at least two years after bariatric surgery, patients continue to lose bone, even after their weight stabilizes, research shows. Gastric bypass is the most common type of weight loss surgery. "The long-term consequences of this substantial bone loss are unclear, but it might put them at increased risk of fracture, or breaking a bone," said the study's principal investigator.

Air apparent: Using bubbles to reveal fertility problems

Posted: 23 Jun 2014 11:17 AM PDT

Doctors in California are the first fertility specialists in the county to use a new ultrasound technique to assess fallopian tubes by employing a mixture of saline and air bubbles that is less painful, avoids X-ray exposure and is more convenient to patients during an already vulnerable time. Using the technique, the physician delivers the mixture of saline and air bubbles into the uterus through a small catheter, which then flows into the fallopian tubes. Under ultrasound, the air bubbles are highly visible as they travel through the tubes, allowing the physician to determine if a blockage exists.

Antibiotic developed 50 years ago may be the key to fighting 'superbugs'

Posted: 23 Jun 2014 11:17 AM PDT

Novel dosing regimens for polymyxin combinations to maximize antibacterial activity and to minimize the emergence of resistance and toxicity -- this has been the focus of a recent research study. Developed more than 50 years ago, polymyxins were not subject to modern antibiotic drug development standards. And they have proved to be toxic to both the kidneys and nervous system.

Africa's poison 'apple' provides common ground for saving elephants, raising livestock

Posted: 23 Jun 2014 10:14 AM PDT

Certain wild African animals, particularly elephants, could be a boon to human-raised livestock because of their voracious appetite for the toxic and invasive plant Solanum campylacanthum, or the Sodom apple, a five-year stud suggests. Just as the governments of nations such as Kenya prepare to pour millions into eradicating the plant, the findings present a method for controlling the Sodom apple that is cost-effective for humans and beneficial for the survival of African elephants.

Possible answer to chemo pain found in multiple sclerosis drug

Posted: 23 Jun 2014 10:13 AM PDT

Two discoveries have been described by researchers: a molecular pathway by which a painful chemotherapy side effect happens and a drug that may be able to stop it. "The chemotherapy drug paclitaxel is widely used to treat many forms of cancer, including breast, ovarian and lung cancers," said one researcher. "Though it is highly effective, the medication, like many other chemotherapy drugs, frequently is accompanied by a debilitating side effect called chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy, or CIPN."

Long non-coding RNAs can encode proteins after all

Posted: 23 Jun 2014 10:13 AM PDT

An extraordinary double discovery has been made by researchers. First, they have identified thousands of novel long non-coding ribonucleic acid transcripts. Second, they have learned that some of them defy conventional wisdom regarding lncRNA transcripts, because they actually do direct the synthesis of proteins in cells.

Wearable computing gloves can teach Braille, even if you're not paying attention

Posted: 23 Jun 2014 10:13 AM PDT

Researchers are using a wearable computing technology to help people learn how to read and write Braille. Those learning the skills are able to do so while concentrating on something else.

Airbags for ships save lives, environment and cargo

Posted: 23 Jun 2014 10:11 AM PDT

Innovative rapidly inflating balloon technology could keep damaged ships afloat. But more fine-tuning needs to be done and there are some concerns about reliability.

Sleeve gastrectomy surgery improves diabetes control better than medical care

Posted: 23 Jun 2014 10:10 AM PDT

Adults with Type 2 diabetes achieve better blood glucose (sugar) control two years after undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy than do patients who receive standard medical diabetes care without this weight loss surgery, a new study finds. In addition, 76 percent of surgery patients were able to reduce their use of diabetes medications, compared with only 26 percent of patients in the nonsurgical group, study authors reported.

New evidence bolsters Higgs boson discovery: Confirmation of particle responsible for mass

Posted: 23 Jun 2014 09:10 AM PDT

If evidence of the Higgs boson revealed two years ago was the smoking gun, particle physicists have now found a few of the bullets. The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) has just published research that details evidence of the direct decay of the Higgs boson to fermions, among the particles anticipated by the Standard Model of physics. The finding fits what researchers expected to see amid the massive amount of data provided by the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).

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