ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Raising a child with autism: How optimism can help to cope
• Origin of dromedary domestication discovered
• Tiger moths use signals to warn bats: Toxic not tasty
• Placental RNA may help protect embryo from viruses, study finds
• Saharan dust affects marine bacteria, potential pathogen Vibrio
• Study supports natural causes, not alien activity, to explain mystery star's behavior
• Scientists pioneer a breakthrough approach to breast cancer treatment
• Sleuths search the seas for soot
• Carrot genome paints picture of domestication, could help improve crops
• Biofeedback system designed to control photosynthetic lighting
• This 5-fingered robot hand learns to get a grip on its own
• Leftover warm water in Pacific Ocean fueled massive El Niño
• Better way to diagnose, manage neuroendocrine tumors
• Panic-proofing, not preventing bubbles, should be focus of U. S. financial policy
• Small brain area plays key role in making everyday decisions
• Screening for postpartum depression: Research review and update
• Bacterial individualism: Survival strategy for hard times
• Nine ornamental landscape plants tested for salt tolerance
• When beneficial bacteria knock but no one is home
• Shellfish response to ocean acidification depends on other stressors
• New data on brain network activity can help in understanding 'cognitive vulnerability' to depression
• Neutrons tap into magnetism in topological insulators at high temperatures
• Machine learning accelerates discovery of new materials
• Effects of spectral quality, intensity of LEDs
• Can gender play a role in determining cancer treatment choices?
• Daily up and down of the plankton animals in the sea
• Study shows possible 'key' to improved therapy for adrenocortical carcinoma
• Stochastic resonance, chaos transfer shown in an optomechanical microresonator
• International collaboration for genome analysis leads to clues about rare cancer
• Experimental therapy halts treatment-resistant brain tumors in mouse model
• Fewer overweight or obese children in Canada after years of increased rates
• E-cigarettes not meeting potential as 'disruptive technology,' study shows
• Antarctic whales and the krill they eat
• First single-enzyme method to produce quantum dots revealed
• Do genes express themselves through poetry?
• Radiotherapy halves deaths from prostate cancer 15 years after diagnosis
• Delayed concussion reporting may sideline college athletes for several more days
• How will people interact with technology in the future?
• More than half of streamflow in the upper Colorado River basin originates as groundwater
• Intense wind found in the neighborhood of a black hole
• Four of five british people are unaware of ocean acidification
• Genetic potential of oil-eating bacteria from the BP oil spill decoded
• Malaria vaccine protects adults for up to a year, new study finds
• Discovery of lung cancer mutations responsive to targeted therapies, immunotherapies
• Exciting ideas won't slow climate change if people don't buy in and buy them
• Exploring the gut-brain connection for insights into multiple sclerosis
• Yellow fever epidemic: New global health emergency?
• 'Second skin': New material temporarily tightens skin
• Pesticide exposure linked to increased risk of ALS
• Fooling the test: Antibiotic-resistant bacteria that look susceptible
• Map of flow within the Earth's mantle finds the surface moving up and down 'like a yo-yo'
• Early Earth's air weighed less than half of today's atmosphere
• Best of both worlds: Ferromagnetism and semiconductor for spintronics
• Sulfur levels are in decline
• Drug works against 'superbug' biofilms, respiratory virus
• In cities, flooding and rainfall extremes to rise as climate changes
• Novel functionalized nanomaterials for CO2 capture
• Infants swaddling for sleep associated with sudden infant death syndrome
• Human nature: Behavioral economists create model of our desire to make sense of it all
• Experts unveil submicroscopic tunable, optical amplifier

Raising a child with autism: How optimism can help to cope Posted: 09 May 2016 04:18 PM PDT Humans are resilient, even facing the toughest of life's challenges. How individuals and families deal with demanding and emotionally charged circumstances plays a large role in how they view and face the world and the possible outcomes of a difficult situation. There's no exception for the challenging Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and how families adjust and cope with the reported stress of raising a child with autism.

Origin of dromedary domestication discovered Posted: 09 May 2016 04:18 PM PDT Dromedaries have been used for transportation for over 3,000 years. But it was not known where they were first domesticated or which genetic structure was selected in the process. A team of researchers has now identified the origin of the domesticated dromedary and showed that the dromedaries, unlike other domesticated animals, have maintained extensive gene flow in the modern population.

Tiger moths use signals to warn bats: Toxic not tasty Posted: 09 May 2016 04:18 PM PDT Acoustic warning signals emitted by tiger moths to deter bats -- a behavior previously proven only in the laboratory -- actually occur in nature and are used as a defense mechanism, according to new research.

Placental RNA may help protect embryo from viruses, study finds Posted: 09 May 2016 04:10 PM PDT A long non-coding RNA, or lncRNA, has been identified that contributes to a crucial function of the placenta: protecting the unborn baby from invading pathogens.

Saharan dust affects marine bacteria, potential pathogen Vibrio Posted: 09 May 2016 04:10 PM PDT Iron can be hard to hard to come by in open marine waters -- except each summer, when atmospherically transported dust from north Africa's Sahara Desert provides pulses of biologically important nutrients, including iron, to the tropical marine waters of the Caribbean and southeastern US. Researchers found Vibrio bacteria respond rapidly to this influx of iron-rich Saharan dust, leading to large blooms of the potentially harmful bacteria.

Study supports natural causes, not alien activity, to explain mystery star's behavior Posted: 09 May 2016 12:37 PM PDT The results of a new study make it far less likely that KIC 8462852, popularly known as Tabby's star, is the home of industrious aliens who are gradually enclosing it in a vast shell called a Dyson sphere.

Scientists pioneer a breakthrough approach to breast cancer treatment Posted: 09 May 2016 12:26 PM PDT In a development that could lead to a new generation of drugs to precisely treat a range of diseases, scientists have for the first time designed a drug candidate that decreases the growth of tumor cells in animal models in one of the hardest to treat cancers—triple negative breast cancer.

Sleuths search the seas for soot Posted: 09 May 2016 11:58 AM PDT Earth system scientists have taken water samples from the north Pacific, north and south Atlantic, and Arctic oceans in search of repositories of black carbon, soot from burning biomass and diesel engines, among other sources. They've found considerably less of the material than expected, and they've discovered that it exists in at least two varieties, a younger pool closer to the ocean's surface that is absorbed into the environment in a roughly 100-year cycle and an ancient reserve that remains stable for millennia.

Carrot genome paints picture of domestication, could help improve crops Posted: 09 May 2016 11:55 AM PDT Sometimes, the evolutionary history of a species can be found in a fossil record. Other times, rocks and imprints must be swapped for DNA and genetic fingerprints. The latter is the case for the good-for-your-eyes carrot, a top crop whose full genetic code was just deciphered by a team of researchers.

Biofeedback system designed to control photosynthetic lighting Posted: 09 May 2016 11:55 AM PDT A chlorophyll fluorescence-based biofeedback system was used to maintain the electron transport rate (a proxy for photosynthesis) of lettuce, sweetpotato, and pothos at target rates altered over 15 hours. The biofeedback system can maintain a wide range of ETRs by automatically adjusting light output from LEDs. It can also distinguish between standard plant mechanisms to dissipate excess light energy and damage to the photosynthetic apparatus as causes for decreases in light use efficiency of plants.

This 5-fingered robot hand learns to get a grip on its own Posted: 09 May 2016 11:55 AM PDT Computer science experts and engineering researchers have built a robot hand that can not only perform dexterous manipulation -- one of the most difficult problems in robotics to solve -- but also learn from its own experience.

Leftover warm water in Pacific Ocean fueled massive El Niño Posted: 09 May 2016 11:55 AM PDT A new study provides insight into how the current El Niño, one of the strongest on record, formed in the Pacific Ocean.

Better way to diagnose, manage neuroendocrine tumors Posted: 09 May 2016 11:55 AM PDT Ga-68 DOTATATE PET/CT scans are superior to In-111 pentetreotide scans, the current imaging standard in the United States for detecting neuroendocrine tumors (NETS), and could significantly impact treatment management, a new study suggests.

Panic-proofing, not preventing bubbles, should be focus of U. S. financial policy Posted: 09 May 2016 10:33 AM PDT Complicated new regulations added to complicated old regulations won't protect the United States' financial system from frightening crashes like that experienced in 2008, says a professor who helped the Obama administration pull the financial sector out of that morass. Instead, "a much simpler and more surgical approach is needed," the professor says.

Small brain area plays key role in making everyday decisions Posted: 09 May 2016 10:33 AM PDT A small brain structure plays a central role in the many decisions like this we make each day. But it hasn't been clear how a limited number of neurons in this small part of the brain can support an unlimited number of choices. Now, studying how macaque monkeys choose between juice drinks, researchers have found that neurons in the orbitofrontal cortex can re-map to make different decisions when circumstances change.

Screening for postpartum depression: Research review and update Posted: 09 May 2016 10:30 AM PDT Mothers of new babies should undergo screening for postpartum depression—preferably across healthcare locations and at multiple times up to one year after delivery, according to a new research review.

Bacterial individualism: Survival strategy for hard times Posted: 09 May 2016 10:29 AM PDT Whether you are a human or a bacterium, your environment determines how you can develop. In particular, there are two fundamental problems. First: what resources can you draw on to survive and grow? And second: how do you respond if your environment suddenly changes?

Nine ornamental landscape plants tested for salt tolerance Posted: 09 May 2016 10:29 AM PDT Nine ornamental species were irrigated with a nutrient solution at three different electrical conductivity rates and were assessed for growth and physiological responses. Orange peel jessamine and mexican hummingbird bush were the most salt-tolerant in the trials, while flame acanthus, rock rose, and 'Dark knight' bluebeard were moderately salt-tolerant. Cardinal flower, mexican false heather, and butterfly blue plants were moderately salt-sensitive, while eastern red columbine was the most salt-sensitive among the species.

When beneficial bacteria knock but no one is home Posted: 09 May 2016 10:28 AM PDT By studying the interplay between genetic risk factors for Crohn's and the bacteria that populate the gut, researchers at have discovered a new potential cause for this disorder in some patients -- information that may lead to advances in probiotic therapies and personalized medicine.

Shellfish response to ocean acidification depends on other stressors Posted: 09 May 2016 10:28 AM PDT A study of California mussels, a key species in the rocky intertidal ecosystems of the West Coast, indicates that the effects of ocean acidification will vary from place to place along the coast depending on a range of interacting factors. Researchers found that the ability of mussels to cope with more acidic conditions depends largely on how much food is available to them, and both factors vary from place to place.

New data on brain network activity can help in understanding 'cognitive vulnerability' to depression Posted: 09 May 2016 10:28 AM PDT Neuroimaging studies of interconnected brain networks may provide the 'missing links' between behavioral and biological models of cognitive vulnerability to depression, according to a new review.

Neutrons tap into magnetism in topological insulators at high temperatures Posted: 09 May 2016 10:28 AM PDT Researchers used neutron scattering to reveal magnetic moments in hybrid topological insulator materials at room temperature, hundreds of degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the extreme sub-zero cold where the properties are expected to occur. The discovery promises new opportunities for next-generation electronic and spintronic devices such as improved transistors and quantum computing technologies.

Machine learning accelerates discovery of new materials Posted: 09 May 2016 10:28 AM PDT Researchers recently demonstrated how an informatics-based adaptive design strategy, tightly coupled to experiments, can accelerate the discovery of new materials with targeted properties.

Effects of spectral quality, intensity of LEDs Posted: 09 May 2016 10:28 AM PDT A study involving cultivation of four types of vegetable plants compared a conventional white LED tube light with LED lamps with a good spectral fit to the maximum photosynthetic response at two intensities. The LED lamps specifically designed for horticultural use were determined to be more beneficial to plant growth and had 26 percent higher energy efficiency when compared to conventional LED lamps.

Can gender play a role in determining cancer treatment choices? Posted: 09 May 2016 10:24 AM PDT It is well known that men and women differ in terms of cancer susceptibility, survival and mortality, but exactly why this occurs at a molecular level has been poorly understood.

Daily up and down of the plankton animals in the sea Posted: 09 May 2016 10:24 AM PDT A unique series of measurements taken over several years in the Antarctic Ocean provide new findings about the daily vertical migration of zooplankton communities: scientists of the observed changes during the year and between years.

Study shows possible 'key' to improved therapy for adrenocortical carcinoma Posted: 09 May 2016 10:24 AM PDT Significant new findings about adrenocortical carcinoma, a rare cancer with an often poor prognosis, have been revealed by a new study comprised of 39 international institutions.

Stochastic resonance, chaos transfer shown in an optomechanical microresonator Posted: 09 May 2016 10:24 AM PDT A novel route to encode chaos on light in an optomechanical microresonator system has been discovered by scientists. An optomechanical microresonator system combines optics and mechanics in a very small area to study the nature and activities of light affected by the mechanical movement of the system.

International collaboration for genome analysis leads to clues about rare cancer Posted: 09 May 2016 10:24 AM PDT An international team of researchers through The Cancer Genome Atlas Network uncovered double the number of genetic drivers already known to fuel adrenal cancer.

Experimental therapy halts treatment-resistant brain tumors in mouse model Posted: 09 May 2016 10:24 AM PDT Researchers report an experimental therapy that in laboratory tests stops aggressive, treatment-resistant and deadly brain cancers called glioblastoma and high-grade gliomas. Testing a multi-step therapeutic strategy, the scientists found a way to use a gene therapy to shut down a gene long-implicated in the formation of high-grade gliomas called Olig2.

Fewer overweight or obese children in Canada after years of increased rates Posted: 09 May 2016 10:24 AM PDT After years of increases, the rates of children who are overweight or obese are declining in Canada, according to new research. The study, conducted to understand obesity trends in Canada, looked at data on 14,014 children between the ages of 3 and 19 years. The sex distribution of the group was split evenly and 80% of the children were white.

E-cigarettes not meeting potential as 'disruptive technology,' study shows Posted: 09 May 2016 09:04 AM PDT Most smokers who have tried electronic cigarettes have rejected them as less satisfying than regular cigarettes, reducing their potential to be a "disruptive technology" that could help a significant number of smokers to quit, according to a recent study.

Antarctic whales and the krill they eat Posted: 09 May 2016 08:57 AM PDT The Western Antarctic sector of the Southern Ocean is the regular feeding ground of a large number of fin and humpback whales of the Southern Hemisphere. Around 5,000 fin whales likely migrate to its ice-free waters during summer, along with at least 3,000 humpback whales.

First single-enzyme method to produce quantum dots revealed Posted: 09 May 2016 08:57 AM PDT Engineers have successfully demonstrated the first precisely controlled, biological way to manufacture quantum dots using a single-enzyme, paving the way for a significantly quicker, cheaper and greener production method.

Do genes express themselves through poetry? Posted: 09 May 2016 08:57 AM PDT A new study makes inroads in learning to 'read' the genome, a key goal of modern biology. The results show that the DNA content of our genomes resembles a complex biological language, composed of coding regions and regulatory regions. Although protein-coding regions in DNA could be compared to a traffic signal -- utilizing a simple stop or go message -- the regulatory regions in DNA are more like poetry.

Radiotherapy halves deaths from prostate cancer 15 years after diagnosis Posted: 09 May 2016 08:56 AM PDT A longitudinal Nordic study, comparing the results of hormone (antiandrogen) therapy with or without the addition of local radiotherapy, shows that a combination of treatments halves the risk of death from prostate cancer 15 years after diagnosis.

Delayed concussion reporting may sideline college athletes for several more days Posted: 09 May 2016 08:56 AM PDT Athletes who wait to report a concussion may experience longer recovery times, sayresearchers who found that college players who delayed treatment or removal from play missed an average of five more days of play than athletes who immediately reported concussion symptoms.

How will people interact with technology in the future? Posted: 09 May 2016 08:56 AM PDT New research discusses how people will interact with technology in the future.

More than half of streamflow in the upper Colorado River basin originates as groundwater Posted: 09 May 2016 08:56 AM PDT The entire Colorado River Basin currently supports 50 million people, and that amount is expected to increase by 23 million between 2000 and 2030. New research shows that more than half of the streamflow in the Upper Colorado River Basin originates as groundwater.

Intense wind found in the neighborhood of a black hole Posted: 09 May 2016 08:56 AM PDT Astrophysicists have detected an intense wind from one of the closest known black holes to the Earth.

Four of five british people are unaware of ocean acidification Posted: 09 May 2016 08:55 AM PDT Just one in five people in Britain are aware of ocean acidification -- a consequence of carbon emissions that poses serious risks to sea-life -- a survey of 2,501 members of the public has revealed.

Genetic potential of oil-eating bacteria from the BP oil spill decoded Posted: 09 May 2016 08:55 AM PDT Microbiologists have cracked the genetic code of how bacteria broke down oil to help clean up the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, revealing that some bacteria have far greater potential for consuming oil than was previously known. The findings have applications for responding to future oil spills.

Malaria vaccine protects adults for up to a year, new study finds Posted: 09 May 2016 08:55 AM PDT Malaria infects hundreds of millions of people every year, and kills more than half a million, most of them under the age of 5 years. There is no vaccine. But now, a new study has found that an experimental malaria vaccine protected adults from infection for more than a year.

Discovery of lung cancer mutations responsive to targeted therapies, immunotherapies Posted: 09 May 2016 08:55 AM PDT A number of new driver mutations in lung cancer cells has been discovered that may be responsive to genomically targeted therapies and to immunotherapy.

Exciting ideas won't slow climate change if people don't buy in and buy them Posted: 09 May 2016 08:55 AM PDT As governments and researchers race to develop policies and technologies to make energy production more sustainable and mitigate climate change, they need to remember that the most sophisticated endeavors won't work if they're not adopted.

Exploring the gut-brain connection for insights into multiple sclerosis Posted: 09 May 2016 08:51 AM PDT Bacteria living in the gut may remotely influence the activity of cells in the brain that are involved in controlling inflammation and neurodegeneration, new research suggests. Using pre-clinical models for multiple sclerosis (MS) and samples from MS patients, the team found evidence that changes in diet and gut flora may influence astrocytes in the brain, and, consequently, neurodegeneration, pointing to potential therapeutic targets.

Yellow fever epidemic: New global health emergency? Posted: 09 May 2016 08:51 AM PDT Evidence is mounting that the current outbreak of yellow fever is becoming the latest global health emergency, say two experts who call on the World Health Organization to convene an emergency committee under the International Health Regulations. In addition, with frequent emerging epidemics, they call for the creation of a 'standing emergency committee' to be prepared for future health emergencies.

'Second skin': New material temporarily tightens skin Posted: 09 May 2016 08:51 AM PDT Scientists have developed a new material that can temporarily protect and tighten skin, and smooth wrinkles. With further development, it could also be used to deliver drugs to help treat skin conditions such as eczema and other types of dermatitis.

Pesticide exposure linked to increased risk of ALS Posted: 09 May 2016 08:51 AM PDT Survey data suggest reported cumulative pesticide exposure was associated with increased risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disease, say investigators.

Fooling the test: Antibiotic-resistant bacteria that look susceptible Posted: 09 May 2016 08:51 AM PDT Scientists characterize Enterobacter cloacae strains recently isolated from patient samples. This type of antibiotic resistance could be causing unexplained treatment failures.

Map of flow within the Earth's mantle finds the surface moving up and down 'like a yo-yo' Posted: 09 May 2016 08:51 AM PDT Researchers have compiled the first global set of observations of flow within the Earth's mantle -- the layer between the crust and the core -- and found that it is moving much faster than has been predicted.

Early Earth's air weighed less than half of today's atmosphere Posted: 09 May 2016 08:51 AM PDT Bubbles trapped in ancient lava shows the early Earth did not have a thicker atmosphere -- the air pressure 2.7 billion years ago was at most half of today's.

Best of both worlds: Ferromagnetism and semiconductor for spintronics Posted: 09 May 2016 08:51 AM PDT More, faster, better, cheaper. These are the demands of our device-happy and data-centered world. Meeting these demands requires technologies for processing and storing information. Now, a significant obstacle to the development of next-generation device technologies appears to have been overcome, according to a research team. Specializing in the emerging field of semiconductor spintronics, the team has become the first to report growing iron-doped ferromagnetic semiconductors working at room temperature -- a longstanding physical constraint.

Sulfur levels are in decline Posted: 09 May 2016 07:57 AM PDT With the move from burning coal to natural gas and low-sulfur coal and an increase in the use of scrubbers, only about 25 percent as much atmospheric sulfur is available today, compared to 40 years ago. Sulfur balances in agricultural fields are now negative, with more removed each year in crop harvests and leaching than is added from fertilizers and deposition, scientists have found, suggesting that farmers may need to apply sulfur fertilizer at some point in the future, particularly on fields with less soil organic matter.

Drug works against 'superbug' biofilms, respiratory virus Posted: 09 May 2016 07:56 AM PDT A new potential drug therapy has proven effective against tough bacterial biofilms and a deadly respiratory virus simultaneously. The drug outperforms traditional therapies in the laboratory setting.

In cities, flooding and rainfall extremes to rise as climate changes Posted: 09 May 2016 07:56 AM PDT Cities face harsher, more concentrated rainfall as climate change not only intensifies storms, but draws them into narrower bands of more intense downpours, Australian engineers have determined. The findings have major implications for existing stormwater infrastructure, particularly in large cities, which face higher risks of flash flooding.

Novel functionalized nanomaterials for CO2 capture Posted: 09 May 2016 07:56 AM PDT Climate change due to excessive CO2 levels is one of the most serious problems humankind has ever faced. CO2 emissions need to be reduced urgently to avoid potentially dangerous and irreversible effects of climate change. To mitigate such emissions, CO2 capture is one of the best solutions. Scientists have now developed novel functionalized nanomaterials that can capture CO2 with superior capture capacity and stability over conventional sorbents.

Infants swaddling for sleep associated with sudden infant death syndrome Posted: 09 May 2016 07:56 AM PDT The risk of sudden infant death syndrome appears to increase when infants are swaddled while sleeping on their stomachs or sides, new research has found. The analysis looked at four studies, which spanned two decades and covered three diverse geographical areas, including regions of England, Tasmania in Australia, and Chicago, Ill.

Human nature: Behavioral economists create model of our desire to make sense of it all Posted: 09 May 2016 07:56 AM PDT Researchers have identified a powerful human motive that has not been adequately appreciated by social and behavioral scientists: the drive to make sense of our lives and the world around us. They show that it can help to make sense of a wide range of disparate phenomena, including curiosity, boredom, confirmation bias and information avoidance, esthetics, caring about other's beliefs, the importance of narrative and the role of 'the good life' in decision-making.

Experts unveil submicroscopic tunable, optical amplifier Posted: 09 May 2016 07:55 AM PDT Researchers have unveiled a new nanoparticle amplifier that can generate infrared light and boost the output of one light by capturing and converting energy from a second light.

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