ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Have national smoking bans worked in reducing harms in passive smoking?
• Don't use body mass index to determine whether people are healthy
• Genetic cause of rare allergy to vibration discovered
• Preventive surgery for women at high risk of breast, ovarian cancer
• Why is calcific tendinitis so painful?
• In the Southern Ocean, a carbon-dioxide mystery comes clear
• On the origin of eukaryotes: When cells got complex
• Significant changes in rhino bone health over 50 million years
• Research may explain mysterious deep earthquakes in subduction zones
• Lifespan of mice extended by as much as 35 percent; no adverse effects found
• It's all about the timing: Fetal expression of core clock gene determines lifespan in mice
• Penguin chicks huddle up for heat, protection
• Parasitic ants alter how captive ants recognize nest mates
• Sluggish electrons caught in action
• Discovery of 'Jurassic butterflies'
• Winning a competition predicts future dishonest behavior, say researchers
• Researchers try to determine the cause of female red flour beetle promiscuity
• 'How much does it hurt?' For preschoolers, cognitive development can limit ability to rate pain
• Chip could bring deep learning to mobile devices
• Fruit flies adjust their courtship song based on distance
• 'Gene fusion' mutation uses three-way mechanism to drive childhood brain cancers
• Location may be key to effectively controlling pain
• Researchers urge caution on wearable health devices
• Anonymous browsing hinders online dating signals
• Researchers discover new phase of boron nitride and a new way to create pure c-BN
• New study challenges Jupiter's role as planetary shield, protecting Earth from comet impacts
• Practice makes perfect: Switching between languages pays off
• Energy from cellphone towers amplify pain in amputees
• Enzyme key to link between age-related inflammation and cancer
• Galactic center's gamma rays unlikely to originate from dark matter, evidence shows
• Orangutans: Lethal aggression between females
• Examining how terrestrial life's building blocks may have first formed
• New piece of the HIV puzzle uncovered
• Purified cashew proteins lend insight into allergic reactions
• Anxiety disorder three times more likely among older adults with COPD
• Antarctic study identifies melting ice sheet's role in sea level rise
• Helping turn waste heat into electricity
• How variation in body size correlates with en-route migration performance of songbirds
• Most NFL arrests not for violent crimes
• The future of medicine could be found in this tiny crystal ball
• 44,000 healthy years lost in Europe, 72,000 years could still be lost in the future
• Clean kitchens cut calories
• The frigid 'Flying Saucer': Unexpectedly cold grains in planet-forming disc
• Study suggests improvements in how mesothelioma is staged
• New Zealand's little penguins are recent Australian invaders

Have national smoking bans worked in reducing harms in passive smoking? Posted: 04 Feb 2016 01:22 AM PST The most robust evidence yet, published today in the Cochrane Library, suggests that national smoking legislation does reduce the harms of passive smoking, and particularly risks from heart disease.

Don't use body mass index to determine whether people are healthy Posted: 04 Feb 2016 01:22 AM PST Relying on body mass index (BMI), a numerical measure of a person's height and weight, as a proxy for health incorrectly labels more than 54 million heavy Americans unhealthy when they are not, psychologists report. Many of these 'healthy obese' and 'healthy overweight' people may have to pay higher health insurance premiums.

Genetic cause of rare allergy to vibration discovered Posted: 03 Feb 2016 03:41 PM PST Scientists have identified a genetic mutation responsible for a rare form of inherited hives induced by vibration, also known as vibratory urticaria. Running, hand clapping, towel drying or even taking a bumpy bus ride can cause temporary skin rashes in people with this rare disorder. By studying affected families, researchers discovered how vibration promotes the release of inflammatory chemicals from the immune system's mast cells, causing hives and other allergic symptoms.

Preventive surgery for women at high risk of breast, ovarian cancer Posted: 03 Feb 2016 03:41 PM PST A new article provides an in-depth look at the issues associated with the care of women in families with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome who have not yet developed cancer themselves.

Why is calcific tendinitis so painful? Posted: 03 Feb 2016 01:11 PM PST Calcific tendinitis of the shoulder, typically characterized by calcium deposits on the rotator cuff, is an extremely painful condition that can severely impair movement and life quality. A new study has found a significant increase in blood vessel and pain receptor growth among patients with this condition.

In the Southern Ocean, a carbon-dioxide mystery comes clear Posted: 03 Feb 2016 12:01 PM PST Twenty thousand years ago, low concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere allowed the earth to fall into the grip of an ice age. But despite decades of research, the reasons why levels of the greenhouse gas were so low then have been difficult to piece together. New research shows that a big part of the answer lies at the bottom of the world.

On the origin of eukaryotes: When cells got complex Posted: 03 Feb 2016 12:01 PM PST Just as physicists comprehend the origin of the universe by observing the stars and archeologists reconstruct ancient civilizations with the artifacts found today, evolutionary biologists study the diversity of modern-day species to understand the origin of life and evolution. Biologists are now shedding light on one of the most crucial milestones in the evolution of life: cells' acquisition of mitochondria.

Significant changes in rhino bone health over 50 million years Posted: 03 Feb 2016 11:57 AM PST While rhino species evolved and increased in size over 50 million years, their bones may have strained to support their massive and active bodies, according to a new study.

Research may explain mysterious deep earthquakes in subduction zones Posted: 03 Feb 2016 11:57 AM PST Geologists may have finally explained what triggers certain earthquakes that occur deep beneath the Earth's surface in subduction zones, regions where one tectonic plate slides beneath another. The researchers have shown strong evidence that water squeezed out of a mineral called lawsonite could trigger these mysterious quakes.

Lifespan of mice extended by as much as 35 percent; no adverse effects found Posted: 03 Feb 2016 11:57 AM PST Researchers have shown that senescent cells -- cells that no longer divide and accumulate with age -- negatively impact health and shorten lifespan by as much as 35 percent in normal mice. The results demonstrate that clearance of senescent cells delays tumor formation, preserves tissue and organ function, and extends lifespan without observed adverse effects.

It's all about the timing: Fetal expression of core clock gene determines lifespan in mice Posted: 03 Feb 2016 11:57 AM PST Abolishing the 24-hour clock by knocking out a key gene during development accelerates aging and shortens lifespan by two thirds in mice, but this effect is absent if the gene deletion is delayed until after birth, according to a new study,

Penguin chicks huddle up for heat, protection Posted: 03 Feb 2016 11:57 AM PST Location and environmental conditions may influence when gentoo chicks huddle in cold, wet Antarctic conditions, according to new study.

Parasitic ants alter how captive ants recognize nest mates Posted: 03 Feb 2016 11:57 AM PST Enslaved Formica worker ants are more genetically and chemically diverse and less aggressive towards non-nest mates than free-living Formica ant colonies, according to a new study.

Sluggish electrons caught in action Posted: 03 Feb 2016 10:50 AM PST By creating and using the first optical attosecond pulse, scientists measured the time it takes electrons inside atoms to respond to the electromagnetic forces of light.

Discovery of 'Jurassic butterflies' Posted: 03 Feb 2016 10:49 AM PST A new study identifies a Jurassic age insect whose behavior and appearance closely mimic a butterfly -- but whose emergence on Earth predates the butterfly by about 40 million years.

Winning a competition predicts future dishonest behavior, say researchers Posted: 03 Feb 2016 10:48 AM PST 'These findings suggest that the way in which people measure success affects their honesty. When success is measured by social comparison, as is the case when winning a competition, dishonesty increases,' Schurr explains. 'When success does not involve social comparison, as is the case when meeting a set goal, defined standard or recalling a personal achievement, dishonesty decreases.'

Researchers try to determine the cause of female red flour beetle promiscuity Posted: 03 Feb 2016 10:48 AM PST New research focused on four possibilities that may explain why beetles are so promiscuous: that mating benefits the female beetles by providing them with moisture; with nutrients in the ejaculate; with proteins that support egg laying; or with additional sperm. The findings led scientists to conclude that it was the need for additional moisture that fed the beetles' drive to mate so frequently -- even to the point where they would sometimes coerce a reluctant male.

'How much does it hurt?' For preschoolers, cognitive development can limit ability to rate pain Posted: 03 Feb 2016 10:48 AM PST 'Rate your pain on a scale of zero to ten' -- for most adults and older children, it's a simple concept. But preschool-aged children generally lack the cognitive skills needed to make reliable pain ratings, say experts.

Chip could bring deep learning to mobile devices Posted: 03 Feb 2016 10:48 AM PST A new chip has been designed specifically to implement neural networks. It is 10 times as efficient as a mobile GPU, so it could enable mobile devices to run powerful artificial-intelligence algorithms locally, rather than uploading data to the Internet for processing.

Fruit flies adjust their courtship song based on distance Posted: 03 Feb 2016 10:44 AM PST Outside of humans, the ability to adjust the intensity of acoustic signals with distance has only been identified in songbirds. New research now demonstrates that the male fruit fly also displays this complex behavior during courtship, adjusting the amplitude of his song depending on how far away he is from a female. Studying this process can help shed light on the building blocks for social interactions across the animal kingdom.

'Gene fusion' mutation uses three-way mechanism to drive childhood brain cancers Posted: 03 Feb 2016 08:11 AM PST A powerful, three-way mechanism by which a mutation drives the growth of childhood brain cancers, was discovered by scientists. The team hopes the discovery will lead to better methods for diagnosing and treating these cancers, which cannot always be cured with surgery.

Location may be key to effectively controlling pain Posted: 03 Feb 2016 08:10 AM PST In real estate, location is key. It now seems the same concept holds true when it comes to stopping pain. New research indicates that the location of receptors that transmit pain signals is important in how big or small a pain signal will be -- and therefore how effectively drugs can block those signals.

Researchers urge caution on wearable health devices Posted: 03 Feb 2016 08:10 AM PST Wearable devices to monitor health are not always reliable or secure according to research. The market for digital devices like smartwatches and fitness bands is growing, with 19 million likely to be sold worldwide this year. They can measure everything from heart rate to physical activity, temperature and even mental wellbeing.

Anonymous browsing hinders online dating signals Posted: 03 Feb 2016 08:09 AM PST Big data and the growing popularity of online dating sites may be reshaping a fundamental human activity: finding a mate, or at least a date. Yet a new study finds that certain longstanding social norms persist, even online.In a large-scale experiment conducted through a major North American online dating website, a team of management scholars from Canada, the US and Taiwan examined the impact of a premium feature: anonymous browsing.

Researchers discover new phase of boron nitride and a new way to create pure c-BN Posted: 03 Feb 2016 08:09 AM PST Researchers have discovered a new phase of the material boron nitride, which has potential applications for both manufacturing tools and electronic displays. The researchers have also developed a new technique for creating cubic boron nitride (c-BN) at ambient temperatures and air pressure, which has a suite of applications, including the development of advanced power grid technologies.

New study challenges Jupiter's role as planetary shield, protecting Earth from comet impacts Posted: 03 Feb 2016 08:09 AM PST Not only is the 'Jupiter as shield' concept, implying that the planet shields Earth from comet impacts, not true, but perhaps Jupiter's most important role in fostering the development of life on Earth was just the opposite -- delivering the volatile materials from the outer Solar System needed for life to form. This new simulation study, and the previously underestimated role that Saturn may have also played in the evolution of life on Earth.

Practice makes perfect: Switching between languages pays off Posted: 03 Feb 2016 08:09 AM PST Bilingual children are better than monolinguals at a certain type of mental control, and that those children with more practice switching between languages have even greater skills.

Energy from cellphone towers amplify pain in amputees Posted: 03 Feb 2016 08:09 AM PST Researchers explain anecdotal and conflicting reports as to why some report pain around electromagnetic fields from cell phones.

Enzyme key to link between age-related inflammation and cancer Posted: 03 Feb 2016 08:09 AM PST For the first time, researchers have shown that an enzyme key to regulating gene expression -- and also an oncogene when mutated -- is critical for the expression of numerous inflammatory compounds that have been implicated in age-related increases in cancer and tissue degeneration. Inhibitors of the enzyme are being developed as a new anti-cancer target.

Galactic center's gamma rays unlikely to originate from dark matter, evidence shows Posted: 03 Feb 2016 08:09 AM PST Studies by two independent groups from the US and the Netherlands have found that gamma ray signals from the inner galaxy come from a new source rather than from the collision of dark matter particles. The new source is likely to be rapidly rotating pulsars, rather than the as-yet undetected invisible dark matter particles thought to make up 85 percent of the mass in the Universe.

Orangutans: Lethal aggression between females Posted: 03 Feb 2016 08:09 AM PST Researchers have for the first time witnessed the death of a female orangutan at the hands of another female. Even more extraordinary is that the perpetrator recruited a male orangutan as a hired gun to help her corner and attack the victim. Before this observation, lethal fights between females had never been observed in orangutans.

Examining how terrestrial life's building blocks may have first formed Posted: 03 Feb 2016 08:08 AM PST How did life begin? This is one of the most fundamental questions scientists puzzle over. To address it, they have to look not just back to the primordial Earth, but out into space. Now, scientists propose a new set of cosmic chemical reactions that could have contributed to the formation of life on our planet.

New piece of the HIV puzzle uncovered Posted: 03 Feb 2016 08:08 AM PST New research has revealed that a key immune system component -- innate lymphoid cells (ILC) -- is destroyed during acute HIV infection. This may play a key role in understanding the progression of the disease from HIV to AIDS, say scientists. HIV affects more than 35 million people worldwide.

Purified cashew proteins lend insight into allergic reactions Posted: 03 Feb 2016 08:08 AM PST It's well known that peanuts can cause severe reactions in people who are allergic, but research suggests that the risk of developing a life-threatening reaction could be higher for those allergic to cashews. Now scientists have come up with a fast and simple method to purify the three main cashew allergens to help better grasp how they work and their effects on people.

Anxiety disorder three times more likely among older adults with COPD Posted: 03 Feb 2016 08:08 AM PST The prevalence of past-year generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) for adults aged 50 and older with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is much higher compared to older adults without COPD (5.8 percent vs 1.7 percent), according to a new study.

Antarctic study identifies melting ice sheet's role in sea level rise Posted: 03 Feb 2016 08:08 AM PST Loss of ice in Antarctica caused by a warming ocean could raise global sea levels by three meters, research suggests.

Helping turn waste heat into electricity Posted: 03 Feb 2016 08:06 AM PST At the atomic level, bismuth displays a number of quirky physical phenomena. A new study reveals a novel mechanism for controlling the energy transfer between electrons and the bismuth crystal lattice. Mastering this effect could, ultimately, help convert waste heat back into electricity, for example to improve the overall efficiency of solar cells.

How variation in body size correlates with en-route migration performance of songbirds Posted: 03 Feb 2016 08:06 AM PST A new study focused on whether body size influenced the migratory rates of the martins. Researchers collected detailed measurements on each bird before they released it. After they had obtained the migration path information, they compared the birds' individual body measurements to the number and duration of their stopover periods. Their analyses determined that individual variation in stopover length is influenced by the size of the bird, and the size of its wings.

Most NFL arrests not for violent crimes Posted: 03 Feb 2016 08:06 AM PST NFL violence is not as common off the field as it may seem, say researchers. Compared to violent offending data in other studies, the percentage of violent arrests among NFL players was higher. But these crimes were committed by a very small number of players.

The future of medicine could be found in this tiny crystal ball Posted: 03 Feb 2016 06:13 AM PST A materials scientist has discovered a way to grow a crystal ball in a lab. Not the kind that soothsayers use to predict the future, but a microscopic version that could be used to encapsulate medication in a way that would allow it to deliver its curative payload more effectively inside the body.

44,000 healthy years lost in Europe, 72,000 years could still be lost in the future Posted: 03 Feb 2016 06:09 AM PST Because Volkswagen has committed large-scale fraud with the software in diesel engines, nine million fraudulent cars, sold in Europe and the US from 2009 to 2015, have emitted a cumulative amount of 526 kilo tonnes of nitrogen oxides more than was legally allowed. The Volkswagen fraud has had an even larger environmental impact in Europe than in the US: more Volkswagens were sold and the population density is higher. Environmental scientists have now provided an estimate of the public health consequences caused by this fraud.

Clean kitchens cut calories Posted: 03 Feb 2016 05:58 AM PST Cluttered and chaotic environments can cause stress, which can lead us to grab more of the indulgent snacks -- twice as many cookies, according to this new study.

The frigid 'Flying Saucer': Unexpectedly cold grains in planet-forming disc Posted: 03 Feb 2016 05:58 AM PST Astronomers have made the first direct measurement of the temperature of the large dust grains in the outer parts of a planet-forming disc around a young star. By applying a novel technique to observations of an object nicknamed the Flying Saucer they find that the grains are much colder than expected: -266 degrees Celsius. This surprising result suggests that models of these discs may need to be revised.

Study suggests improvements in how mesothelioma is staged Posted: 02 Feb 2016 03:54 PM PST A new study suggests that significant improvements could be made in the scoring system physicians use to estimate the stage (severity) of mesothelioma, an aggressive and deadly cancer.

New Zealand's little penguins are recent Australian invaders Posted: 02 Feb 2016 02:40 PM PST The little penguin species (popularly known as little blue penguins) found in southern New Zealand is a surprisingly recent invader from Australia, according to a new study. Following the recent discovery that little penguins in the southern province of Otago belong to an Australian species, a team of researchers from New Zealand and the United States set out to determine when the Aussies first arrived.

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