ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Telling the time of day by color
• How to maximize the superconducting critical temperature in a molecular superconductor
• Protecting students from homophobic bullying
• Artificial blood vessel lets researchers better assess clot removal devices
• Bacterial flora of remote tribespeople carries antibiotic resistance genes
• New lab technique reveals structure and function of proteins critical in DNA repair
• Fruit fly studies shed light on adaptability of nerve cells
• Mouth, as well as gut, could hold key to liver disease flare-ups
• New genetic mutation could signal start of malaria drug resistance in Africa
• Text messages a good way to support mothers with postpartum depression
• Study links brain anatomy, academic achievement, and family income
• Two drugs reduce teacher-rated anxiety, in addition to ADHD, aggression
• Beyond the lithium ion: Significant step toward a better performing battery
• Invasive parasitic fly on Galapagos Islands probably came from mainland Ecuador
• DNA blood test detects lung cancer mutations
• One in four advanced lung cancer patients tested for EGFR mutations started on first-line treatment before test results available
• Diabetes perceptions vary according to risk factors, researchers find
• Greenland continuing to darken
• Smoking and mother's genetics combine to increase likelihood of twins
• New studies about endovascular therapy for stroke represent paradigm shift
• Droperidol is safe for agitated ER patients, despite black box warning, experts say
• To fight nasty digestive bugs, scientists set out to build a better gut – using stem cells
• How radiative fluxes are affected by cloud and particle characteristics
• How to develop healthy eating habits in a child: Start early and eat your vegetables
• Effectiveness of new stroke treatment confirmed
• Young women objectify themselves more browsing Facebook, magazines than media types
• Smokers underestimate risks of a few cigarettes
• Evidence grows that melanoma drugs benefit some lung cancer patients
• Self-affirmations may calm jitters, boost performance
• Experts warn Ebola epidemic could return with a vengeance unless lessons about medical trials are learned
• Stomach ulcers in cattle: Bacteria play only a minor role
• Cognitive problems are common after cardiac arrest
• Nothing beats a good night's sleep for helping people absorb new information, new research reveals
• A blueprint for clearing the skies of space debris
• Evolution puts checks on virgin births
• Engineers purify sea and wastewater in 2.5 minutes
• Engineer improves rechargeable batteries with nano 'sandwich'
• Cardiorespiratory fitness reduces disease risk among smokers
• Game-changer for stroke treatment: Better function after stroke if clots removed
• Should they stay or should they go? Study finds no harm from hospital policies that let families observe CPR
• Bioenergy: Genetics of wood formation
• Comparing climate models to real world shows differences in precipitation intensity
• Epilepsy drug may preserve eyesight for people with multiple sclerosis
• Why everything you’ve heard about women and negotiation might be wrong
• Wearable device turns user's thumbnail into a miniature wireless track pad
• How ancient species survived or died off in their old Kentucky home
• A scientific look at the art of teacher talk

Telling the time of day by color Posted: 17 Apr 2015 11:52 AM PDT New research has revealed that the color of light has a major impact on how the brain clock measures time of day and on how the animals' physiology and behavior adjust accordingly. The study, for the first time, provides a neuronal mechanism for how our internal clock can measure changes in light color that accompany dawn and dusk.

How to maximize the superconducting critical temperature in a molecular superconductor Posted: 17 Apr 2015 11:52 AM PDT An international research team has investigated the electronic properties of the family of unconventional superconductors based on fullerenes which have the highest known superconducting critical temperature among molecular superconductors.

Protecting students from homophobic bullying Posted: 17 Apr 2015 11:52 AM PDT Students who are bullied because of sexual orientation have willing defenders among their classmates -- motivated by leadership, courage, their beliefs in justice, altruism and having lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender friends, according to a new study.

Artificial blood vessel lets researchers better assess clot removal devices Posted: 17 Apr 2015 11:50 AM PDT An in vitro, live-cell artificial vessel has been created that can be used to study both the application and effects of devices used to extract life-threatening blood clots in the brain. The artificial vessel could have significant implications for future development of endovascular technologies, including reducing the need for animal models to test new devices or approaches.

Bacterial flora of remote tribespeople carries antibiotic resistance genes Posted: 17 Apr 2015 11:50 AM PDT Scientists have found antibiotic resistance genes in the bacterial flora of a South American tribe that never before had been exposed to antibiotic drugs. The findings suggest that bacteria in the human body have had the ability to resist antibiotics since long before such drugs were ever used to treat disease.

New lab technique reveals structure and function of proteins critical in DNA repair Posted: 17 Apr 2015 10:07 AM PDT By combining two highly innovative experimental techniques, scientists have for the first time simultaneously observed the structure and the correlated function of specific proteins critical in the repair of DNA, providing definitive answers to some highly debated questions, and opening up new avenues of inquiry and exciting new possibilities for biological engineering.

Fruit fly studies shed light on adaptability of nerve cells Posted: 17 Apr 2015 10:07 AM PDT Neurons in the eye change on the molecular level when they are exposed to prolonged light, new research demonstrates. The researchers could identify that a feedback signalling mechanism is responsible for these changes. The innate neuronal property might be utilized to protect neurons from degeneration or cell death in the future.

Mouth, as well as gut, could hold key to liver disease flare-ups Posted: 17 Apr 2015 10:07 AM PDT In a recent study, researchers predicted which cirrhosis patients would suffer inflammations and require hospitalization by analyzing their saliva, revealing a new target for research into a disease that accounts for more than 30,000 deaths in the United States each year.

New genetic mutation could signal start of malaria drug resistance in Africa Posted: 17 Apr 2015 10:07 AM PDT Early indicators of the malaria parasite in Africa developing resistance to the most effective drug available have been confirmed, according to new research. Investigators found Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites with a mutation to the gene Ap2mu were less sensitive to the antimalarial drug artemisinin.

Text messages a good way to support mothers with postpartum depression Posted: 17 Apr 2015 09:19 AM PDT New research explores the feasibility of helping low-income mothers through postpartum depression using text messages. The objective of the study was to evaluate the feasibility of sending supportive text messages to low-income mothers of racial and ethnic minority backgrounds with postpartum depression and gauge the perception of receiving such message for depression.

Study links brain anatomy, academic achievement, and family income Posted: 17 Apr 2015 09:19 AM PDT Many years of research have shown that for students from lower-income families, standardized test scores and other measures of academic success tend to lag behind those of wealthier students. A new study offers another dimension to this so-called "achievement gap": After imaging the brains of high- and low-income students, they found that the higher-income students had thicker brain cortex in areas associated with visual perception and knowledge accumulation. Furthermore, these differences also correlated with one measure of academic achievement -- performance on standardized tests.

Two drugs reduce teacher-rated anxiety, in addition to ADHD, aggression Posted: 17 Apr 2015 09:18 AM PDT The addition of risperidone to parent training and a stimulant also improves teachers' assessments of anxiety and social avoidance, new research shows. Improvement in teacher-rated anxiety and social withdrawal also contributed to improvements in parent-rated disruptive behavior. Children who showed reduced anxiety also showed less disruptive behavior.

Beyond the lithium ion: Significant step toward a better performing battery Posted: 17 Apr 2015 08:13 AM PDT Researchers have taken a significant step toward the development of a battery that could outperform the lithium-ion technology used in electric cars such as the Chevy Volt. They have shown they can replace the lithium ions, each of which carries a single positive charge, with magnesium ions, which have a plus-two charge, in battery-like chemical reactions, using an electrode with a structure like those in many of today's devices.

Invasive parasitic fly on Galapagos Islands probably came from mainland Ecuador Posted: 17 Apr 2015 08:13 AM PDT An invasive parasitic fly that harms Darwin's finches and other land birds on the Galapagos Islands, has been found for the the first time in mainland Ecuador, supporting the hypothesis that it was introduced from there.

DNA blood test detects lung cancer mutations Posted: 17 Apr 2015 08:13 AM PDT Cancer DNA circulating in the bloodstream of lung cancer patients can provide doctors with vital mutation information that can help optimize treatment when tumor tissue is not available, an international group of researchers has reported.

One in four advanced lung cancer patients tested for EGFR mutations started on first-line treatment before test results available Posted: 17 Apr 2015 08:11 AM PDT Lack of test results may impact treatment effectiveness and survival, survey in Europe, Asia and US reveals.

Diabetes perceptions vary according to risk factors, researchers find Posted: 17 Apr 2015 08:06 AM PDT Differing perceptions among adult populations at-risk for diabetes have been uncovered by researchers, which may offer new approaches to diabetes education and prevention. Illness perceptions, the organized cognitive representations and beliefs that people hold about a condition, are recognized as important determinants of self-care behaviors and outcomes in patients. The way that people mentally represent their conditions has a concrete effect on the way that they manage these conditions and therefore on their prognoses.

Greenland continuing to darken Posted: 17 Apr 2015 07:37 AM PDT Darkening of the Greenland Ice Sheet is projected to continue as a consequence of continued climate warming, according to experts.

Smoking and mother's genetics combine to increase likelihood of twins Posted: 17 Apr 2015 07:37 AM PDT African American mothers who smoke and have a genetic profile that includes a single nucleotide polymorphism, SNP, of the TP53 gene have an increased likelihood of having twins, concluded a team of researchers.

New studies about endovascular therapy for stroke represent paradigm shift Posted: 17 Apr 2015 07:37 AM PDT An expert who writes an accompanying editorial for five studies about endovascular stroke therapy published simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine says these randomized clinical trials represent a breakthrough in showing the benefits of endovascular therapy for acute ischemic strokes.

Droperidol is safe for agitated ER patients, despite black box warning, experts say Posted: 17 Apr 2015 07:35 AM PDT Droperidol is safe and effective for calming violent and aggressive emergency patients, and the negative effects that garnered a black box warning from the Food and Drug Administration are actually quite rare. A new study supports the safe use of the once ubiquitous, now scarce, sedating agent in emergency rooms.

To fight nasty digestive bugs, scientists set out to build a better gut – using stem cells Posted: 17 Apr 2015 07:34 AM PDT If you've ever been hit with an 'intestinal bug', you've felt the effects of infectious microbes on your digestive system. But scientists don't fully understand what's going on in gut infections like that – or in far more serious ones. Now, a team of scientists will tackle that issue in a new way.

How radiative fluxes are affected by cloud and particle characteristics Posted: 17 Apr 2015 07:34 AM PDT Climate models calculate a changing mix of clouds and emissions that interact with solar energy. To narrow the broad range of possible answers from a climate model, researchers analyzed the effect of several proven numerical stand-ins for atmospheric processes on the energy flux at the top of the atmosphere. They found that the flux is the main driver of surface temperature change.

How to develop healthy eating habits in a child: Start early and eat your vegetables Posted: 17 Apr 2015 07:34 AM PDT A healthy diet promotes success in life -- better concentration and alertness, better physical health that translates into good mental and emotional health.

Effectiveness of new stroke treatment confirmed Posted: 17 Apr 2015 05:54 AM PDT A research paper confirms earlier findings that a procedure called endovascular therapy for ischemic stroke is the best treatment option for many patients by reducing the incidents of disability. This is the fourth research paper published this year that confirms the efficacy of the treatment.

Young women objectify themselves more browsing Facebook, magazines than media types Posted: 17 Apr 2015 05:54 AM PDT Though it is widely believed that the media objectifies women, women further diminish themselves by constantly comparing their bodies to others. Regardless of how much time young women devote to viewing television, music videos and using the internet, they will compare their appearances more frequently to photos in magazines and on Facebook, finds a new article.

Smokers underestimate risks of a few cigarettes Posted: 17 Apr 2015 05:54 AM PDT Many people still dangerously underestimate the health risks associated with smoking even a few cigarettes a day, despite decades of public health campaigning, researchers report. "People who smoke very much tend to underestimate their risks," an investigator said, "and it makes me think that 'denial' is still prevalent. As an oncologist and tobacco control advocate, it amazes me and strikes me as so unfortunate that such lack of knowledge is so prevalent."

Evidence grows that melanoma drugs benefit some lung cancer patients Posted: 17 Apr 2015 05:54 AM PDT A subset of lung cancer patients can derive important clinical benefits from drugs that are more commonly used to treat melanoma, the authors of a new academic clinical trial in Europe have reported.

Self-affirmations may calm jitters, boost performance Posted: 17 Apr 2015 05:54 AM PDT Individuals in positions of low power perform worse under pressure, relative to those in positions of high power. However, new research shows that self-affirmations can effectively reduce the power differences.

Experts warn Ebola epidemic could return with a vengeance unless lessons about medical trials are learned Posted: 17 Apr 2015 05:53 AM PDT Health experts have warned that a greater flexibility must be brought to medical trials to combat diseases like Ebola to avoid facing another nightmare outbreak. The rapidity and spread of the Ebola outbreak and the urgency of a response led to many challenges not least of which was to advise those managing people on the ground of the best way to treat the illness and which treatments might be effective.

Stomach ulcers in cattle: Bacteria play only a minor role Posted: 17 Apr 2015 05:52 AM PDT Scientists investigated whether stomach ulcers in cattle are related to the presence of certain bacteria. For their study, they analyzed bacteria present in healthy and ulcerated cattle stomachs and found very few differences in microbial diversity. Bacteria therefore appear to play a minor role in the development of ulcers. The microbial diversity present in the stomachs of cattle has now for the first time been published.

Cognitive problems are common after cardiac arrest Posted: 17 Apr 2015 05:52 AM PDT Half of all patients who survive a cardiac arrest experience problems with cognitive functions such as memory and attention, a major international study shows. Surprisingly, however, a control group comprising heart attack patients had largely the same level of problems. This suggests that it is not only the cardiac arrest and the consequent lack of oxygen to the brain that is the cause of the patients' difficulties.

Nothing beats a good night's sleep for helping people absorb new information, new research reveals Posted: 17 Apr 2015 05:52 AM PDT Researchers have found that successful long-term learning happens after classroom teaching, after the learners have slept on the new material.

A blueprint for clearing the skies of space debris Posted: 17 Apr 2015 05:52 AM PDT Scientists have put forward a blueprint for a purely space-based system to solve the growing problem of space debris. The proposal will be used to detect objects, and a recently developed high-efficiency laser system will be used to track space debris and remove it from orbit.

Evolution puts checks on virgin births Posted: 17 Apr 2015 05:52 AM PDT It seems unnatural that a species could survive without having sex. Yet over the ages, evolution has endowed females of certain species of amphibians, reptiles and fish with the ability to clone themselves, and perpetuate offspring without males. Researchers have found that in species where females have evolved the ability to reproduce without males relatively recently, fertilization is still ensuring the survival of the maximum number of healthy offspring and thus males are still needed.

Engineers purify sea and wastewater in 2.5 minutes Posted: 17 Apr 2015 05:52 AM PDT A group of engineers have created technology to recover and purify, either seawater or wastewater from households, hotels, hospitals, commercial and industrial facilities, regardless of the content of pollutants and microorganisms in, incredibly, just 2.5 minutes, experts say.

Engineer improves rechargeable batteries with nano 'sandwich' Posted: 17 Apr 2015 05:50 AM PDT The key to better cell phones and other rechargeable electronics may be in tiny "sandwiches" made of nanosheets, according to mechanical engineering research.

Cardiorespiratory fitness reduces disease risk among smokers Posted: 17 Apr 2015 05:50 AM PDT Cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with reduced metabolic syndrome risk among smokers, according to researchers. Smoking is estimated to cause 443,000 deaths each year in the United States, primarily from cancer, cardiovascular diseases and respiratory disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Game-changer for stroke treatment: Better function after stroke if clots removed Posted: 17 Apr 2015 05:50 AM PDT Patients with severe strokes had far better outcomes when they were treated using not only a drug to dissolve the blood clot causing the stroke, but also with a procedure to grab, dislodge and remove the clot, according to an international study.

Should they stay or should they go? Study finds no harm from hospital policies that let families observe CPR Posted: 17 Apr 2015 05:50 AM PDT When a hospital patient's heart stops, the drama starts, as doctors and nurses work furiously at resuscitation. Some hospitals allow family members to watch, while the majority do not. Now, a study has shown for the first time on a national scale that patients do just as well after a cardiac arrest either way.

Bioenergy: Genetics of wood formation Posted: 17 Apr 2015 05:50 AM PDT To begin to understand poplar growth, a possible bioenergy crop, scientists built a robust high-throughput pipeline for studying the hierarchy of genetic regulation of wood formation using tissue-specific single cells called protoplasts.

Comparing climate models to real world shows differences in precipitation intensity Posted: 17 Apr 2015 05:50 AM PDT Precipitation is difficult to represent in global climate models. Although most single-column models can reproduce the observed average precipitation reasonably well, there are significant differences in their details. Scientists evaluated several single-column models, providing insights on how to improve models' representation of convection, which is integral to storm cloud formation.

Epilepsy drug may preserve eyesight for people with multiple sclerosis Posted: 16 Apr 2015 04:25 PM PDT A drug commonly taken to prevent seizures in epilepsy may surprisingly protect the eyesight of people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study.

Why everything you’ve heard about women and negotiation might be wrong Posted: 16 Apr 2015 04:25 PM PDT A student was listening to a lecture on a commonly held trope about negotiation -- that women are bad at it -- but the conventional wisdom didn't fit with her experience at all. She did some new research and discovered that women who had experience with successful negotiation were superior negotiators to men, even when they rated themselves as only average negotiators.

Wearable device turns user's thumbnail into a miniature wireless track pad Posted: 16 Apr 2015 12:53 PM PDT Researchers are developing a new wearable device that turns the user's thumbnail into a miniature wireless track pad. They envision that the technology could let users control wireless devices when their hands are full -- answering the phone while cooking, for instance. It could also augment other interfaces, allowing someone texting on a cellphone, say, to toggle between symbol sets without interrupting his or her typing. Finally, it could enable subtle communication in circumstances that require it, such as sending a quick text to a child while attending an important meeting.

How ancient species survived or died off in their old Kentucky home Posted: 16 Apr 2015 12:53 PM PDT Researchers at an old geological site talk 'dirt' about how Ice Age climate change led to the extinction of mammoths and mastodons, but to the evolution and survival of bison, deer and other present-day species.

A scientific look at the art of teacher talk Posted: 16 Apr 2015 12:53 PM PDT Specific ways teachers talk to their students had a direct impact on literacy skill building in a study of elementary school students, experts say.

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