ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Transparency key in decision to label modified ingredients
• Crouching protein, hidden enzyme
• Fishing for answers on bone loss in space
• Researchers uncover how dopamine transports within the brain
• Researchers may hold key to developing a single treatment against several types of Ebola
• Over-hunting threatens Amazonian forest carbon stocks
• Most commonly used TB test fails to accurately diagnose pregnant HIV+ women
• Gene often lost in childhood cancer crucial in cells' life or death decision
• Snake-hunting Secretary Birds use force of five times their body weight to stamp on, kill their prey
• Smartphones may decrease sedentary time, increase activity, study finds
• Global report reveals dire state of fisheries, worsening air pollution
• Novel 4-D printing method blossoms from botanical inspiration
• Graphene composite may keep wings ice-free
• Mom's in control, even before you're born
• Shallow earthquakes, deeper tremors along southern San Andreas fault compared by researchers
• Did ear sensory cell stereocilia evolve from gut microvilli?
• Potential therapeutic targets identified for multiple sclerosis
• Microscopic drug 'depots' boost efficacy against tumors in animal model
• Pressure building on global water supply
• Link between food advertising, child food consumption
• Hacking the programs of cancer stem cells
• Helmet-wearing increases risk-taking and sensation-seeking
• Flexible and transparent pressure sensor
• In galaxy clustering, mass may not be the only thing that matters
• Sugar's siren song deciphered
• Highly efficient heavy metal ions filter
• Global nitrogen footprint mapped for first time
• In Gulf Of Mexico, microbes thrive above natural oil seeps
• What factors influence timing of start of dialysis?
• Mailed nicotine patches with no behavioral support associated with cessation
• Global, national burden of diseases, injuries among children and adolescents
• Researchers discover ten new lupus genes in Asian population study
• Discovery reveals how protective immune cells protect themselves
• Large variability in abundance of viruses that infect ocean microorganisms
• Cats domesticated in China earlier than 3000 BC
• Key mechanism has been discovered which prevents memory loss in Alzheimer's disease
• Bullying hinders positive youth development for sexual-minority youth
• New research uncovers hidden bias in college admissions tests
• Why entrepreneurs don't lose
• Descendants of black death confirmed as source of repeated European plague outbreaks that would fade and roar back over centuries
• The best way to help homeless youth is hardly ever used
• Scientists shed new light on workings of genetic regulation
• Should childcare staff 'love' the youngsters in their care?
• Scientists determine how to control parasite without harming bees
• New mechanism of antitumor action identified
• New study creates first 3D vision of cancer target
• Easy prey for hackers: Navigation systems
• Group therapy helps autistic children to cope better with everyday life
• The Indigenous Internet
• 'Trilobites' that filter and decontaminate
• Pre-eclampsia in pregnant women can be diagnosed exactly through a blood test
• Rotation speed may be bad news for Red Planet pioneers
• Oil in ancient caves poses new challenges
• Preventing of cardiac failure in the chronic phase
• Mysterious behavior of quantum liquid elucidated, a world first
• Clarifying the role of magnetism in high-temperature superconductors
• Better healthcare could reduce crippling personal costs of tuberculosis care in China
• Playground paints should be monitored to reduce potential danger to public health
• New quantum approach to big data
• Secondhand smoke hazardous to hookah bar workers

Transparency key in decision to label modified ingredients Posted: 25 Jan 2016 03:48 PM PST Consumers are more supportive of labeling decisions when they believe the company considered the public's input in the process, new research indicates.

Crouching protein, hidden enzyme Posted: 25 Jan 2016 03:48 PM PST A new study shows how a crucial molecular enzyme starts in a tucked-in somersault position and flips out when it encounters the right target.

Fishing for answers on bone loss in space Posted: 25 Jan 2016 03:45 PM PST Crew members reared small freshwater fish aboard International Space Station for 56 days and examined the animals' jawbones and teeth for any potential effects from microgravity. Investigators report that they found increased volume and activity of osteoclasts and significant reduction of bone mineral density in the fish aboard the station.

Researchers uncover how dopamine transports within the brain Posted: 25 Jan 2016 03:43 PM PST The mechanics of how dopamine transports into and out of brain cells has been uncovered by researchers, a finding that could someday lead to more effective treatment of drug addictions and neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease.

Researchers may hold key to developing a single treatment against several types of Ebola Posted: 25 Jan 2016 03:43 PM PST Antibodies in the blood of people who have survived a strain of the Ebola virus can kill various types of Ebola, scientists now report. The findings are significant because it helps researchers further understand the immune response to a virus such as Ebola and could lead to treatments for Ebola as well as other related viruses.

Over-hunting threatens Amazonian forest carbon stocks Posted: 25 Jan 2016 12:57 PM PST Over-hunting large mammals in tropical forests could make climate change worse. Tropical forests worldwide store more than 460 billion tonnes of carbon. Researchers studied the impact of over-hunting on carbon storage across the Amazon -- the largest forest on Earth. They found that impact could be huge: a projected 313 billion kilograms of carbon not being absorbed. The economic value of such a loss in global carbon markets could cost US$13.7 trillion.

Most commonly used TB test fails to accurately diagnose pregnant HIV+ women Posted: 25 Jan 2016 10:00 AM PST The most commonly used test for tuberculosis fails to accurately diagnose TB in up to 50 percent of pregnant women who are HIV+, new research has found. The research is believed to be the first study to compare the accuracy of two TB tests – the Quantiferon Gold In Tube® blood test and the more commonly used TST or tuberculin skin test—in this population.

Gene often lost in childhood cancer crucial in cells' life or death decision Posted: 25 Jan 2016 10:00 AM PST A gene that is often lost in childhood cancer plays an important role in the decision between life and death of certain cells, according to a new study. Researchers have discovered the process by which that gene, KIF1B-?, kills cells and thereby suppresses tumor development.

Snake-hunting Secretary Birds use force of five times their body weight to stamp on, kill their prey Posted: 25 Jan 2016 09:58 AM PST Snake-hunting Secretary Birds use the force of five times their body weight to stamp on and kill their prey. Researchers have discovered that Secretary Birds can kick with 195 Newtons, which is equivalent to five times their own body weight, when they attack and kill their prey. And the contact time between the bird's feet and the snake is delivered extremely quickly -- on average just 15 milliseconds.

Smartphones may decrease sedentary time, increase activity, study finds Posted: 25 Jan 2016 09:56 AM PST Using smartphone reminders to prompt people to get moving may help reduce sedentary behavior, report investigators. Evidence has linked sedentary time to increased risk of breast, colorectal, ovarian, endometrial, and prostate cancers as well as weight gain, higher BMI, and obesity. Nevertheless, adults in the U.S. spend an average of about 8 waking hours per day being sedentary.

Global report reveals dire state of fisheries, worsening air pollution Posted: 25 Jan 2016 09:56 AM PST According to the 2016 Environmental Performance Index, which provides a diagnostic tool for policymakers to evaluate and improve environmental performance, the world's nations have expanded access to water and sanitation while creating more protected areas than ever before. However, countries have failed to reverse degradation of air quality and decline in fisheries.

Novel 4-D printing method blossoms from botanical inspiration Posted: 25 Jan 2016 09:55 AM PST A team of scientists has evolved their microscale 3-D printing technology to the fourth dimension, time. Inspired by natural structures like plants, which respond and change their form over time according to environmental stimuli, the team has unveiled 4-D-printed hydrogel composite structures that change shape upon immersion in water.

Graphene composite may keep wings ice-free Posted: 25 Jan 2016 09:55 AM PST A composite of graphene nanoribbons and epoxy proves effective at de-icing a helicopter blade, report researchers. The new material may be suitable for keeping aircraft, wind turbines and transmission lines free of ice.

Mom's in control, even before you're born Posted: 25 Jan 2016 09:55 AM PST Researchers have uncovered previously unappreciated means by which epigenetic information contained in the egg influences the development of the placenta during pregnancy. The research, which was performed in mice, indicates that a mother's health, even before conception, may influence the health of her fetus, and opens questions on how a mother's age may influence placental development.

Shallow earthquakes, deeper tremors along southern San Andreas fault compared by researchers Posted: 25 Jan 2016 09:55 AM PST Seismologists working along California's San Andreas Fault near Cholame and Parkfield now have a better idea of how and where friction changes along the fault to produce both shallow earthquakes and the deeper earth tremors called low-frequency earthquakes.

Did ear sensory cell stereocilia evolve from gut microvilli? Posted: 25 Jan 2016 09:54 AM PST Evolution likes to borrow. It can take an already-successful biological structure and alter it until it serves a new function. Two independent groups studying the proteins that organize gut microvilli now suspect that this may have been the case in the development of inner ear hair cell stereocilia. While functionally very different, the protein complexes that organize microvilli and stereocilia have striking parallels.

Potential therapeutic targets identified for multiple sclerosis Posted: 25 Jan 2016 08:52 AM PST Treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) and other inflammatory diseases may benefit by new findings from a study that identified potential therapeutic targets for a devastating disease striking some 2.3 million people worldwide.

Microscopic drug 'depots' boost efficacy against tumors in animal model Posted: 25 Jan 2016 08:47 AM PST Biomedical engineering researchers have developed a technique for creating microscopic 'depots' for trapping drugs inside cancer tumors. In an animal model, these drug depots were 10 times more effective at shrinking tumors than the use of the same drugs without the depots.

Pressure building on global water supply Posted: 25 Jan 2016 08:42 AM PST A new study projects that global demand for water could more than double by 2050, increasing pressure on already scarce water resources. Water efficiency and water saving measures could stabilize demand.

Link between food advertising, child food consumption Posted: 25 Jan 2016 08:42 AM PST Unhealthy food advertising does increase food intake in children, new research confirms. The analysis showed that unhealthy food advertising exposure significantly increased food consumption in children, but not adults. Television and Internet advertising were equally impactful.

Hacking the programs of cancer stem cells Posted: 25 Jan 2016 08:42 AM PST A molecule that interrupts biochemical signals essential for the survival of a certain type of cancer stem cell has been discovered by researchers.

Helmet-wearing increases risk-taking and sensation-seeking Posted: 25 Jan 2016 08:42 AM PST Helmet-wearing could increase risk-taking, a new study suggests. The latest findings call into question the effectiveness of certain safety advice, notably in relation to helmets for various leisure activities, including for cycling. But, the researchers suggest, the conclusions have wider-reaching implications in other contexts too, potentially even for decision making on the battlefield.

Flexible and transparent pressure sensor Posted: 25 Jan 2016 08:42 AM PST Healthcare practitioners may one day be able to physically screen for breast cancer using pressure-sensitive rubber gloves to detect tumors, owing to a transparent, bendable and sensitive pressure sensor.

In galaxy clustering, mass may not be the only thing that matters Posted: 25 Jan 2016 08:42 AM PST An international team of researchers has shown that the relationship between galaxy clusters and their surrounding dark matter halo is more complex than previously thought. The researchers' findings are the first to use observational data to show that, in addition to mass, a galaxy cluster's formation history plays a role in how it interacts with its environment.

Sugar's siren song deciphered Posted: 25 Jan 2016 08:41 AM PST Sugar's sweetness and calorie content combine to give it lethal power to destroy diets, many scientists have assumed. However, a new study suggests that the brain responds to taste and calorie counts in fundamentally different ways. And only one of these responses explains why most New Years' resolutions have already disappeared under a deluge of Boston Crème Pies.

Highly efficient heavy metal ions filter Posted: 25 Jan 2016 08:41 AM PST Researchers have developed a new water filtration system that is superior to existing systems in many respects: it is extremely efficient at removing various toxic heavy metal ions and radioactive substances from water and can even be used in gold recovery.

Global nitrogen footprint mapped for first time Posted: 25 Jan 2016 08:41 AM PST The first-ever global nitrogen footprint, encompassing 188 countries, has found the United States, China, India and Brazil are responsible for 46 percent of the world's nitrogen emissions. The economic modelling, which grouped the nitrogen footprint into top-ranking bilateral trade relationships, noted a trend for increased nitrogen production and found developed nations largely responsible for emissions abroad for their own consumption.

In Gulf Of Mexico, microbes thrive above natural oil seeps Posted: 25 Jan 2016 08:41 AM PST In the water above natural oil seeps in the Gulf of Mexico, where oil and gas bubbles rise almost a mile to break at the surface, scientists have discovered something unusual: phytoplankton, tiny microbes at the base of the marine food chain, are thriving.

What factors influence timing of start of dialysis? Posted: 25 Jan 2016 08:41 AM PST A new study used electronic medical records from the Department of Veterans Affairs to examine factors that influence the timing of the initiation of dialysis.

Mailed nicotine patches with no behavioral support associated with cessation Posted: 25 Jan 2016 08:41 AM PST Mailing free nicotine patches to smokers without providing behavioral support was associated with higher rates of tobacco cessation than not offering the patches, according to an article.

Global, national burden of diseases, injuries among children and adolescents Posted: 25 Jan 2016 08:41 AM PST A new report examines global and national trends in the fatal and nonfatal burden of diseases and injuries among children and adolescents in 188 countries based on results from the Global Burden of Disease 2013 study.

Researchers discover ten new lupus genes in Asian population study Posted: 25 Jan 2016 08:41 AM PST 10 new genes associated with the autoimmune disease lupus have been identified by researchers. One gene in particular, known as GTF2I, showed a high likelihood of being involved in the development of lupus, say scientists.

Discovery reveals how protective immune cells protect themselves Posted: 25 Jan 2016 08:41 AM PST The finding of how immune-system regulatory T cells maintain their integrity during their critical role in modulating the immune system could lead to new immune therapies for cancer.

Large variability in abundance of viruses that infect ocean microorganisms Posted: 25 Jan 2016 08:41 AM PST Marine microorganisms play a critical role in capturing atmospheric carbon, but a new study finds much less certainty than previously believed about the populations of the viruses that infect these important organisms.

Cats domesticated in China earlier than 3000 BC Posted: 25 Jan 2016 07:01 AM PST Were domestic cats brought to China over 5,000 years ago? Or were small cats domesticated in China at that time? There was no way of deciding between these two hypotheses until a team of investigators succeeded in determining the species corresponding to cat remains found in agricultural settlements in China, dating from around 3500 BC. All the bones belong to the leopard cat, a distant relation of the western wildcat, from which all modern domestic cats are descended. The scientists have thus provided evidence that cats began to be domesticated in China earlier than 3,000 BC.

Key mechanism has been discovered which prevents memory loss in Alzheimer's disease Posted: 25 Jan 2016 07:01 AM PST Neurons communicate with one another by synaptic connections, where information is exchanged from one neuron to its neighbor. These connections are not static, but are continuously modulated in response to the ongoing activity (or experience) of the neuron. This process, known as synaptic plasticity, is a fundamental mechanism for learning and memory in humans as in all animals. In fact, we now know that alterations in synaptic plasticity are responsible for memory impairment in cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. Nevertheless, the mechanisms by which these alterations take place are still starting to be uncovered.

Bullying hinders positive youth development for sexual-minority youth Posted: 25 Jan 2016 07:00 AM PST When compared with their heterosexual peers, sexual-minority youth score lower on key indicators of positive youth development -- and those disparities may be due in part to more bullying of these adolescents, researchers have found.

New research uncovers hidden bias in college admissions tests Posted: 25 Jan 2016 06:14 AM PST A little over two years after the College Board released research rebutting findings concerning the board's testing methods, researchers have raised new questions in a paper about test bias, based on the testing service's own data.

Why entrepreneurs don't lose Posted: 25 Jan 2016 06:14 AM PST Entrepreneurs statistically fail more often than not, but new research suggests that the financial risk is not as great as previously thought, as failed entrepreneurs can return to the salaried workforce and recover their earnings quickly.

Descendants of black death confirmed as source of repeated European plague outbreaks that would fade and roar back over centuries Posted: 25 Jan 2016 06:13 AM PST An international team of researchers has uncovered new information about the Black Death in Europe and its descendants, suggesting it persisted on the continent over four centuries, re-emerging to kill hundreds of thousands in Europe in separate, devastating waves.

The best way to help homeless youth is hardly ever used Posted: 25 Jan 2016 06:13 AM PST Teens without homes, many of whom have suffered at the hands of those entrusted with providing them care and kindness, often refuse to seek warmth and nourishment at shelters. But there's new evidence that drop-in centers -- safe havens with fewer rules and no older adults -- could open doors to jobs, sobriety and housing that is safe and secure.

Scientists shed new light on workings of genetic regulation Posted: 25 Jan 2016 06:13 AM PST A team of scientists has uncovered greater intricacy in protein signaling than was previously understood, shedding new light on the nature of genetic production.

Should childcare staff 'love' the youngsters in their care? Posted: 25 Jan 2016 06:10 AM PST The role of 'professional love' in early years settings is being studied by researchers. An anonymous survey explored how early years workers felt about 'loving' the children in their care. While the majority of practitioners believe showing affection to the children in their care is important, concerns exist about how others view the appropriateness of their actions

Scientists determine how to control parasite without harming bees Posted: 25 Jan 2016 06:09 AM PST The parasitic mite Varroa destructor (varroa) is generally agreed to be the greatest threat facing honey bees worldwide. Despite much research, losses continue due to lack of effective control measures, because the mite has become resistant to several commonly used chemicals. The natural product oxalic acid has been widely used in mainland Europe but surprisingly little previous research has directly compared different methods of application, their efficacies, and their adverse effects on bees.

New mechanism of antitumor action identified Posted: 25 Jan 2016 06:09 AM PST The new mechanism of an antitumor action has been identified by researchers who have described it in a new article.

New study creates first 3D vision of cancer target Posted: 25 Jan 2016 06:09 AM PST A team of researchers has for the first time published a detailed description of a protein linked to many types of cancer. The lab-based study provides a new opportunity for scientists to develop drugs to target this protein.

Easy prey for hackers: Navigation systems Posted: 25 Jan 2016 06:09 AM PST When it comes to route planning, drivers have almost blind faith in GPS; the technology plays a crucial role in identifying location and time in the industry as well as in other areas. If hackers attack the system, they can cause great damage. Deploying several GPS receivers at the same time could solve the problem in certain areas of application.

Group therapy helps autistic children to cope better with everyday life Posted: 25 Jan 2016 06:08 AM PST Children and adolescents with high functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder can learn how to cope better in the social world and also achieve a lasting effect. Social difficulties are one of the main problems for children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder, say researchers.

The Indigenous Internet Posted: 25 Jan 2016 06:08 AM PST Improving computer literacy and building internet and communications technology (ICT) skills in Indigenous communities is more about understanding the opportunities rather than imposing "Western" style learning programs, according to a new study. Researchers offer an 11-point plan to help those working with communities to adopt and engage with the Internet.

'Trilobites' that filter and decontaminate Posted: 25 Jan 2016 06:08 AM PST A small silicon structure that look like fossil trilobites has been developed. It is designed to separate blood cells and filter minute particles from waste water and brines, say scientists.

Pre-eclampsia in pregnant women can be diagnosed exactly through a blood test Posted: 25 Jan 2016 06:08 AM PST Pre-eclampsia is a serious illness associated with pregnancy, which develops after twenty weeks and is associated with defective ingrowing of the placenta within the mother. The dangerous illness is both the second most frequent cause of death in pregnant women, and the reason for severe complications for mother and child, especially during premature births. Now scientists have succeeded, as part of an international research group, in identifying biomarkers, which - with one simple blood test - can be a very reliable help in predicting the emergence of pre-eclampsia in pregnant women as a sign of the illness.

Rotation speed may be bad news for Red Planet pioneers Posted: 25 Jan 2016 06:07 AM PST New research has revealed the importance of a circadian body clock that matches the rotational speed of the Earth.

Oil in ancient caves poses new challenges Posted: 25 Jan 2016 06:07 AM PST Collapsed cave systems are a new type of reservoir in the Barents Sea that can accommodate significant petroleum resources. Characterizing the reservoir properties of such systems is quite a challenge, says researchers. In 2013 and 2014 Lundin Petroleum discovered significant amounts of oil and gas in the prospects Gohta and Alta on Loppa high, north of the Snøhvit field.

Preventing of cardiac failure in the chronic phase Posted: 25 Jan 2016 06:07 AM PST The onset of cardiac failure after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a serious problem throughout the world. Researchers have now clarified that the cell adhesion inhibition of periostin1 damages myocardinal cells, inducing compromised cardiac myocyte contractile force and myocytes death, leading to the onset of cardiac failure after AMI through the administration of periostin neutralizing antibodies they had developed on their own.

Mysterious behavior of quantum liquid elucidated, a world first Posted: 25 Jan 2016 06:07 AM PST Researchers, through their precise measurement of current fluctuations in quantum liquids in an artificial atom created by nanotechnology, succeeded in elucidating theoretically-predicted behavior of quantum liquid in a non-equilibrium regime.

Clarifying the role of magnetism in high-temperature superconductors Posted: 25 Jan 2016 06:07 AM PST Scientists have clarified the role of magnetism in a new type of high-temperature superconductor. The research gives us a better understanding of the atomic-scale behavior of these materials. Physicists hope that, by understanding how these materials superconduct at relatively high temperature, they can eventually learn enough to make materials that superconduct close to room temperature.

Better healthcare could reduce crippling personal costs of tuberculosis care in China Posted: 25 Jan 2016 06:06 AM PST Improved universal healthcare is urgently needed to lower catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) for low-income tuberculosis (TB) patients in China, according to a study. Expanding universal healthcare could reduce the numbers of people affected by CHE.

Playground paints should be monitored to reduce potential danger to public health Posted: 25 Jan 2016 06:06 AM PST Playground equipment should be monitored more regularly to ensure toxic metals contained within paints do not present a danger to public and child health, a study recommends.

New quantum approach to big data Posted: 25 Jan 2016 06:06 AM PST Systems for handling massive digital datasets could make impossibly complex problems solvable, new research shows.

Secondhand smoke hazardous to hookah bar workers Posted: 25 Jan 2016 06:06 AM PST Workers at New York City hookah bars are inhaling hazardous levels of carbon monoxide and nicotine while at work, signaling yet another breach by their employers of New York City's anti-smoking bylaws.

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