ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Cinnamon may aid learning ability
• NASA's Juno spacecraft sends first in-orbit view
• Metabolic syndrome linked to sexual dysfunction in older women
• Newly discovered features of collagen may help shed light on disease processes
• Research highlights the legal issues of certifying emotional support animals
• Progress towards protection from highly lethal Ebola, Marburg viruses
• NASA eyes first-ever carbon-nanotube mirrors for CubeSat telescope
• El Niño played a key role in Pacific marine heatwave, as did potentially climate change
• Breastfeeding gaps between white, black, and Hispanic mothers in the US
• Discovery of mechanisms triggering excess antibody production during chronic infection
• Engineered 'sand' may help cool electronic devices
• Novel advancements in radiation tolerance of HEMTs
• New diabetes screening recommendation misses more than half of high-risk patients
• Researchers identify potential immunotherapy drug combination
• Your diet plan isn't working? New research explains why
• Black hole makes material wobble around it
• The moral tipping point: Why it's hard to shake a bad impression
• New method to model protein interactions may help accelerate drug development
• Additive manufacturing techniques featuring atomic precision could one day create materials with Legos flexibility and Terminator toughness
• These days fecal transplantation is no joke
• New resistance gene found in 'high risk' multidrug-resistant pathogen
• Machine learning puts new lens on autism screening and diagnostics
• DNA origami lights up a microscopic glowing Van Gogh
• Scientists move closer to developing therapeutic window to the brain
• 'Big Data' study discovers earliest sign of Alzheimer's development
• Genetics play role in character traits related to academic success
• Mantis shrimp roll their eyes to improve their vision
• Disentangling the plant microbiome
• Changes uncovered in the gut bacteria of patients with multiple sclerosis
• Longest study of Great Lakes region birds finds populations holding steady
• Top news outlets see more risks than benefits in employees' use of social media
• Diabetes challenges, inspires family members, study finds
• Reactive oxygen species: Fueling or putting the brakes on inflammation?
• Selfish mitochondria implicated in a variety of diseases
• Religiosity diminishes conservative opposition to eco-friendly buying
• As body mass index increases, so does spread of multiple myeloma
• Clusters of small satellites could help estimate Earth's reflected energy
• Gecko clearance sale: Pet trade is jeopardizing survival of rare reptile species
• Red hair gene variation drives up skin cancer mutations
• Extending terahertz technology to obtain highly accurate thickness of automotive paint
• Interventions do not improve viral suppression among hospitalized patients with HIV infection
• Study examines risk of HIV transmission from condomless sex with virologically suppressed HIV infection
• 2016 recommendations for antiretroviral drugs for the treatment and prevention of HIV infection
• HIV vaccine research requires unprecedented path, expert suggests
• Male circumcision, HIV treatment can significantly reduce new infections in African men
• Study shows a rising, but uneven, tide of in-home care for disabled seniors
• East-west asymmetry of jet lag recovery due to oscillation of brain cells
• Scientists optimize defects for better superconducting effects
• Blue is an indicator of first star's supernova explosions: More than 13 billion years old
• More than four in 10 working adults think their work impacts their health
• Are brain changes fueling overeating in the obese?
• Middle-age memory decline a matter of changing focus
• Social exchange app might help turn collaboration into currency
• Sharper than living matter permits
• Homo erectus walked as we do
• Surprising neutrino decoherence inside supernovae
• Ice algae: The engine of life in the central Arctic Ocean
• Scavenger crows provide public service, research shows
• Stem cells feel the force
• Help at hand for people watching their weight

Cinnamon may aid learning ability Posted: 12 Jul 2016 06:46 PM PDT Cinnamon is a delicious addition to toast, coffee and breakfast rolls. Eating the tasty household spice also might improve learning ability, according to new study.

NASA's Juno spacecraft sends first in-orbit view Posted: 12 Jul 2016 03:30 PM PDT The JunoCam camera aboard NASA's Juno mission is operational and sending down data after the spacecraft's July 4 arrival at Jupiter. Juno's visible-light camera was turned on six days after Juno fired its main engine and placed itself into orbit around the largest planetary inhabitant of our solar system. The first high-resolution images of the gas giant Jupiter are still a few weeks away.

Metabolic syndrome linked to sexual dysfunction in older women Posted: 12 Jul 2016 02:34 PM PDT Postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome report lower sexual activity, desire, and sexual satisfaction, according to a new report.

Newly discovered features of collagen may help shed light on disease processes Posted: 12 Jul 2016 02:34 PM PDT Scientists are reporting new, unexpected details about the fundamental structure of collagen, the most abundant protein in the human body. In lab experiments, they demonstrated that collagen, once viewed as inert, forms structures that regulate how certain enzymes break down and remodel body tissue. The finding of this regulatory system provides a molecular view of the potential role of physical forces at work in heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and other disease-related processes, they say.

Research highlights the legal issues of certifying emotional support animals Posted: 12 Jul 2016 02:33 PM PDT Service animals are recognized by the ADA as those whose training helps them serve a specific disability-related function. However, people not necessarily exhibiting a mental or physical disability are eluding the system by asking their mental health professionals to certify 'emotional support animals'. Researchers are exploring the effects these requests are having on the mental health profession and recommend that psychologists refrain from issuing certifications to avoid legal risks.

Progress towards protection from highly lethal Ebola, Marburg viruses Posted: 12 Jul 2016 02:33 PM PDT Ebola and Marburg filovirus disease outbreaks have typically occurred as isolated events, confined to central Africa. However, the recent Ebola epidemic spread to several African countries, and caused 11,000 deaths. That epidemic underscored the need to develop vaccines and therapeutics that could be used to fight future disease outbreaks. Now new research suggests that antibodies to filoviruses from individuals who have survived these diseases may offer protection -- not only against the particular filovirus that infected an individual, but against other filoviruses, as well.

NASA eyes first-ever carbon-nanotube mirrors for CubeSat telescope Posted: 12 Jul 2016 02:33 PM PDT A lightweight telescope that a team of NASA scientists and engineers is developing specifically for CubeSat scientific investigations could become the first to carry a mirror made of carbon nanotubes in an epoxy resin.

El Niño played a key role in Pacific marine heatwave, as did potentially climate change Posted: 12 Jul 2016 02:33 PM PDT The Northeast Pacific's largest marine heatwave on record was at least in part caused by El Niño climate patterns. And unusually warm water events in that ocean could potentially become more frequent with rising levels of greenhouse gases, say scientists.

Breastfeeding gaps between white, black, and Hispanic mothers in the US Posted: 12 Jul 2016 02:33 PM PDT Breastfeeding rates differ among white, black and Hispanic mothers, new American research indicates. This study looked to see if ethnic and racial disparities in breastfeeding could be explained by differences in the use of formula in hospitals, family history of breastfeeding, mother's belief that 'breast is best'; and demographic measures including poverty, education and relationship status.

Discovery of mechanisms triggering excess antibody production during chronic infection Posted: 12 Jul 2016 02:33 PM PDT Some autoimmune diseases and persistent infections are characterized by high levels of antibodies in the blood. But what are the causes of this hypergammaglobulinemia? Medical researchers have successfully identified the mechanisms triggering the phenomenon. For the first time ever, they have established a link between B-cell activation by a protein -- type 1 interferon -- and unusually high antibody levels.

Engineered 'sand' may help cool electronic devices Posted: 12 Jul 2016 02:30 PM PDT One scientist would like to put sand into your computer. Not beach sand, but silicon dioxide nanoparticles coated with a high dielectric constant polymer to inexpensively provide improved cooling for increasingly power-hungry electronic devices.

Novel advancements in radiation tolerance of HEMTs Posted: 12 Jul 2016 02:30 PM PDT When it comes to putting technology in space, size and mass are prime considerations. A better understanding of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs could mean huge advancements in solid state science, specifically space exploration.

New diabetes screening recommendation misses more than half of high-risk patients Posted: 12 Jul 2016 02:30 PM PDT Fifty-five percent of high-risk patients were missed by diabetes screening guidelines, according to a new study. Not identifying patients with diabetes and prediabetes prevents them from getting the necessary preventive care. This is the first study to examine how the latest diabetes screening guidelines, issued in October 2015, may perform in practice.

Researchers identify potential immunotherapy drug combination Posted: 12 Jul 2016 02:30 PM PDT A drug combination designed to enhance the immune system's ability to zero in and attack cancer cells has shown a pronounced therapeutic effect against advanced and metastatic cancers in mice, according to a new study.

Your diet plan isn't working? New research explains why Posted: 12 Jul 2016 02:30 PM PDT Dieters tend to adopt the wrong strategies, often planning to ditch their favorite foods and replace them with less-desirable options, according to new research. Conversely, successful dieters focus on adding healthy foods -- foods that they actually like.

Black hole makes material wobble around it Posted: 12 Jul 2016 12:35 PM PDT The European Space Agency's orbiting X-ray observatory, XMM-Newton, has proved the existence of a "gravitational vortex" around a black hole. The discovery, aided by NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) mission, solves a mystery that has eluded astronomers for more than 30 years, and will allow them to map the behavior of matter very close to black holes. It could also open the door to future investigations of Albert Einstein's general relativity.

The moral tipping point: Why it's hard to shake a bad impression Posted: 12 Jul 2016 11:27 AM PDT People require more evidence to perceive improvement in someone's moral character than to perceive a decline, research shows. In other words, it is easier to become a sinner than a saint.

New method to model protein interactions may help accelerate drug development Posted: 12 Jul 2016 11:27 AM PDT Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) are the basis of cellular functions, and when these processes are compromised diseases such as cancer emerge. For years scientists have tried with mixed success to map out PPIs to understand cellular processes.

Additive manufacturing techniques featuring atomic precision could one day create materials with Legos flexibility and Terminator toughness Posted: 12 Jul 2016 11:26 AM PDT Researchers provide an overview of existing paths to 3-D materials, but the ultimate goal is to create and customize material at the atomic scale. Material would be assembled atom by atom, much like children can use Legos to build a car or castle brick by brick. This concept, known as directed matter, could lead to virtually perfect materials and products because many limitations of conventional manufacturing techniques would be eliminated.

These days fecal transplantation is no joke Posted: 12 Jul 2016 11:26 AM PDT Fecal transplants are increasingly being used to treat certain human illnesses and there is a major upsurge in animal experiments involving fecal material, report scientists. But what, exactly, is being transplanted?

New resistance gene found in 'high risk' multidrug-resistant pathogen Posted: 12 Jul 2016 11:24 AM PDT A team of investigators has discovered a new variant of an emerging antibiotic resistance mechanism. The new variant, dubbed mcr-1.2, confers resistance to colistin, a last-resort antibiotic against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens.

Machine learning puts new lens on autism screening and diagnostics Posted: 12 Jul 2016 11:24 AM PDT Researchers are now exploring whether machine learning might play an important role in helping screen for autism and guide caregiver and practitioner intervention.

DNA origami lights up a microscopic glowing Van Gogh Posted: 12 Jul 2016 10:39 AM PDT A technique that allows humanmade DNA shapes to be placed wherever desired -- to within a margin of error of just 20 nanometers -- now removes a major hurdle for the large-scale integration of molecular devices on chips.

Scientists move closer to developing therapeutic window to the brain Posted: 12 Jul 2016 10:39 AM PDT Researchers are bringing their idea for a 'Window to the Brain' transparent skull implant closer to reality through the findings of two recent studies.

'Big Data' study discovers earliest sign of Alzheimer's development Posted: 12 Jul 2016 10:02 AM PDT Scientists have used a powerful tool to better understand the progression of late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD), identifying its first physiological signs. Rsearchers analyzed more than 7,700 brain images from 1,171 people in various stages of Alzheimer's progression using a variety of techniques including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET).

Genetics play role in character traits related to academic success Posted: 12 Jul 2016 10:02 AM PDT Character traits, such as grit or desire to learn, have a heavy hand in academic success and are partially rooted in genetics, according to a new psychology study.

Mantis shrimp roll their eyes to improve their vision Posted: 12 Jul 2016 10:02 AM PDT Imagine rolling your eyes to help you see more clearly. Although it wouldn't work for humans, new research has shown mantis shrimp use eye rotations to enhance their polarization vision.

Disentangling the plant microbiome Posted: 12 Jul 2016 10:02 AM PDT With the human population expected to climb from 7.4 billion to more than 11 billion people by 2100, some scientists hope that manipulating the microbial communities in, on and around plants, the plant microbiome, could open up new ways to meet the growing demand for food. But breeding a better microbiome may be easier in some plant tissues and growing conditions than others, finds a new study.

Changes uncovered in the gut bacteria of patients with multiple sclerosis Posted: 12 Jul 2016 10:02 AM PDT A connection between the bacteria living in the gut and immunological disorders such as multiple sclerosis have long been suspected, but for the first time, researchers have detected clear evidence of changes that tie the two together. Investigators have found that people with multiple sclerosis have different patterns of gut microorganisms than those of their healthy counterparts. In addition, patients receiving treatment for MS have different patterns than untreated patients.

Longest study of Great Lakes region birds finds populations holding steady Posted: 12 Jul 2016 10:02 AM PDT In three national forests -- the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in Wisconsin and the Superior and Chippewa National Forests in Northern Minnesota -- analysis of more than two decades of data found overall healthy bird communities, giving researchers and policy-makers a degree of optimism.

Top news outlets see more risks than benefits in employees' use of social media Posted: 12 Jul 2016 10:01 AM PDT Researchers found in a new study that news organizations are more concerned about the current social media environment than excited about it at least when it comes to their employees.

Diabetes challenges, inspires family members, study finds Posted: 12 Jul 2016 10:01 AM PDT Better outcomes may be possible if family members receive support to help their loved ones with diabetes, according to a major international study.

Reactive oxygen species: Fueling or putting the brakes on inflammation? Posted: 12 Jul 2016 10:01 AM PDT Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are important signalling molecules in an organism's regulation of metabolism and inflammation. Accumulation of ROS have been linked to neurodegeneration and cancer. Researchers in Sweden now reveal an unexpected function of ROS: they dampen a key inflammatory process and weaken the immune system's ability to combat pathogens such as those that cause pneumonia.

Selfish mitochondria implicated in a variety of diseases Posted: 12 Jul 2016 10:01 AM PDT A research team has identified some of the methods that allow mutant mitochondrial DNA to act selfishly by circumventing the molecular mechanisms that cells use to regulate mitochondrial activity.

Religiosity diminishes conservative opposition to eco-friendly buying Posted: 12 Jul 2016 08:55 AM PDT Evidence has been found that religious identification and belief in a god dampen the otherwise strong negative effect that political conservatism typically has on whether people make purchasing decisions with concern for the environment in mind.

As body mass index increases, so does spread of multiple myeloma Posted: 12 Jul 2016 08:55 AM PDT Obesity is believed to be a risk factor for many cancers, and each 5 kg/m2 increase in BMI is associated with an increase of 10 percent in cancer-related deaths, studies show. Now researchers have shown that as body mass index increases, so does the growth and spread of the blood cancer multiple myeloma.

Clusters of small satellites could help estimate Earth's reflected energy Posted: 12 Jul 2016 08:55 AM PDT A team of small, shoebox-sized satellites, flying in formation around the Earth, could estimate the planet's reflected energy with twice the accuracy of traditional monolith satellites, according to a new study. If done right, such satellite swarms could also be cheaper to build, launch, and maintain.

Gecko clearance sale: Pet trade is jeopardizing survival of rare reptile species Posted: 12 Jul 2016 08:55 AM PDT Reptiles are exceedingly popular as pets, trade is booming. Between 2004 and 2014, official imports to the EU came to just under 21 million live specimens, more than six million of these ended up on the German market.

Red hair gene variation drives up skin cancer mutations Posted: 12 Jul 2016 08:55 AM PDT For the first time, researchers have proven that gene variants associated with red hair, pale skin and freckles are linked to a higher number of genetic mutations in skin cancers. The burden of mutations associated with these variants is comparable to an extra 21 years of sun exposure in people without this variant.

Extending terahertz technology to obtain highly accurate thickness of automotive paint Posted: 12 Jul 2016 08:53 AM PDT In a novel approach to industrial applications of THz technology, a team of researchers began from the principle that thicknesses of multi-layered paint coatings can be measured using time-of-flight measurements of ultrashort THz pulses. The model they developed obtained a new level of precision in measuring individual coating layers.

Interventions do not improve viral suppression among hospitalized patients with HIV infection Posted: 12 Jul 2016 08:53 AM PDT A new study has assessed the effect of structured patient navigation (care coordination with case management) interventions with or without financial incentives to improve HIV-l viral suppression rates among hospitalized patients with elevated HIV-1 viral loads and substance use.

Study examines risk of HIV transmission from condomless sex with virologically suppressed HIV infection Posted: 12 Jul 2016 08:53 AM PDT Among nearly 900 serodifferent (one partner is HIV-positive, one is HIV-negative) heterosexual and men who have sex with men couples in which the HIV-positive partner was using suppressive antiretroviral therapy and who reported condomless sex, during a median follow-up of 1.3 years per couple, there were no documented cases of within-couple HIV transmission, according to a new study.

2016 recommendations for antiretroviral drugs for the treatment and prevention of HIV infection Posted: 12 Jul 2016 08:53 AM PDT Experts have updated recommendations for the use of antiretroviral therapy in adults with established HIV infection, including when to start treatment, initial regimens, and changing regimens, along with recommendations for using antiretroviral drugs for preventing HIV among those at risk, including preexposure and postexposure prevention.

HIV vaccine research requires unprecedented path, expert suggests Posted: 12 Jul 2016 08:53 AM PDT Because the body does not readily make an adequate immune response to HIV infection, creating a preventive HIV vaccine remains a formidable challenge for researchers. To succeed in this endeavor, scientists have responded with complex, creative and elegant approaches unparalleled in other vaccine research pursuits, according to a new article.

Male circumcision, HIV treatment can significantly reduce new infections in African men Posted: 12 Jul 2016 08:53 AM PDT Increasing the number of men who undergo circumcision and increasing the rates at which women with HIV are given antiretroviral therapy were associated with significant declines in the number of new male HIV infections in rural Ugandan communities, new research has shown.

Study shows a rising, but uneven, tide of in-home care for disabled seniors Posted: 12 Jul 2016 08:53 AM PDT More seniors are getting help from family, friends and hired helpers to keep them in their homes, despite disabilities that keep them from total independence, a new study finds. Half of disabled seniors in a long-term study got in-home help in 2012, up 20 percent from the late 1990s. But that increase isn't happening evenly across all groups -- and has implications for the careers and health of caregivers.

East-west asymmetry of jet lag recovery due to oscillation of brain cells Posted: 12 Jul 2016 08:53 AM PDT Travelers frequently report experiencing a significantly slower jet lag recovery after an eastward vs. westward flight. While some are quick to dismiss this complaint as being 'all in their head,' new research suggests it may be caused by the oscillation of a certain type of brain cells.

Scientists optimize defects for better superconducting effects Posted: 12 Jul 2016 08:09 AM PDT Investigators have developed a rational approach to optimize the arrangement of defects to enhance the current-carrying capacity of commercial high-temperature superconducting wires.

Blue is an indicator of first star's supernova explosions: More than 13 billion years old Posted: 12 Jul 2016 08:07 AM PDT Astronomers have discovered that the color of supernovae during a specific phase could be an indicator for detecting the most distant and oldest supernovae in the Universe -- more than 13 billion years old.

More than four in 10 working adults think their work impacts their health Posted: 12 Jul 2016 08:07 AM PDT A new poll finds that more than four in 10 working adults (44 percent) say their current job has an impact on their overall health, and one in four (28 percent) say that impact is positive.

Are brain changes fueling overeating in the obese? Posted: 12 Jul 2016 08:07 AM PDT Obese mice are much more likely than lean mice to overeat in the presence of environmental cues, a behavior that could be related to changes in the brain, finds a new study.

Middle-age memory decline a matter of changing focus Posted: 12 Jul 2016 08:07 AM PDT The inability to remember details, such as the location of objects, begins in early midlife (the 40s) and may be the result of a change in what information the brain focuses on during memory formation and retrieval, rather than a decline in brain function.

Social exchange app might help turn collaboration into currency Posted: 12 Jul 2016 08:07 AM PDT A focus on symmetrical activities -- and smart technology -- may be critical to creating applications that allow people to negotiate transactions with their time, rather than their money, according to researchers.

Sharper than living matter permits Posted: 12 Jul 2016 08:07 AM PDT Researchers have found a way to pinpoint the positions of individual molecules while at the same time measuring their activity and interactions in the same living cell. A dedicated cooling protocol on a microscope allows to pause cellular life at subzero temperatures, to let it continue to live again after warming.

Homo erectus walked as we do Posted: 12 Jul 2016 08:04 AM PDT Researchers have recently discovered multiple assemblages of Homo erectus footprints in northern Kenya that provide unique opportunities to understand locomotor patterns and group structure through a form of data that directly records these dynamic behaviours. Using novel analytical techniques, they have demonstrated that these H. erectus footprints preserve evidence of a modern human style of walking and a group structure that is consistent with human-like social behaviours.

Surprising neutrino decoherence inside supernovae Posted: 12 Jul 2016 08:04 AM PDT Neutrinos produced in the core of a supernova are highly localized compared to neutrinos from all other known sources, researchers report. With a new estimate for an entity characterizing neutrinos, they suggest that the wave packet size is irrelevant in simpler cases.

Ice algae: The engine of life in the central Arctic Ocean Posted: 12 Jul 2016 08:04 AM PDT Algae that live in and under the sea ice play a much greater role for the Arctic food web than previously assumed. In a new study, biologists show that not only animals that live directly under the ice thrive on carbon produced by so-called ice algae.

Scavenger crows provide public service, research shows Posted: 12 Jul 2016 08:04 AM PDT Crows are performing a useful function and keeping our environment free from rotting carcasses, research carried out.

Stem cells feel the force Posted: 12 Jul 2016 08:02 AM PDT Scientists have gained new insights into how stem cells feel and respond to external mechanical forces by changing the way DNA is organized in the nucleus, and thereby the expression of genes that are required for stem cell differentiation.

Help at hand for people watching their weight Posted: 12 Jul 2016 08:02 AM PDT Researchers have developed a portable and easy-to-use method to help people estimate portion size using only their hands.

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