ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Horses can read human emotions
• Common gene variant influences food choices ... for better or worse
• New thin film transistor may lead to flexible devices
• Behind the levees: Flood risk can be higher with levees than without them
• Americans recognize 'past presidents' who never were, study finds
• Companies must adapt internal communication as demographics change, study finds
• Car roof and battery made with byproducts of paper production
• Scientists discover how breast cancer cells spread from blood vessels
• It doesn't 'get better' for some bullied LGBT youths
• Eye abnormalities in infants with microcephaly associated with Zika virus
• New guideline for treatment of prolonged seizures in children and adults
• An artificial diet may make it easier to rear insects
• Homeownership a 'dream deferred' for millennial generation
• Rare bumble bee may be making a comeback in Pacific northwest
• Scientists discover hidden galaxies behind the Milky Way
• Mysterious Menominee crack is unusual geological pop-up feature
• Interruption of radiation therapy risks cancer recurrence
• Tiny diatoms boast enormous strength
• Engineers develop hybrid technology to create biorenewable nylon
• COPD may cause structural changes within the brain
• The big dig: Global software solution for road, water and sewer repairs
• Find a partner who marches to the beat of your own drum
• A new home, but with no medical home? Study of immigrants' kids with special health needs
• Ancient gene network helps plants adapt to their environments
• Carbon reductions won't hinder Chinese growth
• 'Molecular movie' opens door to new cancer treatments
• Superconductivity: Footballs with no resistance
• Link between stress fracture injuries, genes found
• Wound-healing intestinal bacteria: Like shrubs after a forest fire
• Robotically driven system could reduce cost of discovering drug, target interactions
• The universe's primordial soup flowing at CERN
• Study compares outcomes at VA hospitals vs. non-VA hospitals
• Cutting prison sentences could reduce spread of HIV
• Ten fingers not needed for fast typing
• Study accurately dates coral loss at Great Barrier Reef
• Stereotypes about Native Americans and alcohol debunked
• Researchers illuminate 'dark side' of the transcriptome
• Professors use cadaver DNA to advance genetics literacy in medical curricula
• Twisted X-rays unravel the complexity of helical structures
• How stable is the West Antarctic Ice Sheet?
• A fifth of car fuel-efficiency savings are eroded by increased driving
• How ice-shelf loss leads to faster sea-level rise: The shield is crumbling
• The Nullarbor Plain's ancient forests revealed
• Air pollution exposure during pregnancy linked with asthma risk
• Patient access to online health action plans enhances rate of preventive care
• Researchers see helpful protein causing cancer
• Study shows promising safety results for anti-aging drug
• Conversion of head and neck cancer cells into radiation-resistant cancer stem cells depends on HPV status, study finds
• Nasoalveolar molding use for cleft lip, palate reduces the number of surgeries and cost of care
• Renal denervation helps to bring drug-resistant hypertension under control, rat study shows
• 'A word's worth more than a thousand pictures' according to study on young children
• Barley helps improve blood sugar levels, reduce appetite
• Scientists shed light on how cells with an incorrect number of chromosomes lead to tumor development
• An interaction between perovskites and quantum dots could improve LED and solar technologies
• Fossils turn out to be a rich source of information
• Toxoplasmosis: Morbid attraction to leopards in parasitized chimpanzees
• Slime can see: Tiny cyanobacteria use principle of the lens in the human eye to perceive light direction
• Bacterial molecules discovered in processed foods could unlock key to healthier diets
• Social internet-based activities important for healthy aging
• New promise for diabetics with vitamin D deficiency

Horses can read human emotions Posted: 09 Feb 2016 07:11 PM PST For the first time horses have been shown to be able to distinguish between angry and happy human facial expressions.

Common gene variant influences food choices ... for better or worse Posted: 09 Feb 2016 01:24 PM PST Scientists have recently discovered that for girls who are carriers of a particular gene variant (DRD4 VNTR with 7 repeats), the crucial element that influences a child's fat intake is not the gene variant itself. Instead, it is the interplay between the gene and girls' early socioeconomic environment that may determine whether they have increased fat intake or healthier than average eating compared to their peers from the same class background.

New thin film transistor may lead to flexible devices Posted: 09 Feb 2016 01:24 PM PST An engineering research team has invented a new transistor that could revolutionize thin-film electronic devices.Their findings could open the door to the development of flexible electronic devices with applications as wide-ranging as display technology to medical imaging and renewable energy production.The transistor is easily scaled and has power-handling capabilities at least 10 times greater than commercially produced thin film transistors.

Behind the levees: Flood risk can be higher with levees than without them Posted: 09 Feb 2016 01:24 PM PST The long-term damage of levees can be far worse for those living behind them than if those levees were not there, a case study of the Sny Island levee district found.

Americans recognize 'past presidents' who never were, study finds Posted: 09 Feb 2016 01:18 PM PST Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, Hubert Humphrey and some guy named "Thomas Moore" are among the names that many Americans mistakenly identify as belonging to a past president of the United States, finds a news study by memory researchers.

Companies must adapt internal communication as demographics change, study finds Posted: 09 Feb 2016 01:18 PM PST As baby boomers retire and an increasing number of millennials enter the workforce, internal communicators must adapt to accommodate the shift of generations, the rise of internal social media and the development of metrics to determine employee engagement, according to a new study.

Car roof and battery made with byproducts of paper production Posted: 09 Feb 2016 11:08 AM PST Swedish researchers have produced the world's first model car with a roof and battery made from wood-based carbon fiber -- a lightweight and renewable alternative to metals and other composites.

Scientists discover how breast cancer cells spread from blood vessels Posted: 09 Feb 2016 11:08 AM PST Researchers have identified a protein that controls how breast cancer cells spread around the body, according to a new study. This study sheds light on how cancer cells leave the blood vessels to travel to a new part of the body, using a technique that allows researchers to map how cancer cells interact and exchange information with cells that make up the blood vessels.

It doesn't 'get better' for some bullied LGBT youths Posted: 09 Feb 2016 11:08 AM PST In the first study to examine the severity of LGBT bullying over time and its impact on mental health, researchers found that while most LGBT teens are experiencing relief in bullying, about a third are experiencing severe victimizations. This harassment and assault will often lead to lasting mental health problems such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Eye abnormalities in infants with microcephaly associated with Zika virus Posted: 09 Feb 2016 11:07 AM PST Vision-threatening eye abnormalities in infants in Brazil with microcephaly (a birth defect characterized by an abnormally small head) may be associated with presumed intrauterine infection with Zika virus, according to a study.

New guideline for treatment of prolonged seizures in children and adults Posted: 09 Feb 2016 11:07 AM PST Status epilepticus -- continuous or rapid sequential seizure activity for 30 minutes or more -- is a medical emergency with a high mortality rate in both children and adults. Prompt and effective treatment is key; therefore the American Epilepsy Society (AES) has released a new guideline to help physicians, hospitals, and health systems treat patients effectively.

An artificial diet may make it easier to rear insects Posted: 09 Feb 2016 11:07 AM PST Raising insects for research can be difficult because members of many species are picky eaters, but entomologists have found a solution for rearing moths and possibly other insects.

Homeownership a 'dream deferred' for millennial generation Posted: 09 Feb 2016 10:21 AM PST Millennials face significant hurdles in their quest for homeownership, said a professor of agricultural and consumer economics and co-author of a new paper examining homeownership trends among those born between 1980-2000.

Rare bumble bee may be making a comeback in Pacific northwest Posted: 09 Feb 2016 10:21 AM PST Bombus occidentalis used to be the most common bumble bee species in the Pacific Northwest, but in the mid 1990s it became one of the rarest. Now, according to a new article it may be making a comeback.

Scientists discover hidden galaxies behind the Milky Way Posted: 09 Feb 2016 10:20 AM PST Hundreds of hidden nearby galaxies have been studied for the first time, shedding light on a mysterious gravitational anomaly dubbed the Great Attractor. Despite being just 250 million light years from Earth, the new galaxies had been hidden from view until now by our own galaxy, the Milky Way. Using CSIRO's Parkes radio telescope equipped with an innovative receiver, an international team of scientists were able to see through the Milky Way, into a previously unexplored region of space.

Mysterious Menominee crack is unusual geological pop-up feature Posted: 09 Feb 2016 10:20 AM PST Seismologists studying a massive crack in the ground that appeared north of Menominee, Michigan in 2010 now think they know what the unusual feature might be.

Interruption of radiation therapy risks cancer recurrence Posted: 09 Feb 2016 09:23 AM PST Cancer patients who miss two or more radiation therapy sessions have a worse outcome than fully compliant patients, investigators have found. The study evaluated 1,227 patients scheduled for courses of external beam radiation therapy for cancers of the head and neck, breast, lung, cervix uterus or rectum from 2007 to 2012.

Tiny diatoms boast enormous strength Posted: 09 Feb 2016 09:23 AM PST Diatoms are single-celled algae organisms, around 30 to 100 millionths of a meter in diameter, that are ubiquitous throughout the oceans. These creatures are encased within a hard shell shaped like a wide, flattened cylinder -- like a tambourine -- that is made of silica. Researchers have recently found that these shells have the highest specific strength -- the strength at which a structure breaks with respect to its density -- of any known biological material, including bone, antlers, and teeth.

Engineers develop hybrid technology to create biorenewable nylon Posted: 09 Feb 2016 09:17 AM PST Engineers are combining the tools of biology and chemistry to create new biorenewable products.

COPD may cause structural changes within the brain Posted: 09 Feb 2016 09:17 AM PST Patients with COPD demonstrated gray matter decreases in areas of the brain that process breathlessness, fear and sensitivity to pain. The study found patients with COPD show regionally decreased gray matter volume in the anterior, mid, and posterior cingulate cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala. Levels of degeneration in certain areas of the brain were also impacted by longer disease duration. Those individuals showed a greater fear of breathlessness and fear of physical activity, which can affect the course of the disease.

The big dig: Global software solution for road, water and sewer repairs Posted: 09 Feb 2016 09:17 AM PST Researchers have developed an innovative method of tracking the many issues involved with the repair and renewal of road, water and sewer networks.

Find a partner who marches to the beat of your own drum Posted: 09 Feb 2016 09:17 AM PST Everyone marches to the beat of their own drum: From walking to talking to producing music, different people's movements occur at different speeds. But do these differences influence coordination of group actions? The answer is yes, according to researchers. The finding has the potential to help us predict for each person how successful they will be in a group task, depending on how similar their partners are to them in their internal rhythms.

A new home, but with no medical home? Study of immigrants' kids with special health needs Posted: 09 Feb 2016 09:17 AM PST They may have made America their new home, but immigrants whose children have special medical needs appear to be having trouble finding a true 'medical home' for their child, a new study finds.

Ancient gene network helps plants adapt to their environments Posted: 09 Feb 2016 09:17 AM PST A team of scientists has discovered the purpose of a highly conserved genetic tool that is present in both mosses and flowering plants, organisms whose common ancestor dates back 450 million years. The gene network, which comprising a snippet of non-coding genetic material called a small RNA and the protein it regulates, has been used over the eons to make plants more sensitive to environmental cues and facilitate robust, yet flexible, responses to those cues.

Carbon reductions won't hinder Chinese growth Posted: 09 Feb 2016 09:17 AM PST China's new efforts to price carbon could lower the country's carbon dioxide emissions significantly without impeding economic development over the next three decades, new research indicates.

'Molecular movie' opens door to new cancer treatments Posted: 09 Feb 2016 09:17 AM PST An international team of scientists has produced a 'structural movie' revealing the step-by-step creation of an important naturally occurring chemical in the body that plays a role in some cancers.

Superconductivity: Footballs with no resistance Posted: 09 Feb 2016 09:17 AM PST Indications of light-induced lossless electricity transmission in fullerenes contribute to the search for superconducting materials for practical applications.

Link between stress fracture injuries, genes found Posted: 09 Feb 2016 09:15 AM PST Researchers have successfully identified how certain genes can contribute towards a person's susceptibility to stress fracture injuries. This research provides a platform for further research into providing a personalized health approach to this common sports injury.

Wound-healing intestinal bacteria: Like shrubs after a forest fire Posted: 09 Feb 2016 09:15 AM PST In injured mouse intestines, specific types of bacteria step forward to promote healing, scientists have found. Potentially, some of these microbes could be exploited as treatments for conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, they say.

Robotically driven system could reduce cost of discovering drug, target interactions Posted: 09 Feb 2016 09:15 AM PST The first robotically driven experimentation system to determine the effects of a large number of drugs on many proteins, reducing the number of necessary experiments by 70 percent, has been created by scientists.

The universe's primordial soup flowing at CERN Posted: 09 Feb 2016 09:15 AM PST Researchers have recreated the universe's primordial soup in miniature format by colliding lead atoms with extremely high energy in the 27 km long particle accelerator. The primordial soup is a so-called quark-gluon plasma and researchers have measured its liquid properties with great accuracy at the LHC's top energy.

Study compares outcomes at VA hospitals vs. non-VA hospitals Posted: 09 Feb 2016 09:15 AM PST Among older men with heart attack, heart failure or pneumonia, hospitalization at Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals, compared with hospitalization at non-VA hospitals, was associated with lower 30-day all-cause mortality rates for heart attack and heart failure, and higher 30-day all-cause readmission rates for all three conditions, both nationally and within similar geographic areas, although absolute differences between these outcomes were small, according to a study.

Cutting prison sentences could reduce spread of HIV Posted: 09 Feb 2016 08:24 AM PST Reducing the number of men who go to prison could help curb the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections in a community. A new computer model suggests that reducing incarceration in a community may also reduce the number of sexual partners men and women have, therefore reducing the spread of sexually transmitted infections.

Ten fingers not needed for fast typing Posted: 09 Feb 2016 08:24 AM PST The number of fingers does not determine typing speed, new study shows. People using self-taught typing strategies were found to be as fast as trained typists.

Study accurately dates coral loss at Great Barrier Reef Posted: 09 Feb 2016 08:04 AM PST The timing of significant Great Barrier Reef coral loss captured by a series of historical photos has been accurately determined for the first time. Researchers said the photos were a powerful visual tool often used to highlight the recent decline of the Great Barrier Reef.

Stereotypes about Native Americans and alcohol debunked Posted: 09 Feb 2016 08:04 AM PST In contrast to enduring stories about extraordinarily high rates of alcohol misuse among Native Americans, researchers have found that Native Americans' binge and heavy drinking rates actually match those of whites. The groups differed regarding abstinence: Native Americans were more likely to abstain from alcohol use.

Researchers illuminate 'dark side' of the transcriptome Posted: 09 Feb 2016 08:04 AM PST A new way of mapping the collection of RNA read-outs that are expressed by a cell's active genes has been devised to shed additional light on the role of RNAs in cells. These 'dark' variations in RNA likely have roles in gene regulation across tissues, development, and in human diseases. The team will use the now-free software to interrogate cells in brain disorders, cancers, and other illnesses.

Professors use cadaver DNA to advance genetics literacy in medical curricula Posted: 09 Feb 2016 08:03 AM PST Cadavers have long been one of the most important resources for anatomy teaching in medical school. Now, they are also at the forefront of cutting-edge genetics teaching, thanks to some innovative thinking.

Twisted X-rays unravel the complexity of helical structures Posted: 09 Feb 2016 08:01 AM PST Since the discovery of the diffraction of X-rays by crystals just over 100 years ago, X-ray diffraction as a method of structure determination has dominated structural research in materials science and biology. However, many of the most important materials whose structures remain unknown do not readily crystallize as three-dimensional periodic structures.

How stable is the West Antarctic Ice Sheet? Posted: 09 Feb 2016 08:01 AM PST A future warming of the Southern Ocean caused by rising greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere may severely disrupt the stability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. The result would be a rise in the global sea level by several meters.

A fifth of car fuel-efficiency savings are eroded by increased driving Posted: 09 Feb 2016 08:00 AM PST Around a fifth of the energy-saving benefits of fuel-efficient cars are eroded because people end up driving them more, according to a study into British motoring habits over the last 40 years.

How ice-shelf loss leads to faster sea-level rise: The shield is crumbling Posted: 09 Feb 2016 07:54 AM PST Over the past 20 years, many ice shelves in Antarctica have shrunk and some have disappeared entirely. This has resulted in a significant acceleration of many Antarctic glaciers, contributing to rising sea levels. Researchers have used a complex model to show for the first time at what point the 'buttressing' role of ice shelves is impaired due to their decline.

The Nullarbor Plain's ancient forests revealed Posted: 09 Feb 2016 07:54 AM PST Australia's Nullarbor Plain is one of the driest landscapes in the country, but new research suggests it was once forest that received up to four times as much rain as it gets now.

Air pollution exposure during pregnancy linked with asthma risk Posted: 09 Feb 2016 07:54 AM PST Babies born to mothers exposed to air pollution from traffic during pregnancy have an increased risk of developing asthma before the age of six.

Patient access to online health action plans enhances rate of preventive care Posted: 09 Feb 2016 07:54 AM PST Health plan members who accessed their health information online and received timely alerts about potential gaps in care were more likely to receive preventive tests and screenings than those who did not use the service, a large study has demonstrated.

Researchers see helpful protein causing cancer Posted: 09 Feb 2016 07:53 AM PST Researchers have determined how a protein that helps cells fight viruses can also cause genetic mutations that lead to cancer. The research shows how the expression of a protein causes mutations to accumulate in actively replicating DNA. The work is complemented by studies from other researchers that indicate that similar phenomena occur in E. coli cells and sequenced human tumors.

Study shows promising safety results for anti-aging drug Posted: 09 Feb 2016 07:53 AM PST Minimal metabolic side effects have been documented after continuous, long-term treatment with encapsulated rapamycin in a marmoset (monkey) model. Results lead to new research grant to study efficacy.

Conversion of head and neck cancer cells into radiation-resistant cancer stem cells depends on HPV status, study finds Posted: 09 Feb 2016 06:09 AM PST Head and neck cancers that test positive for the human papilloma virus (HPV) are known to respond more favorably to radiation therapy than those that test HPV-negative, but an explanation for these differences has remained elusive.

Nasoalveolar molding use for cleft lip, palate reduces the number of surgeries and cost of care Posted: 09 Feb 2016 06:09 AM PST Patients with complete unilateral and bilateral cleft lip and palate (U/BCLP) who were treated with nasoalveolar molding (NAM) required fewer surgeries and a reduction in overall healthcare costs compared to similar patients who did not have NAM treatment, according to a study.

Renal denervation helps to bring drug-resistant hypertension under control, rat study shows Posted: 09 Feb 2016 06:08 AM PST Most clinical studies have shown that renal denervation—a procedure that disrupts the nerves in the kidneys and prevents them from relaying signals—can treat drug-resistant hypertension, although a number have shown the procedure to be ineffective. A new study supports that renal denervation can treat hypertension and suggests that failures may be due to incomplete procedure.

'A word's worth more than a thousand pictures' according to study on young children Posted: 09 Feb 2016 06:08 AM PST Children play an important role in ensuring that they are cared for by adults by using physical and cognitive cues. But what's more important in how they influence adults and elicit their nurturing spirit? Is it their physical features or what they say?

Barley helps improve blood sugar levels, reduce appetite Posted: 09 Feb 2016 06:07 AM PST Barley can rapidly improve people's health by reducing blood sugar levels and the risk for diabetes, a recent study shows. The secret lies in the special mixture of dietary fibers found in barley, which can also help reduce people's appetite and risk for cardiovascular disease.

Scientists shed light on how cells with an incorrect number of chromosomes lead to tumor development Posted: 09 Feb 2016 06:07 AM PST Aneuploid cells—that is to say those with an abnormal number of chromosomes—are found in most human tumors. A study on the fly Drosophila reveals how surviving aneuploid cells favour tumor development.

An interaction between perovskites and quantum dots could improve LED and solar technologies Posted: 09 Feb 2016 06:07 AM PST Researchers have studied the interaction of two materials, halide perovskite and quantum dots, revealing enormous potential for the development of advanced LEDs and more efficient solar cells.

Fossils turn out to be a rich source of information Posted: 09 Feb 2016 06:06 AM PST For more than 70 years, fossilized arthropods from Quercy, France, were almost completely neglected because they appeared to be poorly preserved. Experts have now been able to X-ray the 30-million-year-old beetle fossils. The internal structures are shown in such detail that the scientists were able to create an extensive description and an evolutionary analysis of the beetles.

Toxoplasmosis: Morbid attraction to leopards in parasitized chimpanzees Posted: 09 Feb 2016 06:06 AM PST Researchers have shown that chimpanzees infected with toxoplasmosis are attracted by the urine of their natural predators, leopards, but not by urine from other large felines. The study suggests that parasite manipulation by Toxoplasma gondii is specific to each host. It fuels an ongoing debate on the origin of behavioral modifications observed in humans infected with toxoplasmosis: they probably go back to a time when our ancestors were still preyed upon by large felines.

Slime can see: Tiny cyanobacteria use principle of the lens in the human eye to perceive light direction Posted: 09 Feb 2016 06:06 AM PST Scientists have been trying to figure out how it is possible for bacteria to perceive light and react to it ever since they started using microscopes 300 years ago. Scientists have now solved this riddle: In studies on so-called cyanobacteria, the researchers demonstrated that these tiny organisms of only a few micrometers in size move toward a light source using the same principle of the lens in the human eye.

Bacterial molecules discovered in processed foods could unlock key to healthier diets Posted: 09 Feb 2016 06:06 AM PST Our favorite foods could be made healthier thanks to a new technique which has identified harmful bacterial molecules in certain processed foods such as burgers and ready meals. The study identifies a particular kind of contaminating molecule known as 'pathogen-associated molecular patterns' (PAMPs), which are released by certain types of bacteria as they grow during some food processing and refrigeration processes, and may increase our risk of developing conditions such as coronary artery disease and Type 2 diabetes.

Social internet-based activities important for healthy aging Posted: 09 Feb 2016 06:06 AM PST Meaningful and Internet-based activities promote experiences of participation in society and are important for healthy aging. In a new dissertation, occupational therapists are shown to promote participation, reduce experiences of loneliness and strengthen seniors' social network using an Internet-based intervention program.

New promise for diabetics with vitamin D deficiency Posted: 09 Feb 2016 06:04 AM PST A simple change in diet could boost vitamin D levels for millions of Americans suffering from Type 2 diabetes, according to new research.

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