ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Researchers mine Twitter to reveal Congress' ideological divide on climate change
• Amazon might not always be pitching you the best prices, researchers find
• Prevention is key to closing racial disparity gap in stroke
• Brain power: Why do humans have the largest cerebral cortex?
• New mouse models give a boost to the development of cancer immunotherapies
• Scientists experimentally confirm electron model in complex molecules
• Reading between the genes
• Bionic leaf turns sunlight into liquid fuel
• Microplastic particles threaten fish larvae
• New CRISPR system for targeting RNA
• New radio map of Jupiter reveals what's beneath colorful clouds
• Dogs were domesticated not once, but twice ... in different parts of the world
• Genetic code of red blood cells discovered
• Wiretapping the senses: Scientists monitor conversation between sensory perception, behavior in the mouse brain
• Cell insights shed light on how muscle-wasting disease takes hold
• Declining dopamine may explain why older people take fewer risks
• Texas tech researcher aiding in study of eagle interaction with wind turbines
• The universe is expanding even faster than expected
• Use of neighborhood environment can help overweight adolescents increase physical activity
• Dentin nanostructures: A 'super-natural' phenomenon
• Tiny lasers enable next-gen microprocessors to run faster, less power-hungry
• How one gene, protein suppresses tumor formation
• Americans need easier access, more affordable options for hearing health care
• Genetic diversity important for plant survival when nitrogen inputs increase
• Differences in how ALS affects eye, limb muscles act as clue
• Higher BMI, waist circumference are associated with increased risk of aggressive prostate cancer
• How the Great Recession weighed on children
• Frailty among young bone marrow transplant survivors increases risk of death
• Web panels build customer loyalty
• New free web service for deep study of cell functions
• At the cradle of oxygen: Brand-new detector to reveal the interiors of stars
• International trial changing standard of care for advanced breast cancer
• Commercial weight-loss programs: Evidence of benefits for diabetics still too scarce
• Inflammation of the placenta interferes with fetal development
• New review investigates health benefit of contact with natural environment
• Cancer survivors: A growing population
• Fountain of youth? Dietary supplement may prevent and reverse severe damage to aging brain, research suggests
• No sweet surrender: Glucose actually enhances self-control, study shows
• Brainwaves could be the next health vital sign
• Health concerns about global baby formula boom
• Gender gap discovered in science exam performance
• Global fungal threat: Six new species associated with bat evolution
• Unusual combo reduces health risk from atypical antipsychotic
• 3D printing of patterned membranes opens door to rapid advances in membrane technology
• Fighting advanced thyroid cancer with immunotherapy
• Seagulls head to big city not for better homes, but more abundant food
• Artisan backpackers of South America
• A new Einstein Ring: Distant galaxy lensed by gravity
• Quantum satellite device tests technology for global quantum network
• One impurity to bind them all
• Cancer cells become more aggressive from fat storage
• Olfactory receptor discovered in pigment cells of the skin
• How did Southeastern Mayan people overcome catastrophic eruption of Ilpango?
• Mice on wheels show scientists how exercise benefits their brains
• Two-drug immunotherapy deemed safe for lung cancer patients, study shows
• Scientists gain supervolcano insights from Wyoming granite
• Scientists have created mice with hyper-long telomeres without altering the genes
• How to organize a cell: Novel insight from a fungus
• Study reveals incarceration's hidden wounds for African-American men
• Florida drug database and 'Pill Mills' curbed state's top opioid prescribers

Researchers mine Twitter to reveal Congress' ideological divide on climate change Posted: 02 Jun 2016 01:29 PM PDT Senate Democrats are three times more likely to follow science-related Twitter accounts than their Republican peers, according to a new study. The research shows the growing divide between parties on the issue of climate change, but also provides hope, pointing to individuals who cross the aisle and bridge the gap.

Amazon might not always be pitching you the best prices, researchers find Posted: 02 Jun 2016 01:29 PM PDT A research team shows that Amazon is much more likely to point buyers to sellers who use an automated practice called algorithmic pricing, even though those sellers' prices may be higher than others'.

Prevention is key to closing racial disparity gap in stroke Posted: 02 Jun 2016 01:29 PM PDT Middle aged African-Americans are more likely to die of stroke than are whites, not because of differences in care after stroke, but because blacks are having more strokes. Researchers suggest greater prevention efforts aimed at younger African-Americans are needed to raise awareness of early stroke risk and contributing factors.

Brain power: Why do humans have the largest cerebral cortex? Posted: 02 Jun 2016 12:20 PM PDT The expansion of the cerebral cortex sets humans apart from the rest of their fellow primates. Yet scientists have long wondered what mechanisms are responsible for this evolutionary development. New research has pinpointed a specific long nocoding ribonucleic acid that regulates neural development.

New mouse models give a boost to the development of cancer immunotherapies Posted: 02 Jun 2016 12:18 PM PDT A new cancer treatment called CD40 inhibitor has yielded disappointing results when tested in clinical trials, failing to mobilize patients' immune system against tumors the way it was expected to. But a recent study offers clues about how this experimental drug might be optimized to fulfill its potential.

Scientists experimentally confirm electron model in complex molecules Posted: 02 Jun 2016 12:18 PM PDT In 1998 scientists Richard Bader and Carlo Gatti proposed a mathematical model, describing the distribution of delocalized electrons in molecules. Now new research is the first to confirm the accuracy of the model, using only experimental data.

Reading between the genes Posted: 02 Jun 2016 12:18 PM PDT For a long time dismissed as 'junk DNA,' we now know that also the regions between the genes fulfill vital functions. Scientists have now developed a method to find regulatory DNA regions which are active and controlling genes.

Bionic leaf turns sunlight into liquid fuel Posted: 02 Jun 2016 12:18 PM PDT Scientists have created a system that uses solar energy to split water molecules and hydrogen-eating bacteria to produce liquid fuels. The system can convert solar energy to biomass with 10 percent efficiency, far above the 1 percent seen in the fastest-growing plants.

Microplastic particles threaten fish larvae Posted: 02 Jun 2016 12:17 PM PDT Researchers have found that larval fish exposed to microplastic particles during development displayed changed behaviors and stunted growth which lead to greatly increased mortality rates. The researchers discovered that larval perch that had access to microplastic particles only ate plastic and ignored their natural food source of free-swimming zooplankton.

New CRISPR system for targeting RNA Posted: 02 Jun 2016 12:17 PM PDT Researchers have characterized a new CRISPR system that targets RNA, rather than DNA. The new approach has the potential to open a powerful avenue in cellular manipulation.

New radio map of Jupiter reveals what's beneath colorful clouds Posted: 02 Jun 2016 12:17 PM PDT Using the upgraded Very Large Array, astronomers have produced a detailed radio map of the upper 100 kilometers of Jupiter's atmosphere, revealing the complex movement of ammonia gas that shapes the colorful clouds observed in the optical. The map will help understand how global circulation and cloud formation are driven by Jupiter's powerful internal heat source, and shed light on similar processes on giant planets in our solar system and around distant stars.

Dogs were domesticated not once, but twice ... in different parts of the world Posted: 02 Jun 2016 12:17 PM PDT Scientists have compared genetic data with existing archaeological evidence and show that man's best friend may have emerged independently from two separate (possibly now extinct) wolf populations that lived on opposite sides of the Eurasian continent. This means that dogs may have been domesticated not once, as widely believed, but twice.

Genetic code of red blood cells discovered Posted: 02 Jun 2016 10:26 AM PDT Eight days. That's how long it takes for skin cells to reprogram into red blood cells. Researchers have successfully identified the four genetic keys that unlock the genetic code of skin cells and reprogram them to start producing red blood cells instead.

Wiretapping the senses: Scientists monitor conversation between sensory perception, behavior in the mouse brain Posted: 02 Jun 2016 10:26 AM PDT Sensory information enters the brain at the primary sensory cortex, where they are processed by different layers of cells in ways that ultimately influence an animal's perception and behavioral response. Scientists have now watched the flow of information between the different layers of the cortex for the first time in awake, active mice. Their work provides new insights into links between sensory stimuli and behavior.

Cell insights shed light on how muscle-wasting disease takes hold Posted: 02 Jun 2016 10:26 AM PDT Insights into how our cells control muscle development could aid understanding of muscular dystrophy and other inherited diseases, say scientists.

Declining dopamine may explain why older people take fewer risks Posted: 02 Jun 2016 10:24 AM PDT Older people are less willing to take risks for potential rewards and this may be due to declining levels of dopamine in the brain, finds a new study of over 25,000 people.The study found that older people were less likely to choose risky gambles to win more points in a smartphone app called The Great Brain Experiment.

Texas tech researcher aiding in study of eagle interaction with wind turbines Posted: 02 Jun 2016 09:25 AM PDT A new study will track golden eagle movement using solar-powered GPS transmitters to see how often they hunt or fly through area wind farms.

The universe is expanding even faster than expected Posted: 02 Jun 2016 09:25 AM PDT Hubble Space Telescope astronomers have discovered that the universe is expanding 5-9% percent faster than expected. They made the discovery by refining the universe's current expansion rate to unprecedented accuracy, reducing the uncertainty to only 2.4%. The team made the refinements by developing innovative techniques that improved the precision of distance measurements to faraway galaxies. These measurements are fundamental to making more precise calculations of how fast the universe expands with time, a value called the Hubble constant.

Use of neighborhood environment can help overweight adolescents increase physical activity Posted: 02 Jun 2016 09:20 AM PDT A program encouraging overweight or obese adolescents to increase their physical activity through use of their everyday environment, rather than organized classes or sports programs, produced significant increases in daily physical activity that were sustained for at least three to four months.

Dentin nanostructures: A 'super-natural' phenomenon Posted: 02 Jun 2016 09:20 AM PDT Dentin is one of the most durable biological materials in the human body. Researchers were able to show that the reason for this can be traced to its nanostructures and specifically to the interactions between the organic and inorganic components.

Tiny lasers enable next-gen microprocessors to run faster, less power-hungry Posted: 02 Jun 2016 09:20 AM PDT Tiny high-performance lasers grown directly on silicon wafers solve a decades-old semiconductor industry challenge that, until now, has held back the integration of photonics with electronics on the silicon platform. Scientists were able to fabricate tiny lasers directly on silicon -- a huge breakthrough for the semiconductor industry and well beyond. For more than 30 years, the crystal lattice of silicon and of typical laser materials could not match up, making it impossible to integrate the two materials -- until now.

How one gene, protein suppresses tumor formation Posted: 02 Jun 2016 09:20 AM PDT Pten (short for phosphatase and tensin homolog) is a tumor suppressor that is defective in about 20-25 percent of all patients with cancers. Researchers now have discovered that Pten safeguards against tumor formation by keeping chromosome numbers intact when a cell splits into two daughter cells.

Americans need easier access, more affordable options for hearing health care Posted: 02 Jun 2016 09:20 AM PDT Hearing loss is a significant public health concern, and efforts should be made to provide adults with easier access to and more affordable options for hearing health care, especially for those in underserved and vulnerable populations, suggests a new report.

Genetic diversity important for plant survival when nitrogen inputs increase Posted: 02 Jun 2016 09:20 AM PDT Genetic diversity is important for plant species to persist in Northern forests that experience human nitrogen inputs, a scientists has found.

Differences in how ALS affects eye, limb muscles act as clue Posted: 02 Jun 2016 09:18 AM PDT In an effort to better understand what happens during Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), researchers have compared the impact of ALS on the eye and limb muscles. They have focused on specific proteins that are important for muscle-nerve contacts. The eye muscles appear to be better equipped to maintain their muscle-nerve contacts and are thereby less affected.

Higher BMI, waist circumference are associated with increased risk of aggressive prostate cancer Posted: 02 Jun 2016 09:18 AM PDT A study of almost 150,000 men from eight European countries shows that higher body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference are associated with an increased risk of aggressive prostate cancer.

How the Great Recession weighed on children Posted: 02 Jun 2016 09:18 AM PDT Increases in unemployment in California during the Great Recession were associated with an increased risk for weight gain among the state's 1.7 million public school students, suggesting that economic troubles could have long-term health consequences for children.

Frailty among young bone marrow transplant survivors increases risk of death Posted: 02 Jun 2016 09:18 AM PDT The prevalence of frailty in young bone marrow transplant survivors is similar to that seen in the elderly population and frailty is associated with an increased risk of subsequent death, according to a new study.

Web panels build customer loyalty Posted: 02 Jun 2016 07:42 AM PDT Customers who are asked to participate in retailer-sponsored Web panels feel valued by being invited to take part and tend to express their gratitude by buying more and across more different product categories.

New free web service for deep study of cell functions Posted: 02 Jun 2016 07:40 AM PDT A simple and effective web service has been developed that enables a better understanding of cell functions by identifying links between changes in metabolism and gene expression. New insights gained by means of the service can be applied to develop treatments for autoimmune diseases and cancer, since metabolic regulation plays a major role in such biological processes.

At the cradle of oxygen: Brand-new detector to reveal the interiors of stars Posted: 02 Jun 2016 07:40 AM PDT The most intense source of gamma radiation constructed to date will soon become operational at the ELI Nuclear Physics research facility. It will be possible to study reactions that reveal the details of many processes occurring within stars, in particular those leading to the formation of oxygen. An important part of the equipment will rely on a new particle detector, a prototype of which has recently concluded the first round of testing.

International trial changing standard of care for advanced breast cancer Posted: 02 Jun 2016 07:39 AM PDT Surgery to remove the primary tumor in women diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer, followed by the standard combination of therapies, adds months to the patients' lives, compared with standard therapy alone, an international clinical trial revealed.

Commercial weight-loss programs: Evidence of benefits for diabetics still too scarce Posted: 02 Jun 2016 07:39 AM PDT Scientists who indirectly investigated the blood sugar effects of 10 (out of 32 selected) commercial weight loss programs say a few show promise of benefit for diabetic patients, but far more rigorous research is needed before doctors can wholeheartedly recommend them.

Inflammation of the placenta interferes with fetal development Posted: 02 Jun 2016 07:39 AM PDT Preeclampsia is one of the most common complications to occur during pregnancy, yet its causes are still unknown. A new study involving patients, cell cultures and animal experiments has now shown that those affected by the disease have lower quantities of the placenta's immune protein CD74, and that certain inflammatory factors are higher. These factors disrupt the formation of the placenta and leave the fetus undernourished.

New review investigates health benefit of contact with natural environment Posted: 02 Jun 2016 07:39 AM PDT A new review investigating the health benefit of contact with the natural environment has found that, while the majority of quantitative studies reported no effect on health and well-being, there was limited evidence to suggest positive effects on self-reported health, quality of life and physical activity levels. Small numbers of participants reported increased mental fatigue and greater feelings of anxiety.

Cancer survivors: A growing population Posted: 02 Jun 2016 07:39 AM PDT More than 15.5 million Americans alive with a history of cancer in 2016, a number that is projected to reach more than 20 million by 2026, a new report indicates.

Fountain of youth? Dietary supplement may prevent and reverse severe damage to aging brain, research suggests Posted: 02 Jun 2016 06:52 AM PDT A dietary supplement containing a blend of thirty vitamins and minerals--all natural ingredients widely available in health food stores--has shown remarkable anti-aging properties that can prevent and even reverse massive brain cell loss, according to new research. It's a mixture scientists believe could someday slow the progress of catastrophic neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's, ALS and Parkinson's.

No sweet surrender: Glucose actually enhances self-control, study shows Posted: 02 Jun 2016 06:50 AM PDT In the age of the 'sugar tax', good news about glucose is hard to come by. But a scientist has just proposed a new understanding of the established link between the sweet stuff and improved self-control.

Brainwaves could be the next health vital sign Posted: 02 Jun 2016 06:48 AM PDT Researchers hope that a brain vital-sign test becomes as routine during a doctor's check-up as taking a blood pressure or heart rate measurement.

Health concerns about global baby formula boom Posted: 02 Jun 2016 06:48 AM PDT A global boom in the sale of infant and baby formula is underway, especially in China and Southeast Asia, raising concerns about the health of millions of mothers and their babies.

Gender gap discovered in science exam performance Posted: 02 Jun 2016 06:48 AM PDT Male students in undergraduate introductory biology courses are outperforming females at test time, but it may be due to how exams are designed rather than academic ability, suggests new research. In addition, high socioeconomic status students are performing better than lower-status students on those same tests.

Global fungal threat: Six new species associated with bat evolution Posted: 02 Jun 2016 06:48 AM PDT A fungal infection associated with a high percentage of deaths among HIV and other immune-compromised patients is more diverse than previously known and likely spread around the world by bats. A global assessment of the fungus Histoplasma found that the pathogen is divided among six species, and its spread and speciation from continent-to-continent over the past 9 million years coincides with the global dispersal and evolution of bats.

Unusual combo reduces health risk from atypical antipsychotic Posted: 02 Jun 2016 06:48 AM PDT Taking vitamin D ameliorates the risk of developing new-onset diabetes from atypical antipsychotics like quetiapine, a new data mining study shows.

3D printing of patterned membranes opens door to rapid advances in membrane technology Posted: 02 Jun 2016 05:39 AM PDT A new type of 3D printing will make it possible for the first time to rapidly prototype and test polymer membranes that are patterned for improved performance.

Fighting advanced thyroid cancer with immunotherapy Posted: 02 Jun 2016 05:39 AM PDT As the chance of being diagnosed with thyroid cancer has risen in recent years, investigators are exploring the impact of the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab on advanced disease.

Seagulls head to big city not for better homes, but more abundant food Posted: 02 Jun 2016 05:37 AM PDT Being bothered by gulls while eating our chips is a problem most city-dwellers have encountered. Now, scientists have reported that concentrating on making food supplies less accessible may prove more effective at countering these 'nuisance events' than removing rooftop nesting.

Artisan backpackers of South America Posted: 02 Jun 2016 05:37 AM PDT A new study of backpackers in Latin America suggests that while most follow the pattern of "Western" backpackers as in other parts of the world and adhere to the general code of honor they are more likely to finance their journeys through artisanal activities, such as selling self-made jewellery and other souvenirs.

A new Einstein Ring: Distant galaxy lensed by gravity Posted: 02 Jun 2016 05:37 AM PDT A multinational team of astronomers has found an Einstein Ring, a rare image of a distant galaxy lensed by gravity.

Quantum satellite device tests technology for global quantum network Posted: 02 Jun 2016 05:37 AM PDT You can't sign up for the quantum internet just yet, but researchers have reported a major experimental milestone towards building a global quantum network -- and it's happening in space.

One impurity to bind them all Posted: 02 Jun 2016 05:36 AM PDT Researchers show that a single atomic impurity is able to trap infinitely many bosons around it. Bound states of bosons are of particular interest because they give rise to long and strong interactions enabling new regimes for quantum simulations.

Cancer cells become more aggressive from fat storage Posted: 02 Jun 2016 05:35 AM PDT It has been established that not all cancer cells are equally aggressive. Most can be neutralized with radiation and chemotherapy. Researchers have now discovered that some cancer cells can accumulate fat droplets, which appear to make them more aggressive and increase their ability to spread.

Olfactory receptor discovered in pigment cells of the skin Posted: 02 Jun 2016 05:35 AM PDT Researchers have demonstrated the existence of an olfactory receptor in pigment-producing cells in human skin, the so-called melanocytes. They have shown that the violet-like scent Beta-Ionone can activate the receptor.

How did Southeastern Mayan people overcome catastrophic eruption of Ilpango? Posted: 02 Jun 2016 05:34 AM PDT Across the centuries, forming cooperative networks beyond cultural boundaries has been a way to overcome natural disasters, researchers say in a new report.

Mice on wheels show scientists how exercise benefits their brains Posted: 02 Jun 2016 05:32 AM PDT The relentless desire by mice to run on cage 'exercise' wheels has helped explain at a molecular level how exercise benefits a mammal's brain.

Two-drug immunotherapy deemed safe for lung cancer patients, study shows Posted: 02 Jun 2016 05:32 AM PDT Utilizing the immunotherapeutic agents nivolumab and ipilimumab could lead to more effective treatment options for non-small cell lung cancer patients who fail initial therapy, report scientists.

Scientists gain supervolcano insights from Wyoming granite Posted: 02 Jun 2016 05:32 AM PDT Scientists can go back into the past to study the solidified magma chambers where erosion has removed the overlying rock, exposing granite underpinnings, a new study suggests.

Scientists have created mice with hyper-long telomeres without altering the genes Posted: 02 Jun 2016 05:32 AM PDT A research team has succeeded in creating mice in the laboratory with hyper-long telomeres and with reduced molecular ageing, avoiding the use of genetic manipulation. This new technique based on epigenetic changes avoids the manipulation of genes in order to delay molecular ageing. The study also underlines the importance of this new strategy in generating embryonic stem cells and iPS cells with long telomeres for use in regenerative medicine.

How to organize a cell: Novel insight from a fungus Posted: 02 Jun 2016 05:32 AM PDT Researchers have found novel insight into the ways cells organize themselves. The work uses an interdisciplinary approach to show, for the first time, that random distribution of organelles is a consequence of energy-dependent activity in a fungus and mammalian cell line. Organelles are the functional units of a cell. Like "organs" in a body, they perform specialised functions that allow survival of the cell.

Study reveals incarceration's hidden wounds for African-American men Posted: 02 Jun 2016 05:32 AM PDT There's a stark and troubling way that incarceration diminishes the ability of a former inmate to empathize with a loved one behind bars, but existing sociological theories fail to capture it, sociologists have found.

Florida drug database and 'Pill Mills' curbed state's top opioid prescribers Posted: 02 Jun 2016 05:32 AM PDT In the first year that two Florida laws aimed at curbing opioid prescriptions were in effect, the state's top opioid prescribers wrote significantly fewer prescriptions of this type of pain medication, a new analysis finds.

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