ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Manganese speeds up honey bees
• Personality test finds Great Britain’s most extroverted, agreeable and emotionally stable regions
• NASA satellites catch 'growth spurt' from newborn protostar
• NASA studies the sun in soft x-rays
• After learning new words, brain sees them as pictures
• Study provides academic support for new Steve Jobs portrayal
• Automation offers big solution to big data in astronomy
• Genetic discovery may offer new avenue of attack against schistosomiasis
• Rapid testing for gene variants in kidney donors may optimize transplant outcomes
• BPA can adversely affect reproduction of future generations of fish
• Tiny bio-robot is a germ suited-up with graphene quantum dots
• Patients who go home after knee replacement do as well as those discharged to rehab facility
• Physicists solve low-temperature magnetic mystery
• Epidemics: To quarantine or not to quarantine
• Children less likely to come to the rescue when others are available
• New technique paints tissue samples with light
• Ultimate Fighting Championship should save heavyweight fights for pay per view
• Chemical tag marks future microRNAs for processing, study shows
• 'Tipping point' between quantum and classical worlds identified
• Disturbingly little known about microbeads, plastics in the Great Lakes
• Cancer research breakthrough: Immune markers discovered that can predict ovarian cancer patients' response to treatment
• More schools, more challenging assignments add up to higher IQ scores
• Link between genetic variation, alcohol dependence found
• Complex genetic ancestry of Americans uncovered
• IQ of children in better-educated households is higher
• Women with diabetes more likely to be diagnosed with advanced stage breast cancer
• Red blood cell traits associated with malaria risk in children
• Higher volume of scoliosis surgeries linked to reduced reoperation rates
• Diabetics with ankle fractures have longer lengths of stay, more health care costs
• New kind of 'tandem' solar cell: New solar cell combines two materials for broader absorption
• Norovirus candidate vaccine induces broad antibody responses in trial participants
• Discovery of what attracts pregnant mosquitoes is used to fight malaria
• Music to the ears of dementia suffers: learning to play saxophone after diagnosis
• Looking for happiness in all the wrong places
• Pay gap between male and female registered nurses has not narrowed
• Outcomes for stent vs medications for narrowed artery within the brain
• 'Goldilocks material' could change spintronics
• Squeeze to remove heat: Elastocaloric materials enable more efficient, 'green' cooling
• National alert issued: Look-alike packaging may cause confusion between neostigmine and phenylephrine
• The challenges for anthropologists when they're the expert in the courtroom
• Got (fresh) milk? Preserving milk using energy efficient pulsed electric field processing
• Laparoscopic hysterectomy with morcellation may be safer than abdominal procedure, new study indicates
• Four-stranded DNA-binding protein conserved in plants and animals
• First nations migration dynamics are shaped by socio-economic inequalities
• Scientists build a nanolaser using a single atomic sheet
• New membranes deliver clean water more efficiently
• How our DNA may prevent bowel cancer
• Doubling of coastal erosion by mid-century in Hawai'i
• Mutations taking place only in brain identified as cause of intractable epilepsy
• Searching for traces in the atmosphere
• Building shape inspires new material discovery
• Milk could be good for your brain
• Malaria-infected cells produce odors attractive to mosquitoes
• Vineyard's soil microbes shape grapes' microbial community
• Could a tampon one day help predict endometrial cancer? Researchers say yes
• Brain tumor cells decimated by mitochondrial 'smart bomb'
• Soils retain, contain radioactivity in Fukushima
• Hip replacement an excellent option to relieve pain in juvenile arthritis patients under age 35
• Prehistoric super salamander was top predator, fossils suggest
• Xpert MTB/RIF assay for diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Manganese speeds up honey bees Posted: 24 Mar 2015 06:00 PM PDT The industrial metal manganese, once scarce, is now ubiquitous in our environment. New work suggests that it addles honey bees, which often act as sentinel species for environmental contaminants, even at levels considered safe for humans.

Personality test finds Great Britain’s most extroverted, agreeable and emotionally stable regions Posted: 24 Mar 2015 05:59 PM PDT Scotland is home to the friendliest, most emotionally stable Brits. Welsh tend to be open but are the shiest and least emotionally stable. People in East of England conscientious, agreeable but are less open. Londoners are the most open, but the least welcoming and not very conscientious. This is according to a survey of almost 400,000 British residents.

NASA satellites catch 'growth spurt' from newborn protostar Posted: 24 Mar 2015 03:36 PM PDT Using data from orbiting observatories and ground-based facilities, astronomers have discovered an outburst from a star thought to be in the earliest phase of its development. The eruption, scientists say, reveals a sudden accumulation of gas and dust by an exceptionally young protostar known as HOPS 383.

NASA studies the sun in soft x-rays Posted: 24 Mar 2015 03:36 PM PDT At any given moment, our sun emits a range of light waves far more expansive than what our eyes alone can see: from visible light to extreme ultraviolet to soft and hard X-rays. In 2012 and 2013, a detector was launched on a sounding rocket for a 15 minute trip to look at a range of sunlight previously not well-observed: soft X-rays.

After learning new words, brain sees them as pictures Posted: 24 Mar 2015 03:36 PM PDT When we look at a known word, our brain sees it like a picture, not a group of letters needing to be processed. That's the finding from a new study that shows the brain learns words quickly by tuning neurons to respond to a complete word, not parts of it.

Study provides academic support for new Steve Jobs portrayal Posted: 24 Mar 2015 12:36 PM PDT The new Steve Jobs biopic, 'Becoming Steve Jobs,' paints a picture of a less arrogant, humbler leader than previously thought. It portrays a softer side of Jobs that executives at Apple say is more accurate than the previous best-selling biography. A new business study provides academic support for the type of leader Apple execs say Jobs became. The study finds that narcissistic leaders can still be extremely effective and have engaged followers if they show humility.

Automation offers big solution to big data in astronomy Posted: 24 Mar 2015 11:08 AM PDT The Square Kilometer Array, a radio telescope planned for Africa and Australia, will have an unprecedented ability to deliver data -- lots of data points, with lots of details -- on the location and properties of stars, galaxies and giant clouds of hydrogen gas. Scientists have now developed a new, faster approach to analyzing all that data.

Genetic discovery may offer new avenue of attack against schistosomiasis Posted: 24 Mar 2015 11:08 AM PDT Researchers have discovered a group of genes in one species of snail that provide a natural resistance to the flatworm parasite that causes schistosomiasis, and opens the door to possible new drugs or ways to break the transmission cycle of this debilitating disease. It's been called a neglected global pandemic.

Rapid testing for gene variants in kidney donors may optimize transplant outcomes Posted: 24 Mar 2015 11:08 AM PDT Kidney transplantation outcomes from deceased African-American donors may improve through rapid testing for apolipoprotein L1 gene renal risk variants at the time of organ recovery, according to a new study.

BPA can adversely affect reproduction of future generations of fish Posted: 24 Mar 2015 11:08 AM PDT Bisphenol A is a chemical that is used in a variety of consumer products, such as water bottles, dental composites and resins used to line metal food and beverage containers. Often, aquatic environments such as rivers and streams become reservoirs for contaminants, including BPA. Now, scientists have determined that fish exposed to endocrine-disrupting chemicals will pass adverse reproductive effects onto their offspring as many as three generations later.

Tiny bio-robot is a germ suited-up with graphene quantum dots Posted: 24 Mar 2015 11:07 AM PDT Researchers have created an electromechanical device -- a humidity sensor -- on a bacterial spore. Like other first-generation bio-robots, the new nanobot is a far cry from Robocop. It's a robotic germ.

Patients who go home after knee replacement do as well as those discharged to rehab facility Posted: 24 Mar 2015 11:07 AM PDT Patients who go home after knee replacement and receive physical therapy at home do as well as those who go to an in-patient rehabilitation facility, a new study concludes. Researchers found no difference in complication rates within six months of knee replacement, whether patients went home or to an inpatient rehab facility after leaving the hospital. Both groups also had similar outcomes in terms of pain and function two years after surgery.

Physicists solve low-temperature magnetic mystery Posted: 24 Mar 2015 10:23 AM PDT Physicists have discovered the mechanism that drives the Kondo Effect, a phenomenon that may hold the key to the next generation of refrigeration technology.

Epidemics: To quarantine or not to quarantine Posted: 24 Mar 2015 10:23 AM PDT The decision to quarantine individuals or groups during epidemics is not an exact science and is open to various interpretations. Providing guiding principles, authors of a new study suggest the need to balance public safety with human rights.

Children less likely to come to the rescue when others are available Posted: 24 Mar 2015 10:22 AM PDT Children as young as 5 years old are less likely to help a person in need when other children are present and available to help, according to new research. Previous research has shown that children are generally very helpful, but few studies had specifically looked at whether the presence of others affects this helping behavior.

New technique paints tissue samples with light Posted: 24 Mar 2015 10:22 AM PDT One infrared scan can give pathologists a window into the structures and molecules inside tissues and cells, enabling fast and broad diagnostic assessments, thanks to a new imaging technique. Using a combination of advanced microscope imaging and computer analysis, the new technique can give pathologists and researchers precise information without using chemical stains or dyes.

Ultimate Fighting Championship should save heavyweight fights for pay per view Posted: 24 Mar 2015 10:22 AM PDT A researcher has found that fans' interest in the sport and, thus, their desire to spend money differs based on the venue.

Chemical tag marks future microRNAs for processing, study shows Posted: 24 Mar 2015 10:22 AM PDT By adding a chemical group to a particular sequence on RNA molecules, cells appear able to label the molecules that should be trimmed to make microRNAs. Because microRNAs help control processes throughout the body, this discovery has wide-ranging implications for development, health and disease, including cancer, the entry point for this research.

'Tipping point' between quantum and classical worlds identified Posted: 24 Mar 2015 10:22 AM PDT If we are ever to fully harness the power of light for use in optical devices, it is necessary to understand photons -- the fundamental unit of light. Achieving such understanding, however, is easier said than done. That's because the physical behavior of photons -- similar to electrons and other sub-atomic particles -- is characterized not by classical physics, but by quantum mechanics. Now, scientists have observed the point at which classical and quantum behavior converge.

Disturbingly little known about microbeads, plastics in the Great Lakes Posted: 24 Mar 2015 10:22 AM PDT A National Democratic Party Member of Parliament is calling on the Canadian government to list microbeads, tiny plastic flakes used in cosmetics, as a potential toxic substance. Health Canada claims the beads are safe for use as an additive, but this MP says they pose a danger to the aquatic environment. Researchers are warning that microbeads and plastic debris of all sizes could be a bigger environmental problem for the Great Lakes than previously thought.

Cancer research breakthrough: Immune markers discovered that can predict ovarian cancer patients' response to treatment Posted: 24 Mar 2015 10:22 AM PDT A biomarker that will help lead to better predictions of the success of chemotherapy in ovarian cancer patients has been discovered by researchers. This discovery could lead to better treatment options in the fight against ovarian cancer, they say.

More schools, more challenging assignments add up to higher IQ scores Posted: 24 Mar 2015 10:22 AM PDT More schooling -- and the more mentally challenging problems tackled in those schools -- may be the best explanation for the dramatic rise in IQ scores during the past century, often referred to as the Flynn Effect, according to a team of researchers. These findings also suggest that environment may have a stronger influence on intelligence than many genetic determinists once thought.

Link between genetic variation, alcohol dependence found Posted: 24 Mar 2015 10:22 AM PDT A biological clue that could help explain why some drinkers develop a dependence on alcohol and others do not has been discovered by researchers. The findings move researchers closer to identifying those at risk for addiction early and designing better drug treatments to help people stop drinking.

Complex genetic ancestry of Americans uncovered Posted: 24 Mar 2015 10:22 AM PDT By comparing the genes of current-day North and South Americans with African and European populations, a study has found the genetic fingerprints of the slave trade and colonization that shaped migrations to the Americas hundreds of years ago.

IQ of children in better-educated households is higher Posted: 24 Mar 2015 10:21 AM PDT A study comparing the IQs of male siblings in which one member was reared by biological parents and the other by adoptive parents found that the children adopted by parents with more education had higher IQs.

Women with diabetes more likely to be diagnosed with advanced stage breast cancer Posted: 24 Mar 2015 09:09 AM PDT Diabetes is associated with more advanced stage breast cancer, according to a new study that confirms a strong link between diabetes and later stage breast cancer at diagnosis. "Our findings suggest that women with diabetes may be predisposed to more advanced stage breast cancer, which may be a contributor to their higher cancer mortality," said one scientist.

Red blood cell traits associated with malaria risk in children Posted: 24 Mar 2015 09:09 AM PDT Certain red blood cell traits in children can increase or decrease their risk for malaria, researchers say. Researchers also found that a genetic condition known as homozygous X-linked G6PD deficiency correlated with a reduced risk of malaria in girls only. Meanwhile, HbC-trait, in which the body makes an abnormal hemoglobin called hemoglobin C, appeared to increase malaria risk in children. Scientists hope this study will lead to further research into the molecular mechanisms of the malaria-protective effects of red blood cell variants.

Higher volume of scoliosis surgeries linked to reduced reoperation rates Posted: 24 Mar 2015 09:09 AM PDT Adolescent patients who need scoliosis surgery may benefit most from going to a hospital that performs a high volume of the procedures, according to new research. Specifically, 14.1 percent of patients who saw a surgeon that performed a low volume of the procedures (less than 6 per year) needed a new operation, compared to 5.1 percent of patients who saw a surgeon that performed more than 43 surgeries per year, authors say.

Diabetics with ankle fractures have longer lengths of stay, more health care costs Posted: 24 Mar 2015 09:09 AM PDT American researchers have found that patients with diabetes were more likely to incur significantly greater hospital charges (mean: $26,491 diabetes versus $20,428 nondiabetes) and have significantly longer lengths of stay (5.8 days diabetes compared with 3.9 days nondiabetes) compared to patients without diabetes.

New kind of 'tandem' solar cell: New solar cell combines two materials for broader absorption Posted: 24 Mar 2015 09:08 AM PDT Researchers have developed a new kind of solar cell that combines two different layers of sunlight-absorbing material in order to harvest a broader range of the sun's energy. The development could lead to photovoltaic cells that are more efficient than those currently used in solar-power installations, the researchers say. The new cell uses a layer of silicon -- which forms the basis for most of today's solar panels -- but adds a semi-transparent layer of a material called perovskite, which can absorb higher-energy particles of light. Unlike an earlier "tandem" solar cell reported by members of the same team earlier this year -- in which the two layers were physically stacked, but each had its own separate electrical connections -- the new version has both layers connected together as a single device that needs only one control circuit.

Norovirus candidate vaccine induces broad antibody responses in trial participants Posted: 24 Mar 2015 09:08 AM PDT A multivalent candidate vaccine elicits broad antibody responses to a range of norovirus strains, including strains not included in the vaccine or previously encountered by participants, according to a new study. The results of the study indicate that a vaccine to norovirus may be available in the future.

Discovery of what attracts pregnant mosquitoes is used to fight malaria Posted: 24 Mar 2015 09:07 AM PDT The battle against malaria is also a battle against its natural host, the mosquito, which means disrupting the insect's lifecycle is every bit as important as putting nets over beds. Now, an international research team has discovered what attracts mosquitoes to lay their eggs in specific places.

Music to the ears of dementia suffers: learning to play saxophone after diagnosis Posted: 24 Mar 2015 09:07 AM PDT Researchers have revealed details of an usual case that offers new insights into frontotemporal dementia (FTD). The story revolves around a patient who, with no prior musical training, learned to play the saxophone after being diagnosed with a behavioural variant of FTD.

Looking for happiness in all the wrong places Posted: 24 Mar 2015 09:07 AM PDT Everyone knows that money can't buy happiness – but what might make rich people happier is revealed in a new article. Numerous studies have already shown that people who are more materialistic are generally less satisfied with their standards of living, their relationships and their lives as a whole. With that being the case, the researchers wondered if anything could moderate that relationship and in effect make materialistic people more satisfied with their lot.

Pay gap between male and female registered nurses has not narrowed Posted: 24 Mar 2015 09:06 AM PDT An analysis of the trends in salaries of registered nurses (RNs) in the United States from 1988 through 2013 finds that male RNs outearned female RNs across settings, specialties, and positions, with no narrowing of the pay gap over time, according to a new study.

Outcomes for stent vs medications for narrowed artery within the brain Posted: 24 Mar 2015 09:06 AM PDT Among patients with symptomatic intracranial arterial stenosis (narrowing of an artery inside the brain), the use of a balloon-expandable stent compared with medical therapy (clopidogrel and aspirin) resulted in an increased of stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA), according to a new study.

'Goldilocks material' could change spintronics Posted: 24 Mar 2015 09:06 AM PDT Attempting to develop a novel type of permanent magnet, a team of researchers has discovered a new class of magnetic materials based on Mn-Ga alloys. Described as a zero-moment half metal, the new Mn2RuxGa magnetic alloy has some unique properties that give it the potential to revolutionize data storage and significantly increase wireless data transmission speeds.

Squeeze to remove heat: Elastocaloric materials enable more efficient, 'green' cooling Posted: 24 Mar 2015 09:06 AM PDT Scientists report that the elastocaloric effect opens the door to alternative forms of solid-state refrigeration that are direct replacements for vapor compression technology.

National alert issued: Look-alike packaging may cause confusion between neostigmine and phenylephrine Posted: 24 Mar 2015 09:06 AM PDT A National Alert for Serious Medication Errors has been issued by ASHP and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), warning of potentially dangerous mix-ups between two relatively new presentations of older medications, neostigmine injection and phenylephrine injection.

The challenges for anthropologists when they're the expert in the courtroom Posted: 24 Mar 2015 08:16 AM PDT Researchers are examining the intellectual, practical and ethical challenges for anthropologists when they're hired to serve as expert witnesses.

Got (fresh) milk? Preserving milk using energy efficient pulsed electric field processing Posted: 24 Mar 2015 08:16 AM PDT High voltage, short pulsed electric fields selectively damage cell membrane directly killing the contaminating bacteria by a process known as electroporation. Once applied multiple times, this process prevents bacteria proliferation in milk during storage, researchers say.

Laparoscopic hysterectomy with morcellation may be safer than abdominal procedure, new study indicates Posted: 24 Mar 2015 08:15 AM PDT A study has compared the relative risks of laparoscopic hysterectomy (with morcellation) with abdominal surgery for hysterectomy in premenopausal women undergoing surgery for presumed uterine fibroids. Examining short- and long-term complications, quality of life, and overall mortality, they found that abdominal surgery carries a higher risk of complications, decreased quality of life, and death.

Four-stranded DNA-binding protein conserved in plants and animals Posted: 24 Mar 2015 08:13 AM PDT Molecular biophysicists show that the same type of protein works in plants and animals to bind to peculiar DNA structures called G-quadruplexes, or G4 DNA for short.

First nations migration dynamics are shaped by socio-economic inequalities Posted: 24 Mar 2015 08:13 AM PDT Socio-economic inequalities between First Nations communities, and also between these communities and the non-Aboriginal population of Canada, determine the nature, the intensity and the direction of First Nations migration flows. Pursuing educational careers, finding work, and seeking better health and living conditions are the main reasons for First Nations migration, researchers report.

Scientists build a nanolaser using a single atomic sheet Posted: 24 Mar 2015 07:15 AM PDT Scientists have built a new nanometer-sized laser using a semiconductor that's only three atoms thick. It could help open the door to next-generation computing that uses light, rather than electrons, to transfer information.

New membranes deliver clean water more efficiently Posted: 24 Mar 2015 07:14 AM PDT Researchers have developed new membranes or micro-filters that will result in clean water in a much more energy efficient manner.

How our DNA may prevent bowel cancer Posted: 24 Mar 2015 07:14 AM PDT The link between aspirin and colon cancer prevention may depend on a person's individual genetics, scientists report. "We've known for a long time that aspirin lowers the risk of bowel cancer, but we also know that not everyone gets the same degree of protection," said a co-author of a new paper.

Doubling of coastal erosion by mid-century in Hawai'i Posted: 24 Mar 2015 07:14 AM PDT Chronic erosion dominates the sandy beaches of Hawai'i, causing beach loss as it damages homes, infrastructure, and critical habitat. Researchers have long understood that global sea level rise will affect the rate of coastal erosion. However, new research indicates that coastal erosion of Hawai'i's beaches may double by mid-century.

Mutations taking place only in brain identified as cause of intractable epilepsy Posted: 24 Mar 2015 07:14 AM PDT Brain somatic mutations in the MTOR gene Researchers propose a targeted therapy to lessen epileptic seizures by suppressing the activation of mTOR kinase, a signaling protein in the brain.

Searching for traces in the atmosphere Posted: 24 Mar 2015 07:14 AM PDT 4th generation halogenated coolants and foaming agents have only been in use for a few years. They have replaced persistent greenhouse gases such as R134a, which were used in (car) air conditioning units, refrigerators and in a variety of foams. Researchers have now published first measurements on the atmospheric distribution and abundance of these new substances. They show that the new coolants are frequently used in Europe -- and that their use is increasing.

Building shape inspires new material discovery Posted: 24 Mar 2015 07:14 AM PDT Physicists inspired by the radical shape of a Canberra building have created a new type of material which enables scientists to put a perfect bend in light. The creation of a so-called topological insulator could transform the telecommunications industry's drive to build an improved computer chip using light.

Milk could be good for your brain Posted: 24 Mar 2015 07:14 AM PDT A correlation between milk consumption and the levels of a naturally-occurring antioxidant called glutathione in the brain has been discovered in older, healthy adults.

Malaria-infected cells produce odors attractive to mosquitoes Posted: 24 Mar 2015 07:14 AM PDT The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum produces chemical compounds called terpenes that give off odors that attract mosquitoes, according to new research. The study might explain why the insects are more likely to bite humans or animals infected with the organism.

Vineyard's soil microbes shape grapes' microbial community Posted: 24 Mar 2015 07:14 AM PDT In the first study of an entire wine grapevine's microbiome, researchers have found that the microbes associated with the grapes, leaves and flowers are largely derived from the soil microbes found around the plant's roots. The findings could help dissect how microbes affect a wine's properties and pave the way for biotechnological advances for producing hardier crops.

Could a tampon one day help predict endometrial cancer? Researchers say yes Posted: 24 Mar 2015 07:10 AM PDT It is possible to detect endometrial cancer using tumor DNA picked up by ordinary tampons, researchers say. The new approach specifically examines DNA samples from vaginal secretions for the presence of chemical "off" switches — known as methylation — that can disable genes that normally keep cancer in check.

Brain tumor cells decimated by mitochondrial 'smart bomb' Posted: 24 Mar 2015 07:10 AM PDT An experimental drug that attacks brain tumor tissue by crippling the cells' energy source called the mitochondria has passed early tests in animal models and human tissue cultures, say scientists.

Soils retain, contain radioactivity in Fukushima Posted: 24 Mar 2015 07:10 AM PDT The soil's physical and chemical properties in rice fields around the Fukushima site have been the focus of recent study. Researchers examined factors affecting soil-to-plant transfer of radioactive cesium (radiocesium) in the Fukushima area.

Hip replacement an excellent option to relieve pain in juvenile arthritis patients under age 35 Posted: 24 Mar 2015 07:10 AM PDT Hip replacement surgery is an excellent option to alleviate pain and improve function in juvenile arthritis patients under age 35 when conservative treatments fail to provide relief, a new study suggests.

Prehistoric super salamander was top predator, fossils suggest Posted: 24 Mar 2015 05:51 AM PDT A previously undiscovered species of crocodile-like amphibian that lived during the rise of dinosaurs was among Earth's top predators more than 200 million years ago, a study shows. Palaeontologists identified the prehistoric species -- which looked like giant salamanders -- after excavating bones buried on the site of an ancient lake in southern Portugal.

Xpert MTB/RIF assay for diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis Posted: 24 Mar 2015 05:51 AM PDT Microbiological confirmation of childhood tuberculosis is rare because of the difficulty of collection of specimens, low sensitivity of smear microscopy, and poor access to culture. A new study aimed to establish summary estimates for sensitivity and specificity of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay compared with microscopy in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in children.

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