ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Anti-inflammatory drug and gut bacteria have a dynamic interplay
• Could bug-busting viruses control food poisoning?
• Virgin births may be common among snakes
• Pioneering artificial pancreas to undergo final tests
• The brain-computer duel: Do we have free will?
• First European farmers traced back to Anatolia
• Self-esteem gender gap more pronounced in western nations
• How to improve cardiac arrest survival in three easy steps
• Asian carp could cause some Lake Erie fish to decline, others to increase
• Racial bias may be conveyed by doctors' body language
• Study finds 'frictional heat' as a new trigger for explosive volcanic eruptions
• Adjustable adhesion power: What fakirs can learn from geckos
• The ugly consumer: Ridiculing those who shop ethically
• Recurrent acute, chronic pancreatitis in children has high disease burden, health care costs
• Is your child's achy back more than just growing pains?
• Climate change is altering Greenland ice sheet, accelerating sea level rise
• Clarified mechanism of rotation of node cilia-principal for asymmetry of the body
• Researchers reduce stem cell dysfunction, metabolic disease in aged mice
• A botanical survey to help understand change in our wild flora
• Large, increasing methane emissions from northern lakes
• Strong magnetic fields discovered in majority of stars
• Worldwide electricity production vulnerable to climate and water resource change
• Rotational clock for stars needs recalibration
• Using genes to understand brain's building blocks
• The origins of abiotic species
• Minor flu strains pack bigger punch, scientists find
• Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act linked to more nutritious meals
• Higher monthly doses of vitamin D associated with increased risk of falls
• Chronic traumatic encephalopathy in 25-year-old former football player
• Infertility treatments do not appear to contribute to developmental delays in children
• Beneficial self-harming: Sea slugs protect themselves by self-cutting
• New paste prevents scarring caused by radiation therapy for cancer
• How you manage your emails may be bad for your health
• New research group to determine neutrino mass hierarchy
• Cold fermions keep distance from each other
• Quickly identifying tumors by using antibodies
• Cosmic glasses for space exploration
• A far from perfect host
• Traces of islandic volcanoes in northeastern German lake
• Coulomb blockade in organic conductors found, a world first
• Mysterious radio signals from space are much better test of Einstein's General Relativity
• Increasing liquefied natural gas exports 'marginally positive' for US economy
• With Botox 'chemodenervation' dermal fillers last longer
• What are the risks of giving birth inside, outside a hospital setting?
• Taking vitamin D may benefit people with multiple sclerosis
• Combining techniques provides new insight into bird migration
• Virtual colonoscopy an alternative to FOB test, colonoscopy for colorectal cancer?
• Transition metal catalyst prompts 'conjunctive' cross-coupling reaction
• Role of STING protein in development of colorectal cancer
• Gene-editing technique successfully stops progression of Duchenne muscular dystrophy
• New genes born by accident lead to evolutionary innovation
• Areas of increased poverty associated with higher rates of Ebola transmission
• Seeing DROSHA for the first time
• The billion dollar game of strategy: The effect of farmers' decisions on pest control
• CRISPR treats genetic disorder in adult mammal
• Social behavior in carpenter ants reprogrammed using epigenetic drugs
• Human-machine superintelligence can solve the world's most dire problems
• Creating safer polio vaccine strains for the post-eradication era
• Sugars in Western diets increase risk for breast cancer tumors and metastasis
• Astronomers find new way to measure the pull of gravity at the surface of distant stars

Anti-inflammatory drug and gut bacteria have a dynamic interplay Posted: 04 Jan 2016 10:21 AM PST An NSAID changed the composition and diversity of gut microbes, which in turn shaped how the drug is broken down and ultimately, cut its effectiveness, researchers report at the conclusion of an animal study.

Could bug-busting viruses control food poisoning? Posted: 04 Jan 2016 10:19 AM PST Viruses that can seek and destroy food poisoning bugs in the gut are currently being investigated by researchers. The work could offer the potential for treating and preventing intestinal illnesses in children in developing countries including those caused by Salmonella, Campylobacter and E. coli.

Virgin births may be common among snakes Posted: 04 Jan 2016 10:12 AM PST A new review provides intriguing insights on parthenogenesis, or virgin birth, in snakes.

Pioneering artificial pancreas to undergo final tests Posted: 04 Jan 2016 10:08 AM PST A device to automatically monitor and regulate blood-sugar levels in people with type 1 diabetes will undergo final testing in two clinical trials beginning early this year, report scientists.

The brain-computer duel: Do we have free will? Posted: 04 Jan 2016 10:08 AM PST Our choices seem to be freer than previously thought. Using computer-based brain experiments, researchers studied the decision-making processes involved in voluntary movements. The question was: Is it possible for people to cancel a movement once the brain has started preparing it? The conclusion the researchers reached was: Yes, up to a certain point -- the 'point of no return'.

First European farmers traced back to Anatolia Posted: 04 Jan 2016 10:08 AM PST When farming spread throughout Europe some 8000 years ago, Anatolia functioned as a hub, spreading genes and the new ideas westward. An international study based on DNA from Anatolian remains indicates the importance of the role Anatolia played, and also in attracting attention both from the east and the west.

Self-esteem gender gap more pronounced in western nations Posted: 04 Jan 2016 10:08 AM PST People worldwide tend to gain self-esteem as they grow older, and men generally have higher levels of self-esteem than women, but this self-esteem gender gap is more pronounced in Western industrialized countries, according to research.

How to improve cardiac arrest survival in three easy steps Posted: 04 Jan 2016 10:08 AM PST Although survival rates for people who suffer cardiac arrest outside a hospital are extremely low in most places, emergency physicians propose three interventions to improve survival rates and functional outcomes in any community and urge additional federal funding for cardiac resuscitation research.

Asian carp could cause some Lake Erie fish to decline, others to increase Posted: 04 Jan 2016 10:08 AM PST If they successfully invade Lake Erie, Asian carp could eventually account for about a third of the total weight of fish in the lake and could cause declines in most fish species -- including prized sport and commercial fish such as walleye, according to a new computer modeling study.

Racial bias may be conveyed by doctors' body language Posted: 04 Jan 2016 10:08 AM PST Physicians give less compassionate nonverbal cues when treating seriously ill black patients compared with their white counterparts, a small trial revealed. It is the first to look at such interactions in a time-pressured, end-of-life situation.

Study finds 'frictional heat' as a new trigger for explosive volcanic eruptions Posted: 04 Jan 2016 10:06 AM PST Temperature may be more important than pressure in generating gas bubbles which trigger explosive volcanic eruptions, a new study into magma ascent has found. The study, which combined field observation, interpretation of monitored data and controlled laboratory experimentations, provides a strong argument for the integration of temperature as a key control in volcanic eruptions models.

Adjustable adhesion power: What fakirs can learn from geckos Posted: 04 Jan 2016 10:06 AM PST Imagine a new type of tires whose structure has been designed to have greater adhesion on the road. Physicists have now developed a model to study the importance of adhesion in establishing contact between two patterned, yet elastic, surfaces. This new approach matters when the scale of adhesive forces, is comparable to elastic forces on materials such a tires.

The ugly consumer: Ridiculing those who shop ethically Posted: 04 Jan 2016 10:06 AM PST No one wants to knowingly buy products made with child labor or that harm the environment. But a new study shows that we also don't want to work too hard to find out whether our favorite products were made ethically. And we really don't like those good people who make the effort to seek out ethically made goods when we choose not to.

Recurrent acute, chronic pancreatitis in children has high disease burden, health care costs Posted: 04 Jan 2016 10:06 AM PST The burden of recurrent acute and chronic pancreatitis in children may be higher than previously thought, with high costs related to repeated hospitalizations, report a pair of new studies.

Is your child's achy back more than just growing pains? Posted: 04 Jan 2016 10:06 AM PST It's becoming more common for children and adolescents to seek medical care for back pain. Even with expensive, advanced tests like MRI scans, doctors may not be able to find the exact cause for the pain, say experts.

Climate change is altering Greenland ice sheet, accelerating sea level rise Posted: 04 Jan 2016 10:04 AM PST The Greenland ice sheet has traditionally been pictured as a sponge for glacier meltwater, but new research has found it's rapidly losing the ability to buffer its contribution to rising sea levels, say researchers. They have also found that climate change has caused meltwater from lower elevations to run directly into the sea.

Clarified mechanism of rotation of node cilia-principal for asymmetry of the body Posted: 04 Jan 2016 10:04 AM PST Researchers have clarified the mechanism of rotation of node cilia, which determines the left-right asymmetry of the body. They have elucidated part of the relationship between the ciliary structure and ciliary motility, which had little experimental knowledge beforehand. This group's achievement may lead to the clarification of causes of heterotaxia, bronchitis, and infertility caused by impaired motility of cilia and flagella.

Researchers reduce stem cell dysfunction, metabolic disease in aged mice Posted: 04 Jan 2016 10:04 AM PST Researchers have taken what they hope will be the first step toward preventing and reversing age-related stem cell dysfunction and metabolic disease which includes diabetes. The researchers discovered methods for reducing these conditions in naturally aged mice.

A botanical survey to help understand change in our wild flora Posted: 04 Jan 2016 10:04 AM PST Volunteers in the north-east of England have created a benchmark survey of common plants with which to identify change in the countryside, its result and causes. This survey will be used in the future to monitor the effects of climate change on plants; assess the success of conservation measures and predict future change.

Large, increasing methane emissions from northern lakes Posted: 04 Jan 2016 10:04 AM PST Climate-sensitive regions in the north are home to most of the world's lakes. New research shows that these northern freshwaters are critical emitters of methane, a more effective greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.

Strong magnetic fields discovered in majority of stars Posted: 04 Jan 2016 10:04 AM PST Strong magnetic fields are common in stars, an international group of astronomers has found, and are not rare as previously thought. These findings will dramatically impact our understanding of how stars evolve and potentially lead to a better understanding of the sun's 22-year magnetic cycle -- known to affect communication systems and cloud cover on Earth.

Worldwide electricity production vulnerable to climate and water resource change Posted: 04 Jan 2016 10:04 AM PST Climate change impacts on rivers and streams may substantially reduce electricity production capacity around the world. A new study calls for a greater focus on adaptation efforts in order to maintain future energy security.

Rotational clock for stars needs recalibration Posted: 04 Jan 2016 09:53 AM PST A recently developed method for determining a star's age needs to be recalibrated for stars older than our sun, new work from a team of astronomers indicates. This is due to new information about the way older stars spin, as spin rate is one of the few windows into stellar ages. These findings have implications for our solar system, as they indicate the sun might be on the cusp of a magnetic field transition.

Using genes to understand brain's building blocks Posted: 04 Jan 2016 09:53 AM PST Understanding the cellular building blocks of the brain, including the number and diversity of cell types, is a fundamental step toward understanding brain function. Researchers have created a detailed taxonomy of cells in the mouse visual cortex based on single-cell gene expression, identifying 49 distinct cell types in the largest collection of individual adult cortical neurons characterized by gene expression published to date.

The origins of abiotic species Posted: 04 Jan 2016 09:53 AM PST Researchers are studying a 'chemical evolution' to see if self-organization and autocatalysis will provide the answer. This research group previously developed self-replicating molecules -- molecules that can make copies of themselves -- and have now observed diversification in replicator mutants. This means that ecological diversity as encountered in biology may well have its roots at the molecular level.

Minor flu strains pack bigger punch, scientists find Posted: 04 Jan 2016 09:53 AM PST Minor variants of flu strains, which are not typically targeted in vaccines, carry a bigger viral punch than previously realized, a team of scientists has found. Its research, which examined samples from the 2009 flu pandemic in Hong Kong, shows that these minor strains are transmitted along with the major strains and can replicate and elude immunizations.

Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act linked to more nutritious meals Posted: 04 Jan 2016 09:53 AM PST The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act was associated with more nutritious school lunches chosen by students with no negative effect on school meal participation, according to an article.

Higher monthly doses of vitamin D associated with increased risk of falls Posted: 04 Jan 2016 09:53 AM PST Higher monthly doses of vitamin D were associated with no benefit on low extremity function and with an increased risk of falls in patients 70 or older in a randomized clinical trial, according to a new study.

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy in 25-year-old former football player Posted: 04 Jan 2016 09:53 AM PST Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative disorder associated with repetitive head impacts and can be diagnosed only by autopsy after death. Authors write an observation letter about CTE pathology in a 25-year-old former college football player who experienced more than 10 concussions while playing football, the first occurring when he was eight years old.

Infertility treatments do not appear to contribute to developmental delays in children Posted: 04 Jan 2016 09:53 AM PST Children conceived via infertility treatments are no more likely to have a developmental delay than children conceived without such treatments, according to a study. The findings may help to allay longstanding concerns that conception after infertility treatment could affect the embryo at a sensitive stage and result in lifelong disability.

Beneficial self-harming: Sea slugs protect themselves by self-cutting Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:14 AM PST New research zeroes in on how the hooded sea slug safely loses limbs. Melibe leonina is a species of nudibranch, a marine snail that has no shell; it was the focus of this recent research.

New paste prevents scarring caused by radiation therapy for cancer Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:14 AM PST An antiscarring paste when applied to the skin of mice halts fibrosis caused by the radiation used in cancer therapy, a new study demonstrates. The current study addressed a type of fibrosis called radiation dermatitis, which is a side effect experienced by as many as 95 percent of patients undergoing initial radiation treatment. Radiation applied to the skin causes the buildup of fibrotic tissue and skin thickening, with the effects severe enough in some patients to stop treatment.

How you manage your emails may be bad for your health Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:12 AM PST It's not just the volume of emails that causes stress; it's our well-intentioned habits and our need to feel in control that backfires on us, new research suggests.

New research group to determine neutrino mass hierarchy Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:12 AM PST A new research unit has been approved, which will focus on the determination of the neutrino mass hierarchy during the JUNO experiment. The scientists involved will try to resolve the question of the hierarchy or sequence of the masses of neutrinos; in other words, they are to determine which of the three known neutrino species has the lowest and which has the heaviest mass.

Cold fermions keep distance from each other Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:12 AM PST Today, quantum optical experiments provide methods to prove the rules that have been thought of and pressed into elegant mathematical equations in those days, say scientists.

Quickly identifying tumors by using antibodies Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:09 AM PST Antibodies combat viruses and bacteria. They also attach themselves to cancer cells – in a typical, characteristic way. Scientists are using this property to detect cancer cells in tissue samples. Such rapid tests can already be applied by surgeons during operations – within a few minutes and without expensive equipment.

Cosmic glasses for space exploration Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:09 AM PST How are asteroids and planets formed from stony particles? This question is being explored in an experiment where researchers have developed beads made of a special type of glass. They form the composition of the rock particles as naturally as possible on a small scale.

A far from perfect host Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:09 AM PST An ancient symbiosis is founded entirely on exploitation, not mutual benefit, new research suggests. The researchers concluded that a single-celled protozoa called Paramecium bursaria benefits from exploiting a green algae which lives inside it, providing its host with sugar and oxygen from photosynthesis.

Traces of islandic volcanoes in northeastern German lake Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:08 AM PST Traces of volcanic ash originating from islandic volcanoes have been found in the sediments of Laker Tiefer See in the Nossentiner-Schwinzer Heide natural park in Germany. This allows researchers to more precisely date climate changes of the last 11,500 years.

Coulomb blockade in organic conductors found, a world first Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:08 AM PST New information on Coulomb blockade of charge transport has allowed scientists to advance their knowledge on low dimensional aggregates of inorganic particulates at very low temperatures.

Mysterious radio signals from space are much better test of Einstein's General Relativity Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:07 AM PST A new way to test one of the basic principles underlying Einstein's theory of General Relativity using brief blasts of rare radio signals from space called Fast Radio Bursts is 10 to 100 times better than previous testing methods that used gamma-ray bursts.

Increasing liquefied natural gas exports 'marginally positive' for US economy Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:07 AM PST Increasing the United States' export of liquefied natural gas above 12 billion cubic feet per day would allow the US to continue to provide a competitive advantage for domestic natural-gas-intensive industries relative to their counterparts overseas, according to a new paper.

With Botox 'chemodenervation' dermal fillers last longer Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:07 AM PST Hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers are a popular treatment for facial lines and wrinkles, but early degradation of fillers may limit how long their effects last. Experimental evidence supports a simple technique for prolonging the effects of HA dermal fillers: using them together with botulinum toxin.

What are the risks of giving birth inside, outside a hospital setting? Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:06 AM PST The out-of-hospital birth setting in Oregon was associated with a higher risk of perinatal death, while the in-hospital birth setting was associated with a higher risk for cesarean delivery and other obstetric interventions (e.g., induction or augmentation of labor), according a new American study.

Taking vitamin D may benefit people with multiple sclerosis Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:05 AM PST Taking a high dose of vitamin D3 is safe for people with multiple sclerosis and may help regulate the body's hyperactive immune response, according to a pilot study.

Combining techniques provides new insight into bird migration Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:05 AM PST Two complementary methods work together in a study producing more refined estimates of where individual barn swallows spend the winter. Using the methods separately comes with tradeoffs -- one lets researchers precisely track a handful of birds, while the other provides data for larger numbers but with less detail -- but together, they provide a fuller picture of an intercontinental migration.

Virtual colonoscopy an alternative to FOB test, colonoscopy for colorectal cancer? Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:05 AM PST Colorectal cancer is the third most diagnosed cancer in the world, with population screening being recommended for early disease detection, however, the most optimal method to screen for the disease remains unknown.

Transition metal catalyst prompts 'conjunctive' cross-coupling reaction Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:05 AM PST Transition metals-enabled cross-coupling reactions are widely recognized as among the most significant catalysis tools available to chemists. By employing a third reactant, a team of researchers reports it has developed a new, alternative path to catalytic 'conjunctive' cross-coupling.

Role of STING protein in development of colorectal cancer Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:05 AM PST A key finding about the immune system's response to tumor development has been reported by researchers following studies on colorectal cancer. This is the first detailed examination of how the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling pathway may play an important role in alerting the immune system to cellular transformation.

Gene-editing technique successfully stops progression of Duchenne muscular dystrophy Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:02 AM PST Using a new gene-editing technique, a team of scientists has stopped progression of Duchenne muscular dystrophy in young mice. DMD, the most common and severe form of muscular dystrophy among boys, is characterized by progressive muscle degeneration and weakness. The disease affects one in 3,500 to 5,000 boys, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other estimates, and often leads to premature death by the early 30s.

New genes born by accident lead to evolutionary innovation Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:02 AM PST Novel genes are continuously emerging during evolution, but what drives this process? A new study has found that the fortuitous appearance of certain combinations of elements in the genome can lead to the generation of new genes.

Areas of increased poverty associated with higher rates of Ebola transmission Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:02 AM PST Since October 2014 the Ebola epidemic in West Africa has been diminishing and efforts have shifted from emergency response to prevention and mitigation of future outbreaks.

Seeing DROSHA for the first time Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:02 AM PST Researchers report that they are at the forefront of discovering and mapping out the complexities of the structures involved in a process of pri-miRNA biogenesis. For the first time, the team has elucidated a three dimensional image of DROSHA, one part of the Microprocessor complex. Understanding DROSHA's structure is another crucial step in the process of understanding microRNA biogenesis.

The billion dollar game of strategy: The effect of farmers' decisions on pest control Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:02 AM PST Researchers say that the actions of individual farmers should be considered when studying and modeling strategies of pest control.

CRISPR treats genetic disorder in adult mammal Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:02 AM PST The CRISPR technique has been used to treat an adult mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. This marks the first time that CRISPR has successfully treated a genetic disease inside a fully developed living mammal with a strategy that has the potential to be translated to human therapy.

Social behavior in carpenter ants reprogrammed using epigenetic drugs Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:00 AM PST In Florida carpenter ant colonies, distinct worker castes called minors and majors exhibit pronounced differences in social behavior throughout their lives. In a new study, a multi-institution team found that these caste-specific behaviors are not set in stone. Rather, this pioneering study shows that social behavior can be reprogrammed, indicating that an individual's epigenetic, not genetic, makeup determines behavior in ant colonies.

Human-machine superintelligence can solve the world's most dire problems Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:00 AM PST At the heart of crowdsourcing, citizen science, and collective intelligence is human computation -- the science that aims to combine the unique strengths of humans and computers to create new capabilities. Researchers describe the state of the art, and how can such methods be advanced to address pressing and complex societal issues.

Creating safer polio vaccine strains for the post-eradication era Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:00 AM PST While the goal of polio virus eradication is in sight, there are concerns about post-eradication manufacturing and stockpiling vaccine stores containing live virus that could escape and repopulate the environment. Researchers report the generation of new vaccine strains that appear both effective and unable to cause disease after accidental or intended release.

Sugars in Western diets increase risk for breast cancer tumors and metastasis Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:00 AM PST The high amounts of dietary sugar in the typical western diet may increase the risk of breast cancer and metastasis to the lungs, according to a new study.

Astronomers find new way to measure the pull of gravity at the surface of distant stars Posted: 04 Jan 2016 05:00 AM PST Researchers have found a new way to measure the pull of gravity at the surface of a star. For distant stars with planets orbiting them, this information is key in determining whether any of those planets can harbor life.

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