ScienceDaily: Top News

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• 'Thinspiration' images of women on social media sites examined
• System designed to label visual scenes turns out to detect particular objects too
• Biologist advances cancer research with new data analysis techniques
• Altering genes with the aid of light
• Tracking defects caused by brain tumor mutation yields insight to advance targeted therapy
• Eat dark chocolate to beat the midday slump?
• New combination treatment strategy to 'checkmate' glioblastoma
• When do mothers need others?
• Clinical decision tools in electronic medical records can reduce childhood radiation exposure
• Teens probably won’t like self-driving cars, but their parents will
• Master orchestrator of the genome is discovered, stem cell scientists report
• Engineers hand 'cognitive' control to underwater robots
• Diagnostics of quality of graphene and spatial imaging of reactivity centers on carbon surface
• More sex doesn't lead to increased happiness
• Will Mexico's aging population see cancer care as a priority?
• Why do some prostate cancer patients experience more hot flashes than others?
• Engineering bacteria to design vaccines
• No racial disparity in blood and marrow transplant referrals, study shows
• Cooperative video game play elicits pro-social behavior, research finds
• Gene required for plant growth at warmer temperatures discovered
• Populated Puget Sound sees stark shifts in marine fish species
• Self-harm, suicide ideation tightly linked in Iraq, Afghanistan veterans
• Protein aggregates save cells during aging
• River sediments a dynamic reserve of pollutants
• Traces of flowers placed on a Palaeolithic tomb
• It doesn't take a brain injury to have headache, dizziness and cognitive impairment
• Search and rescue tool that pinpoints buried victims developed
• Discovery accelerates targeted cancer treatment
• Environmental exposure to hormones used in animal agriculture greater than expected
• Enhanced dating site photos have mixed results for men and women
• Moving to a depressed neighborhood linked to weight gain
• Property inhibiting growth of bird flu virus discovered in eggs
• Links between household air pollution, lung infections examined, including pneumonia
• Pioneering facial recognition cane for the blind
• 'Make like a bat’: Two ears attuned to high frequencies help people find objects using echoes
• Changes in placenta's protective ability during pregnancy linked to transporter proteins
• Post-traumatic stress disorder linked to accelerated aging
• Hyped new recreational drug 'flakka' is as addictive as 'bath salts'
• 30-day wait before tubal sterilization is unjust, say experts
• Dexamethasone May Help Prevent Severe Kidney Injury Following Heart Surgery
• Malaria's doorway to infect blood cells identified; potential to close it, lock it, throw away the key

'Thinspiration' images of women on social media sites examined Posted: 08 May 2015 12:31 PM PDT Some of the most popular social media sites are filled with images of extremely thin women that might be harmful to those who view them -- whether they are seeking them or not, according to research. The images were often cropped to remove heads or focus on just a few body parts.

System designed to label visual scenes turns out to detect particular objects too Posted: 08 May 2015 11:03 AM PDT Object recognition -- determining what objects are where in a digital image -- is a central research topic in computer vision. Researchers have now demonstrated that, en route to learning how to recognize scenes, a new computer system also learned how to recognize objects.

Biologist advances cancer research with new data analysis techniques Posted: 08 May 2015 11:03 AM PDT Patience and persistence are beginning to pay off for one researcher whose research about the behavior of cell proteins in childhood cancer was started by identifying a large number of signaling proteins using mass spectrometry. He collected more data than he knew what to do with, he says.

Altering genes with the aid of light Posted: 08 May 2015 11:03 AM PDT Scientists have been manipulating genes for a while. Now researchers have found a way to control the process with higher precision, by using light.

Tracking defects caused by brain tumor mutation yields insight to advance targeted therapy Posted: 08 May 2015 11:03 AM PDT Scientists have gained ground toward developing more targeted therapies for the most common childhood brain tumor. The findings involve the DDX3X gene. In 2012, other work highlighted DDX3X as a promising focus for efforts to develop targeted therapies against medulloblastoma. Such treatments target the genetic mistakes that give rise to the brain tumor's four subtypes.

Eat dark chocolate to beat the midday slump? Posted: 08 May 2015 11:03 AM PDT An EEG study shows chocolate can increase brain characteristics of attention and significantly affect blood pressure levels. Historically, chocolate has been recognized as a vasodilator, meaning that it widens blood vessels and lowers blood pressure in the long run, but chocolate also contains some powerful stimulants. Researchers wanted to investigate if people who consume chocolate would see an immediate stimulant effect.

New combination treatment strategy to 'checkmate' glioblastoma Posted: 08 May 2015 11:02 AM PDT Therapies that specifically target mutations in a person's cancer have been much-heralded in recent years, yet cancer cells often find a way around them. To address this, researchers identified a promising combinatorial approach to treating glioblastomas, the most common form of primary brain cancer.

When do mothers need others? Posted: 08 May 2015 11:02 AM PDT New research examines how mothers underwent a remarkable transition from the past – when they had one dependent offspring at a time, ended support of their young at weaning and received no help from others – to the present, when mothers often have multiple kids who help rear other children.

Clinical decision tools in electronic medical records can reduce childhood radiation exposure Posted: 08 May 2015 09:10 AM PDT Childhood exposure to ionizing radiation increases lifetime malignancy risk, but a team of researchers has found that with just a little bit of education, the risk can be significantly reduced. Currently, up to 40% of computed tomography, or CT, scans are ordered (for everyone) unnecessarily.

Teens probably won’t like self-driving cars, but their parents will Posted: 08 May 2015 08:41 AM PDT If consumers have their way, self-driving cars will enable parents to keep tighter reins on teen motorists. A new survey reveals that people are soundly in favor of putting parental controls in high-tech cars of the future. One thousand people, aged 18 to 70, were polled to learn which freedom-foiling attribute they deemed most important.

Master orchestrator of the genome is discovered, stem cell scientists report Posted: 08 May 2015 08:05 AM PDT New research shows how a single growth factor receptor protein programs the entire genome. The study provides evidence that it all begins with a single "master" growth factor receptor that regulates the entire genome.

Engineers hand 'cognitive' control to underwater robots Posted: 08 May 2015 07:58 AM PDT For the last decade, scientists have deployed increasingly capable underwater robots to map and monitor pockets of the ocean to track the health of fisheries, and survey marine habitats and species. In general, such robots are effective at carrying out low-level tasks, specifically assigned to them by human engineers -- a tedious and time-consuming process for the engineers. Now a new programming approach gives robots more "cognitive" capabilities, enabling humans to specify high-level goals, while a robot performs high-level decision-making to figure out how to achieve these goals.

Diagnostics of quality of graphene and spatial imaging of reactivity centers on carbon surface Posted: 08 May 2015 07:58 AM PDT A convenient procedure to visualize defects on graphene layers by mapping the surface of carbon materials with an appropriate contrast agent was introduced by a team of researchers.

More sex doesn't lead to increased happiness Posted: 08 May 2015 07:58 AM PDT Countless research and self-help books claim that having more sex will lead to increased happiness, based on the common finding that those having more sex are also happier. Scientists now report that simply having more sex did not make couples happier, in part because the increased frequency led to a decline in wanting for and enjoyment of sex.

Will Mexico's aging population see cancer care as a priority? Posted: 08 May 2015 07:58 AM PDT Mexico is the second largest economy in Latin America -- and its population is aging rapidly. Researchers offer new predictions and suggestions for lessening the impact of Mexico's cancer burden.

Why do some prostate cancer patients experience more hot flashes than others? Posted: 08 May 2015 07:58 AM PDT Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is a common treatment option for patients with advanced stage prostate cancer. But nearly 80 percent of patients who receive ADT report experiencing hot flashes during and after treatment. Researchers are working to determine what genetic factors and other characteristics might make prostate cancer patients more likely to experience hot flashes during and after therapy.

Engineering bacteria to design vaccines Posted: 08 May 2015 07:57 AM PDT The Mycosplasma bacteria are the smallest self-replicating organisms. They lack a cell wall, making them resistant to almost all antibiotics, and infections caused by Mycoplasma in livestock result in annual multimillion euro losses in Europe and throughout the world. Although there are vaccines against two species of Mycoplasma that affect pigs and poultry, no vaccines exist for many Mycoplasma species that affect not only livestock but also pets and humans.

No racial disparity in blood and marrow transplant referrals, study shows Posted: 08 May 2015 07:57 AM PDT No racial or ethnic disparities have been found among patients who participated in a Blood and Marrow Transplantation (BMT) Program. The percentage of African Americans who were referred for transplant was 7%, and the referral rate for other minority races/ethnicities was 2.5%. These proportions directly compare to the general Western New York population, which is comprised of 8% African Americans and 2% other racial/ethnic minorities.

Cooperative video game play elicits pro-social behavior, research finds Posted: 08 May 2015 07:56 AM PDT A new study examined aggressive behavior between subjects playing games cooperatively, competitively and by themselves. It seems playing video games cooperatively with others can lead to widespread benefits by making players think helpful behaviors are valuable and commonplace.

Gene required for plant growth at warmer temperatures discovered Posted: 08 May 2015 06:16 AM PDT A new gene that enables plants to regulate their growth in different temperatures has been discovered by scientists. The researchers said the findings provided insights into how plants modulate their growth, and could lead to scientists designing plants that could withstand elevated temperatures.

Populated Puget Sound sees stark shifts in marine fish species Posted: 08 May 2015 06:16 AM PDT The most populated areas of Puget Sound have experienced striking shifts in marine species, with declines in herring and smelt that have long provided food for other marine life and big increases in the catch of jellyfish, which contribute far less to the food chain, according to new research that tracks species over the last 40 years.

Self-harm, suicide ideation tightly linked in Iraq, Afghanistan veterans Posted: 08 May 2015 06:16 AM PDT Non-suicidal self-injury -- that is, purposefully hurting oneself without conscious suicidal intent -- is relatively common among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, and it is a strong risk factor for suicidal behavior, according to research.

Protein aggregates save cells during aging Posted: 08 May 2015 06:16 AM PDT As organisms age, a gradual loss of cellular protein quality control occurs. This results in increased production of toxic protein clumps, so-called aggregates. Using a comprehensive approach, researchers have now analyzed changes in protein composition during aging. The results show that the quantities of proteins undergo a severe shift. This also sheds new light on the origin and function of protein aggregates.

River sediments a dynamic reserve of pollutants Posted: 08 May 2015 06:15 AM PDT Research has located the stretches in the River Deba and its tributaries posing the greatest potential hazard owing to their high metal content, has identified the sources of pollution and has assessed the effect that a certain type of flood event has on the carrying away and distribution of sediments and associated metals. Metals are pollutants that have to be monitored in order to obtain a global overview of the quality of water systems, due to the fact that they remain in the environment. Although sediments act as a drain for pollutants, they can also act as a source of pollutants under certain environmental conditions (like changes in the composition of the water or movement of the sediments owing to a flood event).

Traces of flowers placed on a Palaeolithic tomb Posted: 08 May 2015 06:15 AM PDT The burial of the so-called Red Lady, dating back to the Upper Palaeolithic, was discovered in El Mirón cave (Cantabria) in 2010. Unlike most Palaeolithic tombs this one is intact and has not been contaminated. Researchers have now anayzed the remains of fossilized pollen dating back more than 16,000 years ago and which appeared on the tomb.

It doesn't take a brain injury to have headache, dizziness and cognitive impairment Posted: 08 May 2015 06:14 AM PDT Researchers have provided an explanation for why many people with even very trivial head injuries, or even injuries to other parts of their bodies, experience incapacitating post-concussion like syndromes.

Search and rescue tool that pinpoints buried victims developed Posted: 08 May 2015 06:14 AM PDT A new locator feature on a search and rescue tool can pinpoint the location of a victim to within about five feet – saving rescuers time and increasing chances for locating survivors.

Discovery accelerates targeted cancer treatment Posted: 08 May 2015 05:28 AM PDT A method to help shorten the road to better cancer treatment has been developed by an international team of researchers. When DNA is damaged, several different proteins start pouring in to repair the damage; their types depend on the damage done. Up until now, it has been common practice to study one protein at a time, but by way of so-called mass spectrometry, researchers are now able to simultaneously see all the proteins that help repair damaged DNA.

Environmental exposure to hormones used in animal agriculture greater than expected Posted: 08 May 2015 05:28 AM PDT Research by environmental scientists finds that potentially harmful growth-promoting hormones used in beef production are expected to persist in the environment at higher concentrations and for longer durations than previously thought.

Enhanced dating site photos have mixed results for men and women Posted: 08 May 2015 05:28 AM PDT Enhanced photos of women viewed by men increased attractiveness but lowered trustworthiness, a new study has found. Women found enhanced photos of men both increased attractiveness and increased trustworthiness.

Moving to a depressed neighborhood linked to weight gain Posted: 08 May 2015 05:28 AM PDT Certain regions in the United States are characterized by a higher prevalence of obesity, which suggests that a person's socioeconomic, physical, and social environments can affect opportunities for healthy behaviors that might prevent excess weight gain. But what happens when people move from one neighborhood to another? A new study has found that people who moved to more socioeconomically deprived neighborhoods gained additional weight.

Property inhibiting growth of bird flu virus discovered in eggs Posted: 08 May 2015 05:26 AM PDT An egg is many things. It is a versatile food but also an efficient source of bioactive compounds. A researcher has discovered that fractions isolated from the ovomucin protein in egg white can inhibit virus growth.

Links between household air pollution, lung infections examined, including pneumonia Posted: 08 May 2015 05:26 AM PDT Scientists have come a step closer to understanding why people exposed to household air pollution (HAP) are at higher risk of lung infections such as pneumonia and tuberculosis. Three billion people worldwide are exposed to HAP from the fuels they burn to cook, light and heat with at home. Frequently, charcoal, wood and food waste are burned and generate high concentrations of smoke particles. This exposure is associated with increased risk of pneumonia, particularly in low and middle income countries where bacterial pneumonia is the biggest cause of infant mortality. This risk is well known, but the reasons are not.

Pioneering facial recognition cane for the blind Posted: 08 May 2015 05:26 AM PDT A revolutionary 'smart' cane enabling the visually impaired to instantly identify friends and family could be available soon, thanks to students at a British university. The 'XploR' mobility cane uses smartphone technology to recognize familiar faces from up to 10 metres away. The cane also features GPS functionality to aid navigation.

'Make like a bat’: Two ears attuned to high frequencies help people find objects using echoes Posted: 08 May 2015 05:26 AM PDT The ability that some people have to use echoes to determine the position of an otherwise silent object, in a similar way to bats and dolphins, requires good high-pitch hearing in both ears, according to new research. This builds on recent research that demonstrated conclusively that some sighted and blind people could use echoes in this way. What wasn't clear until now was how important high-frequency hearing in both ears is.

Changes in placenta's protective ability during pregnancy linked to transporter proteins Posted: 08 May 2015 05:26 AM PDT An important function of the human placenta is to protect the fetus from detrimental substances in maternal blood, such as glucocorticoids or toxins. Placental membrane-bound transporter proteins, known as multidrug resistance proteins, protect the fetus by returning unwanted materials to the maternal circulation. A study now reports that bacterial and viral infections differentially influence these transporter proteins in early and late pregnancy, suggesting potential mechanisms underlying infection-related pregnancy complications such as preterm birth and fetal brain damage.

Post-traumatic stress disorder linked to accelerated aging Posted: 08 May 2015 05:23 AM PDT People with PTSD may also be at risk for accelerated aging or premature senescence, research suggests. The researchers noted that there has not been another study that links PTSD, a psychological disorder with no established genetic basis, to a basic biological process such as aging.

Hyped new recreational drug 'flakka' is as addictive as 'bath salts' Posted: 07 May 2015 06:31 PM PDT Scientists have found using animal models that the new recreational drug alpha-PVP ("flakka") seems equivalently potent as a stimulant, and therefore as addictive, as its chemical cousin MDPV ("bath salts").

30-day wait before tubal sterilization is unjust, say experts Posted: 07 May 2015 06:31 PM PDT Current U.S. health policy requires Medicaid beneficiaries to wait 30 days before tubal sterilization. Ob/gyn experts argue that this violates health care justice as elective tubal sterilization is readily available to women with a private source of payment. They urge obstetricians to advocate for change to eliminate health care injustice in women's access to elective tubal sterilization.

Dexamethasone May Help Prevent Severe Kidney Injury Following Heart Surgery Posted: 07 May 2015 06:29 PM PDT Acute kidney injury can be a serious complication following heart surgery. Patients who received dexamethasone during heart surgery had about a 2.5-times lower risk of developing kidney failure requiring dialysis compared with those receiving a placebo, research concludes. The greatest benefits of dexamethasone were seen in patients with pre-existing advanced chronic kidney disease.

Malaria's doorway to infect blood cells identified; potential to close it, lock it, throw away the key Posted: 07 May 2015 06:29 PM PDT Scientists have identified a protein on the surface of human red blood cells that serves as an essential entry point for invasion by the malaria parasite. This discovery opens up a promising new avenue for the development of therapies to treat and prevent malaria.

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