ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Resisting wheat rust in Texas
• New emergency alert technology could fine-tune warnings for smartphones
• Laser spectroscopy of ultrathin semiconductor reveals rise of ‘trion’ quasiparticles
• Unexpected role of electrons in creating pulsating auroras
• New research shedding light on stem cells
• Soda tax boosts retail prices of sugary drinks, study confirms
• Everyone has their own daily rhythm of digital activity, shows study
• Hundreds of new species discovered in fragile Eastern Himalayan region
• Newly discovered ‘design rule’ brings nature-inspired nanostructures one step closer
• Staying healthy: Experiment finds key to natural detoxifier’s reactivity
• Sobering picture of urban education in the US
• 'Chromosomal chaos:' Complex array of mutations found in rare, aggressive leukemia
• Sex is more likely on days college students use marijuana or binge drink
• Possible fungal control for leaf-cutter ants
• Dirt-cheap catalyst may lower fuel costs for hydrogen-powered cars
• Metabolic syndrome leads one in three Americans to need more vitamin E
• Young male chimpanzees play more with objects, but do not become better tool users
• 48-million-year-old horse-like fetus discovered in Germany
• Just 30 minutes a day: Regular exercise relieves asthma symptoms
• Energy researchers discover new structure for bimetallic catalysts
• Two-hit therapy for breast tumors using approved drugs looks promising in animal study
• Exposure to common flame retardants may contribute to attention problems in children
• Professor solves 140-year fluid mechanics enigma
• Preventive care drops when government cuts close women's health clinics, research says
• Earth's inner core was formed 1-1.5 billion years ago
• Mysterious ripples found racing through planet-forming disc
• Material manipulates the speed of light more effectively than previous methods
• Agronomist explores the genetics that allow hybrid plants to perform better than parents
• 'Psychic robot' will know what you really meant to do
• Speed-reading your microbiome
• Parents Influence Children's Play of Violent Video Games
• Cleaning hospital rooms with chemicals, UV rays cuts superbug transmissions
• Bioengineers work to head-off dangerous blood clots in patients with ventricular assist devices
• Medical diagnosis: Will brain palpation soon be possible?
• Remote sensing technology used to map habitat of monkey with hominid-like behavior
• Experts recommend assessing individual benefits, risks of menopausal therapies
• Predicting change in the Alzheimer's brain
• Review addresses value, waste in biomedical research
• Over half of workers with depression do not recognize need for treatment
• Predictive policing substantially reduces crime in Los Angeles during months-long test
• Online advertising can deliver targeted cancer prevention messages
• Advanced device improves health, saves costs for patients with lymphedema
• Attention's place in the human cognitive architecture
• Many use prescription painkillers, most see abuse as major health concern
• Surprise: Narcissists are not always risk-takers
• New microscopy technology augments surgeon's view for greater accuracy
• Our brain's response to others' good news depends on empathy
• New treatment extends shelf life of bananas
• New player found in tumor suppression, aging
• Satiety hormone leptin plays a direct role in cardiovascular disease in obesity
• Potential for sweetpotato production in Pacific Northwest
• Manipulating the brain controls maternal behavior in females and reduces aggression in males, mouse study shows
• Distinguishing coincidence from causality: Connections in the climate system
• Ravens cooperate, but not with just anyone
• Social networks can motivate people to exercise more
• 'Black'-sounding name makes people imagine a larger, more dangerous person
• Brain cooling lessens chances of head injury recovery, study finds
• Embrace the chaos: Predictable ecosystems may be more fragile
• Exploring cost-effective, non-polluting enhanced geothermal systems
• Blood cancers: Half-matched donor bone marrow transplant may be as good as full match

Resisting wheat rust in Texas Posted: 07 Oct 2015 03:53 PM PDT Wheat is vulnerable. Among the most damaging diseases that affect wheat crops across the world are rusts. These parasites cannot grow without infecting a host plant, and are responsible for some of the greatest destructions of crops in human history. Breeders have recently released a cultivar of winter wheat -- TAM 305 -- that is resistant to many of the rust fungi.

New emergency alert technology could fine-tune warnings for smartphones Posted: 07 Oct 2015 03:52 PM PDT In support of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), researchers have developed a concept for a more accurate method of delivering certain types of messages that could even warn users to avoid particular nearby locations.

Laser spectroscopy of ultrathin semiconductor reveals rise of ‘trion’ quasiparticles Posted: 07 Oct 2015 03:52 PM PDT Quasiparticles are central to energy applications but can be difficult to detect. Researchers have seen evidence of quasiparticles called negative trions forming and fading in an ultrathin layer of semiconducting material.

Unexpected role of electrons in creating pulsating auroras Posted: 07 Oct 2015 03:50 PM PDT Thanks to a lucky conjunction of two satellites, a ground-based array of all-sky cameras, and some spectacular aurora borealis, researchers have uncovered evidence for an unexpected role that electrons have in creating the dancing auroras. Though humans have been seeing auroras for thousands of years, we have only recently begun to understand what causes them.

New research shedding light on stem cells Posted: 07 Oct 2015 03:50 PM PDT A research team reports progress in understanding the mysterious shape-shifting ways of stem cells, which have vast potential for medical research and disease treatment.

Soda tax boosts retail prices of sugary drinks, study confirms Posted: 07 Oct 2015 03:50 PM PDT A new study addresses questions about the efficacy of a voter-approved soda tax passed in 2014. Voters in Berkeley approved the first excise tax in the country on sugar-sweetened beverages, but questions soon arose about whether the move would have its desired effect by increasing the retail price of soda. The latest signs say yes.

Everyone has their own daily rhythm of digital activity, shows study Posted: 07 Oct 2015 03:50 PM PDT People tend to have distinctive, personal rhythms of digital communication that persist in time, research shows. Selective monitoring of these daily rhythms for at-risk patients could have applications in health care, their reports outlines.

Hundreds of new species discovered in fragile Eastern Himalayan region Posted: 07 Oct 2015 12:03 PM PDT A sneezing monkey, a walking fish and a jewel-like snake are just some of a biological treasure trove of over 200 new species discovered in the Eastern Himalayas in recent years, according to a new report by WWF.

Newly discovered ‘design rule’ brings nature-inspired nanostructures one step closer Posted: 07 Oct 2015 11:52 AM PDT Scientists aspire to build nanostructures that mimic the complexity and function of nature's proteins. These microscopic widgets could be customized into incredibly sensitive chemical detectors or long-lasting catalysts. But as with any craft that requires extreme precision, researchers must first learn how to finesse the materials they'll use to build these structures. A new discovery is a big step in this direction. The scientists discovered a design rule that enables a recently created material to exist.

Staying healthy: Experiment finds key to natural detoxifier’s reactivity Posted: 07 Oct 2015 11:52 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that a mere 9-trillionths-of-a-meter reduction in the length of a chemical bond dramatically boosts the reactivity of a family of molecules that helps keep humans and many other organisms healthy.

Sobering picture of urban education in the US Posted: 07 Oct 2015 11:49 AM PDT A new report finds widespread inequities and poor performance at public schools in 50 American cities.

'Chromosomal chaos:' Complex array of mutations found in rare, aggressive leukemia Posted: 07 Oct 2015 11:48 AM PDT Sezary syndrome (SS), an aggressive leukemia of mature T cells, is more complicated at a molecular level than ever suspected. With a poor prognosis and limited options for targeted therapies, this cancer needs new treatment approaches. The team's results uncover a previously unknown, complex genomic landscape, which can be used to design new personalized drug regimens for SS patients based on their unique genetic makeup.

Sex is more likely on days college students use marijuana or binge drink Posted: 07 Oct 2015 11:48 AM PDT Undergraduate college students were more likely to have sex on days they used marijuana or binged on alcohol than on days they didn't, new research has found.

Possible fungal control for leaf-cutter ants Posted: 07 Oct 2015 11:48 AM PDT Biologists have found new types of specialized fungal parasites that attack the nests of leaf-cutter ants and their relatives. The discovery could provide clues for controlling the agricultural and garden pests.

Dirt-cheap catalyst may lower fuel costs for hydrogen-powered cars Posted: 07 Oct 2015 11:48 AM PDT Bringing closer a mass market for hydrogen-powered cars, researchers are upgrading $0.37/gram molybdenum disulfide, 'molly' for short, to take the place of $1,500/gram catalyst platinum. Unlike gasoline, hydrogen as fuel releases water, not carbon, into the air.

Metabolic syndrome leads one in three Americans to need more vitamin E Posted: 07 Oct 2015 11:48 AM PDT New research shows that the estimated one-third of Americans who have a cluster of health problems that add up to metabolic syndrome don't absorb dietary vitamin E as effectively as healthy people.

Young male chimpanzees play more with objects, but do not become better tool users Posted: 07 Oct 2015 11:48 AM PDT Research into differences between chimpanzees and bonobos in 'preparation' for tool use reveals intriguing sex bias in object manipulation in young chimpanzees -- one that is partly mirrored in human children.

48-million-year-old horse-like fetus discovered in Germany Posted: 07 Oct 2015 11:48 AM PDT A 48-million-year-old horse-like equoid fetus has been discovered at the Messel pit near Frankfurt, Germany according to a new study.

Just 30 minutes a day: Regular exercise relieves asthma symptoms Posted: 07 Oct 2015 11:06 AM PDT Millions of people suffer from asthma. Many report having poor control of their symptoms. Fortunately, new research shows there is a simple antidote: 30 minutes of exercise a day, year-round.

Energy researchers discover new structure for bimetallic catalysts Posted: 07 Oct 2015 11:06 AM PDT Chemists using computational techniques to predict how nanoscale materials will behave recently made a surprising discovery about the structure of bimetallic catalysts. An imperfect surface may produce a better catalyst.

Two-hit therapy for breast tumors using approved drugs looks promising in animal study Posted: 07 Oct 2015 10:57 AM PDT Disabling a cancer-causing pathway and administering an immune-molecule-based mop-up therapy eradicated a specific type of breast tumor in mice, report investigators. This therapy, when translated for use in people humans, would be beneficial in reducing toxicity because the amount of antibody could be decreased by two-thirds and the amount of chemotherapy by at least half, they say.

Exposure to common flame retardants may contribute to attention problems in children Posted: 07 Oct 2015 10:57 AM PDT Prenatal exposure to some flame retardants that have been widely-used in consumer products is associated with attention problems in young children. A new study is the first to show the effects of prenatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers on children's development at ages 3, 4, and 7 years. Children with the highest exposure to certain PBDEs had approximately twice the number of maternally-reported attention problems compared to the other children in the study. PBDEs are found in textiles, plastics, wiring, and furniture containing polyurethane foam to reduce flammability.

Professor solves 140-year fluid mechanics enigma Posted: 07 Oct 2015 10:57 AM PDT A researcher has solved a 140-year-old enigma in fluid mechanics: Why does a simple formula describe the seemingly complex physics for the behavior of elliptical particles moving through fluid?

Preventive care drops when government cuts close women's health clinics, research says Posted: 07 Oct 2015 10:57 AM PDT When women's health clinics close because of government funding cuts aimed at abortion providers, fewer women seek lifesaving preventive care that can identify health threats such as cancer, research shows. The findings also suggest that a clinic's closure affected less-educated women the most.

Earth's inner core was formed 1-1.5 billion years ago Posted: 07 Oct 2015 10:56 AM PDT There have been many estimates for when the earth's inner core was formed, but scientists have used new data which indicates that the Earth's inner core was formed 1-1.5 billion years ago as it 'froze' from the surrounding molten iron outer core.

Mysterious ripples found racing through planet-forming disc Posted: 07 Oct 2015 10:56 AM PDT Astronomers have discovered never-before-seen structures within a dusty disc surrounding a nearby star. The fast-moving wave-like features in the disc of the star AU Microscopii are unlike anything ever observed, or even predicted, before now. The origin and nature of these features present a new mystery for astronomers to explore.

Material manipulates the speed of light more effectively than previous methods Posted: 07 Oct 2015 09:58 AM PDT Researchers designed and made a material that manipulates the speed of light in a new, more effective way than previous methods, according to new findings.

Agronomist explores the genetics that allow hybrid plants to perform better than parents Posted: 07 Oct 2015 09:58 AM PDT A new study of sorghum explores the genetics of heterosis, the process by which hybrid plants perform better than the parent varieties used to create them. The new study fills in some of the gaps that have nagged scientists for years and could lead to more precision in plant breeding, notes the lead author.

'Psychic robot' will know what you really meant to do Posted: 07 Oct 2015 09:57 AM PDT Bioengineers have developed a mathematical algorithm that can "see" your intention while performing an ordinary action like reaching for a cup or driving straight up a road -- even if the action is interrupted.

Speed-reading your microbiome Posted: 07 Oct 2015 09:57 AM PDT Researchers have built a microbiome analysis platform called QIIME (pronounced "chime" and short for "Quantitative Insights Into Microbial Ecology"). This software will now be more readily accessible to hundreds of thousands of researchers around the world through BaseSpace, a cloud-based app store.

Parents Influence Children's Play of Violent Video Games Posted: 07 Oct 2015 09:57 AM PDT Parents who are anxious and emotional can impact their children's violent video game play, according to new research. Warm and restrictive parents successfully limited children's play. However, anxious parents had the opposite effect.

Cleaning hospital rooms with chemicals, UV rays cuts superbug transmissions Posted: 07 Oct 2015 09:57 AM PDT In a hospital, what you can't see could hurt you. Healthcare facilities continue to battle drug-resistant organisms such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) that loiter on surfaces even after patient rooms have been cleaned and can cause new, sometimes-deadly infections. But a new study has found that using a combination of chemicals and UV light to clean patient rooms cut transmission of four major superbugs by a cumulative 30 percent among a specific group of patients -- those who stay overnight in a room where someone with a known positive culture or infection of a drug-resistant organism had previously been treated.

Bioengineers work to head-off dangerous blood clots in patients with ventricular assist devices Posted: 07 Oct 2015 09:57 AM PDT A team of bioengineers is working to reduce blood clots caused by platelet activation in ventricular assist devices (VADs) implanted in advanced heart failure patients. Previously, the team re-engineered the VAD's high-speed rotors to eliminate more than 90% of platelet activation and clotting. The current study examines the role of platelet stiffness in activation with the goal of developing treatments that would increase platelet pliability and further reduce platelet activation and clotting.

Medical diagnosis: Will brain palpation soon be possible? Posted: 07 Oct 2015 09:50 AM PDT By drawing on seismology, researchers have just developed a noninvasive brain imaging method using MRI that provides the same information as physical palpation. They say that it may be possible to use this procedure in medical diagnosis.

Remote sensing technology used to map habitat of monkey with hominid-like behavior Posted: 07 Oct 2015 09:50 AM PDT Scientists interested in the early-hominid-like behavior of capuchin monkeys in Brazil are concerned that the animals will lose critical habitat with the expansion of industrial agriculture in their region. A new article describes the use of remote sensing technology in mapping capuchin habitat.

Experts recommend assessing individual benefits, risks of menopausal therapies Posted: 07 Oct 2015 09:50 AM PDT A Clinical Practice Guideline has been released on identifying women who are candidates for treatment of menopausal symptoms and selecting the best treatment options for each individual.

Predicting change in the Alzheimer's brain Posted: 07 Oct 2015 09:50 AM PDT Researchers are developing a computer system that uses genetic, demographic, and clinical data to help predict the effects of disease on brain anatomy.

Review addresses value, waste in biomedical research Posted: 07 Oct 2015 09:50 AM PDT Some studies suggest that as much as 85 per cent of investment in biomedical research is wasted. Examples of waste include the non-publication of research, failure to share data and instances where the results of research are untranslatable to the benefit of patients or the efficiency of health care delivery. A new review now addresses the issues.

Over half of workers with depression do not recognize need for treatment Posted: 07 Oct 2015 09:48 AM PDT More than half of workers who reported symptoms of depression did not perceive a need for treatment, according to a study that investigated barriers to mental health care experienced by workers and the resulting impact on productivity.

Predictive policing substantially reduces crime in Los Angeles during months-long test Posted: 07 Oct 2015 09:48 AM PDT Crime in Los Angeles dropped dramatically when the Los Angeles Police Department deployed officers based on crime predictions made by a mathematical model, a team of scholars and police department colleagues reports today. The mathematical model would be effective in cities worldwide, the researchers said.

Online advertising can deliver targeted cancer prevention messages Posted: 07 Oct 2015 09:48 AM PDT Online advertising based on Google search terms is a potentially effective way to deliver targeted cancer prevention education, according to a new study.

Advanced device improves health, saves costs for patients with lymphedema Posted: 07 Oct 2015 09:48 AM PDT Lymphedema patients saw a nearly 80 percent reduction in their cellulitis episodes just by using an advanced pneumatic compression device at home, according to a new study.

Attention's place in the human cognitive architecture Posted: 07 Oct 2015 09:47 AM PDT Neuroscientists can't build a brain, so they have settled with reverse engineering -- learning a lot about each part in hopes that they can understand how all of the pieces fit together. Researchers are presenting integrated theories on how processes -- such as attention, body self-consciousness, and language -- function within the hardware of the human brain.

Many use prescription painkillers, most see abuse as major health concern Posted: 07 Oct 2015 08:14 AM PDT More than one in four Americans has taken prescription painkillers in the past year, even as a majority say that abuse of these medications is a very serious public health concern, according to new research.

Surprise: Narcissists are not always risk-takers Posted: 07 Oct 2015 08:14 AM PDT Researchers found that people who scored higher on measures of narcissism were no more likely than others to make risky choices in lab-based tasks.

New microscopy technology augments surgeon's view for greater accuracy Posted: 07 Oct 2015 08:10 AM PDT A prototype of a new microscope technology has been developed that could help surgeons work with a greater degree of accuracy in diagnosing cancer or performing brain surgery or other procedures. The new technology is called augmented microscopy.

Our brain's response to others' good news depends on empathy Posted: 07 Oct 2015 08:10 AM PDT The way our brain responds to others' good fortune is linked to how empathetic people report themselves to be, according to new research. They study shows that a part of the brain called the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) seems particularly attuned to other people's good news, but how it responds varies substantially depending on our levels of empathy.

New treatment extends shelf life of bananas Posted: 07 Oct 2015 08:09 AM PDT Scientists investigated the possibility of improving shelf life of bananas by using a postharvest dip of lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE). Bananas that were about 75% green were dipped in solution of 500 ppm LPE for 30 minutes and observed for five days at room temperature. Bananas treated with LPE were firmer and thicker than untreated bananas. Overall results indicated a postharvest dip treatment with LPE may improve shelf life of banana fruit by one to two days.

New player found in tumor suppression, aging Posted: 07 Oct 2015 08:09 AM PDT The protective role played by a little-known protein complex, SMC 5/6, in cancer and aging has been revealed by new research. These results emphasize, once more, the relationship between these two pathological processes.

Satiety hormone leptin plays a direct role in cardiovascular disease in obesity Posted: 07 Oct 2015 08:09 AM PDT While high levels of the satiety hormone leptin don't help obese individuals lose weight, they do appear to directly contribute to their cardiovascular disease, researchers report.

Potential for sweetpotato production in Pacific Northwest Posted: 07 Oct 2015 08:07 AM PDT To determine if sweetpotato could be successfully produced in the Pacific Northwest, researchers studied four sweetpotato cultivars by subjecting them to four soil water tension (SWT) irrigation criteria treatments using drip irrigation. In general, sweetpotato yield decreased with the increase in SWT, with highest yield attained at the lowest SWT tested. Results suggested that sweetpotato could be grown in eastern Oregon and would be capable of producing yields comparable to those obtained in California.

Manipulating the brain controls maternal behavior in females and reduces aggression in males, mouse study shows Posted: 07 Oct 2015 08:07 AM PDT Most female mammals give birth and care for their offspring, while the males often breed with multiple partners and play little role in parenting once the mating is over. Yet researchers have had a hard time pinpointing where, exactly, in the brain these differences between the sexes are located and how they translate into behavior. The extent of 'hardwired parental behavior' is hotly disputed.

Distinguishing coincidence from causality: Connections in the climate system Posted: 07 Oct 2015 08:07 AM PDT Detecting how changes in one spot on Earth -- in temperature, rain, wind -- are linked to changes in another, far away area is key to assessing climate risks. Scientists have now developed a new technique of finding out if one change can cause another change or not, and which regions are important gateways for such teleconnections. The method can be applied to assess global effects of local extreme weather events, but also to the diffusion of disturbances in financial markets, or the human brain.

Ravens cooperate, but not with just anyone Posted: 07 Oct 2015 08:07 AM PDT Ravens spontaneously solve a task that requires both coordination and cooperation -- an ability that so far only a handful of species like chimpanzees and elephants have proved to master. A team of researchers has shown this for the ravens using an experimental set-up.

Social networks can motivate people to exercise more Posted: 07 Oct 2015 08:07 AM PDT The influence of our social networks can be a powerful motivator to encourage more physical activity, say researchers in a new report. What this new study reveals is that these same positive behavior signals are also powerful in our online networks, and can be harnessed for the social good. This approach could be applied not only to encourage exercise, but also to promote vaccinations, medication compliance, and preventative care.

'Black'-sounding name makes people imagine a larger, more dangerous person Posted: 07 Oct 2015 08:07 AM PDT In a study exploring racial bias and how people use their mind's-eye image of an imagined person's size to represent someone as either threatening or high-status, researchers found that people envisioned men with stereotypically black names as bigger and more violent.

Brain cooling lessens chances of head injury recovery, study finds Posted: 07 Oct 2015 08:07 AM PDT Head injury patients do not benefit from a therapy that involves cooling their bodies to reduce brain swelling, research has found. Doctors say the therapy may increase patients' risk of death and disability and should not be used to treat traumatic brain injuries.

Embrace the chaos: Predictable ecosystems may be more fragile Posted: 07 Oct 2015 05:45 AM PDT Managing our environment for predictable outcomes is risky, say researchers. In fact, more often than not, it backfires, they say.

Exploring cost-effective, non-polluting enhanced geothermal systems Posted: 07 Oct 2015 05:45 AM PDT A new fracturing fluid has been created that may increase the ability to develop geothermal energy, scientists report. This advance of tapping the natural heat of Earth may improve the cost-effectiveness and cleanliness of the process.

Blood cancers: Half-matched donor bone marrow transplant may be as good as full match Posted: 07 Oct 2015 05:45 AM PDT When it comes to treating blood cancers like leukemia and lymphomas, new research shows that a half-matched donor bone marrow transplant may be just as good as a full match, in the first apples to apples type comparison of its kind.

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