ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• People with depression may struggle with parenthood
• Antioxidants essential for bird embryo growth
• Astronomers find clues to decades-long coronal heating mystery
• Zoomable holograms pave the way for versatile, portable projectors
• World ocean systems undermined by climate change by 2100
• Expert panel diagnosis for diagnostic test poorly described, experts not blinded to test under study
• Microbiome meets big social science: What's the potential?
• Anesthesia technique may reduce breast cancer recurrence, death
• Simple blood test can diagnose lung, other cancers
• Milk-maker hormone may help liver regenerate
• Small bits of genetic material fight cancer's spread
• Recovery room complications decreased by nearly 60 percent, occur in less healthy patients
• 2013 Ocean Health Index shows food provision remains an area of great concern
• To live and learn: Making memories has to be a speedy business
• Size matters in the giant magnetoresistance effect in semiconductors
• Sisters serve as confidants, mentors, sources of support during intimate conversations
• Beyond antibiotics: 'PPMOs' offer new approach to bacterial infection, other diseases
• Will power alone is not enough
• No joke: Learning the tricks of standup comedy
• Genetic identification of neural circuit that suppresses appetite
• Study shows difference in cognitive ability between low-income rural, urban children
• Adding citrus fiber to meatballs improves nutritional quality, does not affect taste
• Alcohol-related violence: Is 'glassing' the big issue?
• Unearthed: A treasure trove of jewel-like beetles
• An optical switch based on a single nano-diamond
• New 3-D method used to grow miniature pancreas
• Method of recording brain activity could lead to mind-reading devices, Stanford scientists say
• How tiny organisms make a big impact on clean water
• Scientists unravel mechanisms in chronic itching
• New analysis of US elementary school mathematics finds half-century of problematic 'strands' structure
• Renewable fuel standard needs to be modified, not repealed, experts say
• Device speeds concentration step in food-pathogen detection
• The African green revolution at the tipping point
• Researchers discover new approach to improve personalized cancer treatments
• What makes telenovelas so popular?
• Women leave their handprints on the cave wall
• What makes consumers support their favorite businesses?
• VIP loyalty programs: Consumers prefer awards they can share
• Why do discounts backfire when you make consumers wait?
• How do consumers see a product when they hear music?
• Does putting your feet up equal power?
• Climate change creates complicated consequences for North America's forests
• Mammalian body cells lack ancient viral defense mechanism, study suggests
• In Europe, 3.5 million new fragility fractures occur annually
• Happiness lowers blood pressure
• Older Americans' attitudes on work and retirement
• World record: Wireless data transmission at 100 Gbit/s
• Illinois river otters exposed to chemicals banned decades ago
• Newly discovered mechanism propels micromotors
• New micro water sensor can aid growers
• Bending world's thinnest glass shows atoms' dance
• Rapid reversal of diabetes after gastric banding surgery
• Teachers more likely to have progressive speech, language disorders
• Mindfulness-based stress reduction helps lower blood pressure, study finds
• Scientists bend world's thinnest glass and see atoms dance
• New evidence on lightning strikes: Mountains a lot less stable than we think
• Evidence of unsustainable fishing in the Great Barrier Reef
• How Earth’s rotation affects vortices in nature, such as hurricanes and ocean currents
• Overexpressed protein to be culprit in certain thyroid cancers

People with depression may struggle with parenthood Posted: 15 Oct 2013 05:07 PM PDT An article by researchers has shed light on the link between depression and poor parenting. The article identifies the symptoms of depression that are likely to cause difficulties with parenting. The findings could lead to more effective interventions to prevent depression and other psychological disorders from being passed from parent to child.

Antioxidants essential for bird embryo growth Posted: 15 Oct 2013 05:07 PM PDT As children we are told the importance of eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, but now scientists have confirmed that antioxidants found in these food groups are essential for the growth of bird embryos.

Astronomers find clues to decades-long coronal heating mystery Posted: 15 Oct 2013 04:16 PM PDT Scientists found evidence that magnetic waves in a polar coronal hole contain enough energy to heat the corona and moreover that they also deposit most of their energy at sufficiently low heights for the heat to spread throughout the corona. The observations help to answer a 70-year-old solar physics conundrum about the unexplained extreme temperature of the Sun's corona -- known as the coronal heating problem.

Zoomable holograms pave the way for versatile, portable projectors Posted: 15 Oct 2013 04:14 PM PDT Imagine giving a presentation to a roomful of customers when suddenly the projector fails. You whip out your smartphone, beam your PowerPoint presentation onto the conference room screen, and are back in business within seconds. This career-saving application and others like it are the promise of a new generation of ultra-small projectors. Researchers have now taken an important step toward making such devices more versatile and easier to integrate into portable electronic devices.

World ocean systems undermined by climate change by 2100 Posted: 15 Oct 2013 04:14 PM PDT An ambitious new study describes the full chain of events by which ocean biogeochemical changes triggered by humanmade greenhouse gas emissions may cascade through marine habitats and organisms, penetrating to the deep ocean and eventually influencing humans. Factoring in predictable synergistic changes such as the depletion of dissolved oxygen in seawater and a decline in productivity of ocean ecosystems, no corner of the world ocean will be untouched by climate change by 2100.

Expert panel diagnosis for diagnostic test poorly described, experts not blinded to test under study Posted: 15 Oct 2013 04:12 PM PDT Evaluation of diagnostic studies is often a challenge in diseases that are not defined by a specific test. Assessment of the accuracy of diagnostic tests is essential because they may be used to define who is considered to have a disease and receive treatment for it. However, measuring the accuracy of a diagnostic test requires an accurate gold standard, which defines which patients truly have and do not have the disease.

Microbiome meets big social science: What's the potential? Posted: 15 Oct 2013 04:11 PM PDT Over the last decade or so, biologists have mustered an ever-growing appreciation for the essential role of microbial communities in a diversity of environments. "We're recognizing that the biosphere is run by microbes at every level," notes an expert. "They are the pivotal, central players in the health of the planet."

Anesthesia technique may reduce breast cancer recurrence, death Posted: 15 Oct 2013 04:10 PM PDT Breast cancer patients who received the combination of a nerve block with general anesthesia for their breast cancer surgery had less cancer recurrence and were three times less likely to die than those who received only general anesthesia. Additionally, patients who received the nerve block needed less opioid pain relief from drugs such as fentanyl and oxycodone.

Simple blood test can diagnose lung, other cancers Posted: 15 Oct 2013 04:10 PM PDT Early-stage lung and prostate cancers, as well as their recurrence, can be detected with a simple blood test, according to a study. Serum-free fatty acids and their metabolites may be used as screening biomarkers to help diagnose early stages of cancer, as well as identify the probability of recovery and recurrence after tumor removal, researchers found.

Milk-maker hormone may help liver regenerate Posted: 15 Oct 2013 12:24 PM PDT Prolactin has an important function in the liver, but how important? Researchers, using an animal model, found that animals with extra prolactin had larger livers, regenerated their livers faster after partial removal, and were significantly more likely to survive liver surgery compared to animals that couldn't process prolactin.

Small bits of genetic material fight cancer's spread Posted: 15 Oct 2013 11:29 AM PDT Researchers have found that microRNAs -- small bits of genetic material capable of repressing the expression of certain genes -- may serve as both therapeutic targets and predictors of metastasis, or a cancer's spread from its initial site to other parts of the body.

Recovery room complications decreased by nearly 60 percent, occur in less healthy patients Posted: 15 Oct 2013 11:29 AM PDT Complications in the recovery room decreased by 58 percent between 1990 and 2010. In a previous study completed in the late 1980s, recovery room complications occurred in 23.7 percent of the patients. Today, the complication rate is 9.9 percent. The study also found that less-healthy patients are more prone to recovery room complications.

2013 Ocean Health Index shows food provision remains an area of great concern Posted: 15 Oct 2013 10:49 AM PDT In the 2013 Ocean Health Index –– an annual assessment of ocean health –– scientists point to food provision as the factor that continues to require serious attention.

To live and learn: Making memories has to be a speedy business Posted: 15 Oct 2013 10:49 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that nerve cells have a special "pre-assembly" technique to expedite the manufacture of proteins at nerve cell connections (synapses), enabling the brain to rapidly form memories and be plastic.

Size matters in the giant magnetoresistance effect in semiconductors Posted: 15 Oct 2013 10:49 AM PDT Scientists report that the giant magnetoresistance effect depends on the physical size of the device in the GaAs/AlGaAs semiconductor system.

Sisters serve as confidants, mentors, sources of support during intimate conversations Posted: 15 Oct 2013 10:49 AM PDT Sisters often take on key roles of confidants, sources of support and mentors during conversations about romantic relationships, a researcher has found.

Beyond antibiotics: 'PPMOs' offer new approach to bacterial infection, other diseases Posted: 15 Oct 2013 10:49 AM PDT Researchers today announced the successful use of a new type of antibacterial agent called a PPMO, which appears to function as well or better than an antibiotic, but may be more precise and also solve problems with antibiotic resistance. The new PPMOs offer a fundamentally different way to attack bacterial infection.

Will power alone is not enough Posted: 15 Oct 2013 10:49 AM PDT How do we motivate ourselves when studying for an exam or working to a tight deadline? The more unpleasant the task, the more will power we need to rise to the challenge. Unfortunately, our reserves of willpower are quickly depleted. Which means that other mechanisms are required to motivate people to continually perform at a high level. And now scientists have shown that internal, unconscious motivation can significantly improve performance capabilities.

No joke: Learning the tricks of standup comedy Posted: 15 Oct 2013 10:48 AM PDT There is a science to crafting a good bit and delivering a funny one-liner. And like any skill, some believe it's one students in Comedy College course at university can learn – no joke, they can learn to be funny.

Genetic identification of neural circuit that suppresses appetite Posted: 15 Oct 2013 09:38 AM PDT Scientists have used genetic engineering to identify a population of neurons that tell the brain to shut off appetite.

Study shows difference in cognitive ability between low-income rural, urban children Posted: 15 Oct 2013 09:38 AM PDT Studies have long shown a difference in cognitive ability between high- and low-income children, but for the first time, scientists have found a difference between low-income children growing up in rural areas and those growing up in urban environments.

Adding citrus fiber to meatballs improves nutritional quality, does not affect taste Posted: 15 Oct 2013 09:38 AM PDT A research team is addressing the US fiber deficit by including citrus fiber in ground beef while retaining the quality and taste of the meat.

Alcohol-related violence: Is 'glassing' the big issue? Posted: 15 Oct 2013 09:37 AM PDT Contrary to public perception, "glassing" incidents, particularly at licensed venues, constitute a relatively small proportion of all alcohol-related violence.

Unearthed: A treasure trove of jewel-like beetles Posted: 15 Oct 2013 09:37 AM PDT The histerid beetle genus Baconia is distinguishable by the peculiar flat shape and the metallic body coloration ranging between beautiful blue, green and violet tones. A recent article provides a pioneering detailed revision of the genus, solving taxonomic puzzles around this enigmatic group of beetles and adding an impressive 85 new species.

An optical switch based on a single nano-diamond Posted: 15 Oct 2013 09:36 AM PDT A recent study led by researchers in Spain demonstrates that a single nano-diamond can be operated as an ultrafast single-emitter optical switch operating at room temperature.

New 3-D method used to grow miniature pancreas Posted: 15 Oct 2013 09:35 AM PDT An international team of researchers has successfully developed an innovative 3-D method to grow miniature pancreas from progenitor cells. The future goal is to use this model to help in the fight against diabetes.

Method of recording brain activity could lead to mind-reading devices, Stanford scientists say Posted: 15 Oct 2013 09:35 AM PDT A brain region activated when people are asked to perform mathematical calculations in an experimental setting is similarly activated when they use numbers -- or even imprecise quantitative terms, such as "more than" -- in everyday conversation, according to a new study.

How tiny organisms make a big impact on clean water Posted: 15 Oct 2013 09:35 AM PDT Nearly every body of water contains microscopic organisms that live attached to rocks, plants, and animals. These sessile suspension feeders are critical to aquatic ecosystems and play an important role in cleaning up environmental contaminants by consuming bacteria. A study reveals that by changing the angle of their bodies relative to the surfaces, these feeders overcome the physical constraints presented by underwater surfaces, maximize their access to fresh, nutrient-rich water, and filter the surrounding water.

Scientists unravel mechanisms in chronic itching Posted: 15 Oct 2013 09:33 AM PDT New research shows that chronic itching, which can occur in many medical conditions, is different from the urge to scratch a mosquito bite. Chronic itching appears to incorporate more than just the nerve cells that normally transmit itch signals. In chronic itching, neurons that send itch signals also co-opt pain neurons to intensify the itch sensation.

New analysis of US elementary school mathematics finds half-century of problematic 'strands' structure Posted: 15 Oct 2013 08:40 AM PDT An expert argues that the "strands" of structure used in mathematics education have significantly weakened the effectiveness of US school mathematics.

Renewable fuel standard needs to be modified, not repealed, experts say Posted: 15 Oct 2013 08:39 AM PDT Scientists say that the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard should be slightly modified, not repealed.

Device speeds concentration step in food-pathogen detection Posted: 15 Oct 2013 08:39 AM PDT Researchers have developed a system that concentrates foodborne salmonella and other pathogens faster than conventional methods by using hollow thread-like fibers that filter out the cells, representing a potential new tool for speedier detection.

The African green revolution at the tipping point Posted: 15 Oct 2013 08:39 AM PDT In some areas of Africa, farmers, scientists and policymakers are beginning to win the war on hunger. Several factors have come together in recent years to tip the scales and increase food production.

Researchers discover new approach to improve personalized cancer treatments Posted: 15 Oct 2013 08:39 AM PDT Researchers have successfully shown that a new method for targeting mutated cells could create a major breakthrough in a personalized medicine approach to treat cancer.

What makes telenovelas so popular? Posted: 15 Oct 2013 08:39 AM PDT A particular type of consumer enjoys stories with plots, characters, and imagery that allow them to get lost in the narrative, according to a new study

Women leave their handprints on the cave wall Posted: 15 Oct 2013 08:39 AM PDT Plaster handprints from kindergarten, handprint turkeys, handprints outside Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood -- are all part of modern life, but ancient people also left their handprints on rocks and cave walls. Now, an anthropologist can determine the sex of some of the people who left their prints, and the majority of them were women.

What makes consumers support their favorite businesses? Posted: 15 Oct 2013 08:34 AM PDT When a shop is authentic and the workers are friendly, it can feel like a second home for consumers.

VIP loyalty programs: Consumers prefer awards they can share Posted: 15 Oct 2013 08:34 AM PDT Consumers appreciate being able to share their perks with others, and will sacrifice exclusivity to do so.

Why do discounts backfire when you make consumers wait? Posted: 15 Oct 2013 08:34 AM PDT Consumers like to reap the benefits of discounts immediately (not later). Consumers enjoy discounted products much less if they have to wait for them.

How do consumers see a product when they hear music? Posted: 15 Oct 2013 08:34 AM PDT Shoppers are more likely to buy a product from a different location when a pleasant sound coming from a particular direction draws attention to the item, according to a new study.

Does putting your feet up equal power? Posted: 15 Oct 2013 07:39 AM PDT A new set of studies by researchers at three universities has found that the previously assumed link between expansive body postures and power is not fixed, but depends on the type of posture enacted and people's cultural background.

Climate change creates complicated consequences for North America's forests Posted: 15 Oct 2013 07:39 AM PDT Climate change affects forests across North America -- in some cases permitting insect outbreaks, plant diseases, wildfires and other problems -- but researchers say warmer temperatures are also making many forests grow faster and some less susceptible to pests, which could boost forest health and acreage, timber harvests, carbon storage, water recycling and other forest benefits in some areas.

Mammalian body cells lack ancient viral defense mechanism, study suggests Posted: 15 Oct 2013 07:39 AM PDT Scientists have the first positive evidence that RNA interference does not play a role as an antiviral in most body, or "somatic," cells in mammals.

In Europe, 3.5 million new fragility fractures occur annually Posted: 15 Oct 2013 07:39 AM PDT A new report warns that as a result of an aging population, health care providers will be faced with an avalanche of fractures and rising costs. Approximately 22 million women and 5.5 million men in 27 member states of the European Union, have osteoporosis; the total burden is expected to increase to 33.9 million (increase of 23 percent) by 2025.

Happiness lowers blood pressure Posted: 15 Oct 2013 07:39 AM PDT A synthetic gene module controlled by the happiness hormone dopamine produces an agent that lowers blood pressure. This opens up new avenues for therapies that are remote-controlled via the subconscious.

Older Americans' attitudes on work and retirement Posted: 15 Oct 2013 07:39 AM PDT The results of a major new survey exploring the views of older Americans about their plans for work and retirement have been released. The study provides in-depth information about a rapidly growing segment of the population that by choice or circumstance is working longer. The Great Recession has had a marked impact on retirement plans.

World record: Wireless data transmission at 100 Gbit/s Posted: 15 Oct 2013 07:38 AM PDT Extension of cable-based telecommunication networks requires high investments in both conurbations and rural areas. Broadband data transmission via radio relay links might help to cross rivers, motorways or nature protection areas at strategic node points, and to make network extension economically feasible. Researchers have now presented a method for wireless data transmission at a world-record rate of 100 gigabits per second.

Illinois river otters exposed to chemicals banned decades ago Posted: 15 Oct 2013 07:38 AM PDT Researchers report that river otters in Central Illinois are being exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls and pesticides that were banned in the US in the 1970s and '80s.

Newly discovered mechanism propels micromotors Posted: 15 Oct 2013 07:36 AM PDT Scientists studying the behavior of platinum particles immersed in hydrogen peroxide may have discovered a new way to propel microscopic machines.

New micro water sensor can aid growers Posted: 15 Oct 2013 07:36 AM PDT Researchers have developed a microfluidic water sensor within a fingertip-sized silicon chip that is a hundred times more sensitive than current devices. The researchers are now completing soil tests and will soon test their design in plants, embedding their "lab on a chip" in the stems of grape vines, for example. They hope to mass produce the sensors for as little as $5 each. The new sensor will benefit crop growers, wine grape and other fruit growers, food processors and even concrete makers.

Bending world's thinnest glass shows atoms' dance Posted: 15 Oct 2013 06:56 AM PDT Watch what happens when you bend and break the world's thinnest glass. This glass was recently featured in the Guinness Book of World Records and is made of the same compounds as everyday windowpanes. Scientists used an electron microscope to bend, deform and melt the one-molecule-thick glass. These are all things that happen just before glass shatters, and for the first time, the researchers have directly imaged such deformations and the resulting "dance" of rearranging atoms in silica glass.

Rapid reversal of diabetes after gastric banding surgery Posted: 15 Oct 2013 06:46 AM PDT Clinical researchers have shown that a form of weight loss surgery, known as 'gastric banding', brings about reversal of diabetes in some patients, and dramatic improvement of glucose tolerance in others, within 12 weeks.

Teachers more likely to have progressive speech, language disorders Posted: 15 Oct 2013 06:45 AM PDT Researchers have found a surprising occupational hazard for teachers: progressive speech and language disorders. The research found that people with speech and language disorders are about 3.5 times more likely to be teachers than patients with Alzheimer's dementia.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction helps lower blood pressure, study finds Posted: 15 Oct 2013 06:44 AM PDT Blood pressure is effectively lowered by mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) for patients with borderline high blood pressure or "prehypertension," according to new research.

Scientists bend world's thinnest glass and see atoms dance Posted: 15 Oct 2013 06:40 AM PDT Watch what happens when the world's thinnest sheet of glass breaks. Well, not exactly breaks, but close to it. Scientists have used an electron microscope to bend, deform and melt one molecule-thick glass. These are all things that happen just before glass shatters, and for the first time, the researchers have directly imaged such deformations and the resulting "dance" of rearranging atoms in silica glass, which forms the basis for everyday windowpanes.

New evidence on lightning strikes: Mountains a lot less stable than we think Posted: 15 Oct 2013 06:40 AM PDT Lightning strikes causing rocks to explode have for the first time been shown to play a huge role in shaping mountain landscapes in southern Africa, debunking previous assumptions that angular rock formations were necessarily caused by cold temperatures, and proving that mountains are a lot less stable than we think.

Evidence of unsustainable fishing in the Great Barrier Reef Posted: 15 Oct 2013 06:40 AM PDT Sea cucumber fishing in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park shows worrying signs of being unsustainable. Many species being targeted are endangered and vulnerable to extinction, as determined by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

How Earth’s rotation affects vortices in nature, such as hurricanes and ocean currents Posted: 15 Oct 2013 06:37 AM PDT What do smoke rings, tornadoes and the Great Red Spot of Jupiter have in common? They are all examples of vortices, regions within a fluid (liquid, gas or plasma) where the flow spins around an imaginary straight or curved axis. Understanding how geophysical (natural world) vortices behave can be critical for tasks such as weather forecasting and environmental pollution monitoring.

Overexpressed protein to be culprit in certain thyroid cancers Posted: 14 Oct 2013 07:14 PM PDT A specific protein once thought to exist only in the brain may play a crucial role in a deadly form of thyroid cancer, as well as other cancers, and provide a fresh target for researchers seeking ways to stop its progression

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