ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Early-life exercise alters gut microbes, promotes healthy brain and metabolism
• Social, telepresence robots revealed by scientists
• Being anxious could be good for you in a crisis
• Researchers identify areas of plague risk in western United States
• Childhood asthma may increase risks of shingles
• Lab tests of e-cigarettes demonstrate cellular harm
• Success in observing a two-phonon quantum interference: A world first
• Financial burden of cancer survivorship varies by age, cancer site
• How does type of toy affect quantity, quality of language in infant playtime?
• Educating patients improves knowledge, attitudes about participating in research
• The power of touch: Sex-changing snails switch sooner when together

Early-life exercise alters gut microbes, promotes healthy brain and metabolism Posted: 29 Dec 2015 05:42 PM PST The human gut harbors a teeming menagerie of over 100 trillion microorganisms, and researchers have discovered that exercising early in life can alter that microbial community for the better, promoting healthier brain and metabolic activity over the course of a lifetime.

Social, telepresence robots revealed by scientists Posted: 29 Dec 2015 04:07 AM PST Say hello to Nadine, a "receptionist" at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. She is friendly, and will greet you back. Next time you meet her, she will remember your name and your previous conversation with her. She looks almost like a human being, with soft skin and flowing brunette hair. She smiles when greeting you, looks at you in the eye when talking, and can also shake hands with you. And she is a humanoid.

Being anxious could be good for you in a crisis Posted: 29 Dec 2015 04:06 AM PST New findings could help explain the apparent 'sixth sense' we have for danger in social situations, with the direction of a person's gaze being a crucial cue. People with non-clinical anxiety are particularly well poised for action.

Researchers identify areas of plague risk in western United States Posted: 28 Dec 2015 02:44 PM PST Researchers have identified and mapped areas of high probability of plague bacteria in the western United States. This investigation predicted animal plague occurrence across western states based on reported occurrences of plague in sylvan (wild) and domestic animal hosts. Plague is a disease caused by Yersinia pestis, a bacterium found in rodents and their fleas in many areas around the world.

Childhood asthma may increase risks of shingles Posted: 28 Dec 2015 02:44 PM PST Nearly 1 million incidents of herpes zoster, which is also known as shingles, occur every year in the US, with an estimated one-third of all adults affected by age 80. Despite its prevalence, particularly between ages 50 and 59, it is still unclear why some individuals will develop shingles, and others will not.

Lab tests of e-cigarettes demonstrate cellular harm Posted: 28 Dec 2015 02:44 PM PST Two types of electronic cigarettes have been tested by researchers who found that they damaged cells in ways that could lead to cancer. The damage occurred even with nicotine-free versions of the products.

Success in observing a two-phonon quantum interference: A world first Posted: 28 Dec 2015 09:48 AM PST A research group has succeeded in observing at the intended timing two-phonon quantum interference by using two cold calcium ions in ion traps, which spatially confine charged particles. A phonon is a unit of vibrational energy that arises from oscillating particles within crystals. Two-particle quantum interference experiments using two photons or atoms have been previously reported, but this group's achievement is the world's first observation using two phonons.

Financial burden of cancer survivorship varies by age, cancer site Posted: 28 Dec 2015 09:47 AM PST Survivors of cancer pay thousands of dollars in excess medical expenditures every year, with the excess financial burden varying by age and cancer site, a new report suggests.

How does type of toy affect quantity, quality of language in infant playtime? Posted: 23 Dec 2015 10:05 AM PST Electronic toys for infants that produce lights, words and songs were associated with decreased quantity and quality of language compared to playing with books or traditional toys such as a wooden puzzle, a shape-sorter and a set of rubber blocks, according to an article.

Educating patients improves knowledge, attitudes about participating in research Posted: 23 Dec 2015 10:05 AM PST A little information goes a long way in encouraging cancer patients to enroll in clinical trials, a decision that could be potentially lifesaving, new research demonstrates.

The power of touch: Sex-changing snails switch sooner when together Posted: 23 Dec 2015 10:05 AM PST Many animals change sex at some point in their lives, often after reaching a certain size. Snails called slipper limpets begin life as males, and become female as they grow. A new study shows that when two males are kept together and can touch one another, the larger one changes to female sooner, and the smaller one later. Contact, rather than chemicals released into the water, is necessary for the effect.

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