ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Gravitational waves help us understand black-hole weight gain
• Status of US secondary Earth science education
• Pacific Ocean temperature influences tornado activity in US
• Study in teens & young adults may help predict if health insurance expansion will cut ER use
• Statin, osteoporosis drug combo may help treat parasitic infections
• Unique skull find rebuts theories on species diversity in early humans
• 'Traffic-light' labeling increases attention to nutritional quality of food choices
• Could Hurricane Sandy happen again? Maybe, says geologist
• Prescription drug use among Medicare patients highly inconsistent
• Death from drugs like oxycodone linked to disadvantaged neighborhoods, fragmented families
• Psychologists report new insights on human brain, consciousness
• Five-year-old children as likely to suffer from bilharzia as their mothers
• Pioneering use of oral cholera vaccine during outbreak
• Human neutrophil peptide-1: A new anti-leishmanial drug candidate
• Use of false ID by youth to buy alcohol is slippery slope toward alcohol use disorders
• Adolescence: When drinking, genes may collide
• Making sense of conflicting advice on calcium intake
• Infertility problems? Eating tips to boost fertility
• Jellyfish energy consumption study will improve bio-inspired robotic designs for navy
• Costly cigarettes and smoke-free homes
• Vitamin D does not contribute to kidney stones
• Men-only hepatitis B mutation explains higher cancer rates
• Mutation in NFKB2 gene causes hard-to-diagnose immunodeficiency disorder CVID
• Brain may flush out toxins during sleep
• Why lithium-ion-batteries fail
• Gene regulation differences between humans, chimpanzees very complex
• FDA must find regulatory balance for probiotics
• Researchers advance toward engineering 'wildly new genome'
• Adaptability to local climate helps invasive species thrive
• Incoming comet ISON appears intact to NASA's Hubble
• Astronomer helps research team see misaligned planets in distant system
• Mysterious ancient human crossed Wallace's Line
• Frog-killing fungus paralyzes amphibian immune response
• War is not inevitable; psychology research should promote peace
• How subtle movements, facial features could predict your demise
• Nanotech system, cellular heating may improve treatment of ovarian cancer
• Stem cell transplant repairs damaged gut of inflammatory bowel disease
• Complex diseases traced to gene copy numbers
• Marmoset monkeys know polite conversation
• Mathematical study of photosynthesis clears the path to developing new super-crops
• Yoga accessible for the blind with new kinect-based program
• Next-generation gene sequencing can identify invasive carp species
• Scientists show Heisenberg's intuition correct
• A grand unified theory of exotic superconductivity?
• Brain scans may aid in diagnosis of autism
• Depression twice as likely in migraine sufferers
• Bird study finds key info about human speech-language development
• A lost generation of young scientists? Grad student voices concern about research funding crunch
• Archaeologists rediscover the lost home of the last Neanderthals
• The complicated birth of a volcano
• Most distant gravitational lens helps weigh galaxies
• A stunning new species of dragon tree discovered in Thailand
• Images and video move by touch from one smartphone to another tablet
• Female doctors better than male doctors, but males are more productive
• Brain scans show unusual activity in retired American football players
• Activating proteins in brain by shining LED light on them
• The cost of racial bias in economic decisions
• U.S. regions exhibit distinct personalities, research reveals
• Physical activity in parks can been boosted by modest marketing
• Genetically modified bacteria became efficient sugar producers

Gravitational waves help us understand black-hole weight gain Posted: 17 Oct 2013 02:40 PM PDT Supermassive black holes: every large galaxy's got one. But here's a real conundrum: how did they grow so big? A new article pits the front-running ideas about the growth of supermassive black holes against observational data -- a limit on the strength of gravitational waves, obtained with CSIRO's Parkes radio telescope in eastern Australia.

Status of US secondary Earth science education Posted: 17 Oct 2013 02:40 PM PDT A landmark report on the status of Earth Science education in US middle and high schools describes in detail significant gaps between identified priorities and lagging practice. The report offers baseline data on indicators of the subject's status since the release of the Next Generation Science Standards in April 2013.

Pacific Ocean temperature influences tornado activity in US Posted: 17 Oct 2013 02:40 PM PDT A researcher has found that the temperature of the Pacific Ocean could help scientists predict the type and location of tornado activity in the US.

Study in teens & young adults may help predict if health insurance expansion will cut ER use Posted: 17 Oct 2013 02:39 PM PDT As the nation prepares for more uninsured Americans to gain health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, a question hangs over crowded emergency rooms: Will the newly insured make fewer ER visits than they do today? A new study suggests that while the number of ER visits will likely stay about the same, clinic visits will likely go up.

Statin, osteoporosis drug combo may help treat parasitic infections Posted: 17 Oct 2013 02:39 PM PDT Researchers have discovered that a combination of two commonly prescribed drugs used to treat high cholesterol and osteoporosis may serve as the foundation of a new treatment for toxoplasmosis, a parasitic infection caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii.

Unique skull find rebuts theories on species diversity in early humans Posted: 17 Oct 2013 02:39 PM PDT Paleoanthropologists have uncovered the intact skull of an early Homo individual in Dmanisi, Georgia. This find is forcing a change in perspective in the field of paleoanthropology: human species diversity two million years ago was much smaller than presumed thus far. However, diversity within the Homo erectus, the first global species of human, was as great as in humans today.

'Traffic-light' labeling increases attention to nutritional quality of food choices Posted: 17 Oct 2013 02:39 PM PDT A simple, color-coded system for labeling food items in a hospital cafeteria appears to have increased customer's attention to the healthiness of their food choices, along with encouraging purchases of the most healthy items.

Could Hurricane Sandy happen again? Maybe, says geologist Posted: 17 Oct 2013 02:39 PM PDT Almost a year after Hurricane Sandy, parts of New York and New Jersey are still recovering from billions of dollars in flood damage. A geologist sees the possibility of damage from storms smaller than Sandy in the future.

Prescription drug use among Medicare patients highly inconsistent Posted: 17 Oct 2013 02:39 PM PDT A new report shows that the use of both effective and risky drug therapies by Medicare patients varies widely across US regions, offering further evidence that location is a key determinant in the quality and cost of the medical care that patients receive.

Death from drugs like oxycodone linked to disadvantaged neighborhoods, fragmented families Posted: 17 Oct 2013 02:36 PM PDT Death from analgesic overdose, including the painkillers oxycodone and codeine, is more concentrated in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods with a prevalence of high divorce, single-parent homes than deaths from unintentional causes. Yet, compared to heroin overdose deaths, analgesic overdoses were found to occur in higher-income neighborhoods.

Psychologists report new insights on human brain, consciousness Posted: 17 Oct 2013 02:36 PM PDT A study by psychologists is a step toward neuroscience research on consciousness. "The difference between being conscious and unconscious is a bit like the difference between driving from Los Angeles to New York in a straight line versus having to cover the same route hopping on and off several buses that force you to take a 'zig-zag' route and stop in several places," said lead author of the study.

Five-year-old children as likely to suffer from bilharzia as their mothers Posted: 17 Oct 2013 02:36 PM PDT Children of women harboring the bilharzia (schistosomiasis) worm during pregnancy are more likely to suffer the infection by the age of five years, a new study has found.

Pioneering use of oral cholera vaccine during outbreak Posted: 17 Oct 2013 02:36 PM PDT A Medecins Sans Frontieres vaccination campaign of more than 300,000 people in Guinea shows feasibility of oral cholera vaccine for control of future epidemics.

Human neutrophil peptide-1: A new anti-leishmanial drug candidate Posted: 17 Oct 2013 02:36 PM PDT As drug-resistant strains of Leishmaniasis spread, new non-toxic therapy could open a new front in the battle against this deadly parasite.

Use of false ID by youth to buy alcohol is slippery slope toward alcohol use disorders Posted: 17 Oct 2013 02:36 PM PDT Many underage youth use false identification to buy alcohol. A new study has found that almost two-thirds of a college student sample used false IDs. False ID use might contribute to the development of alcohol use disorders by facilitating more frequent drinking.

Adolescence: When drinking, genes may collide Posted: 17 Oct 2013 02:36 PM PDT Many negative effects of drinking, such as transitioning into heavy alcohol use, often take place during adolescence and can contribute to long-term negative health outcomes as well as the development of alcohol use disorders. A new study of adolescent drinking and its genetic and environmental influences has found that different trajectories of adolescent drinking are preceded by discernible gene-parenting interactions, specifically, the mu-opioid receptor genotype and parental rule-setting.

Making sense of conflicting advice on calcium intake Posted: 17 Oct 2013 02:34 PM PDT In recent years, studies have reported inconsistent findings regarding whether calcium supplements used to prevent fractures increase the risk of heart attack. Now, in an assessment of the scientific literature, a researcher says patients and health care practitioners should focus on getting calcium from the diet, rather than supplements, when possible.

Infertility problems? Eating tips to boost fertility Posted: 17 Oct 2013 02:33 PM PDT Women who watch their weight and closely follow a Mediterranean-style diet high in vegetables, vegetable oils, fish and beans may increase their chance of becoming pregnant.

Jellyfish energy consumption study will improve bio-inspired robotic designs for navy Posted: 17 Oct 2013 02:33 PM PDT Jellyfish are one of the most energetically efficient natural propulsors on the planet, according to a professor of mechanical engineering. He led a study highlighting the motion of the jellyfish.

Costly cigarettes and smoke-free homes Posted: 17 Oct 2013 02:33 PM PDT Researchers say high-priced cigarettes and smoke-free homes effectively reduce smoking behaviors among low-income individuals – a demographic in which tobacco use has remained comparatively high.

Vitamin D does not contribute to kidney stones Posted: 17 Oct 2013 02:33 PM PDT Increased vitamin D levels may prevent a wide range of diseases, according to recent studies. However, some previous studies led to a concern that vitamin D supplementation could increase an individual's risk of developing kidney stones.

Men-only hepatitis B mutation explains higher cancer rates Posted: 17 Oct 2013 11:47 AM PDT A team of researchers has identified a novel mutation in the hepatitis B virus (HBV) in Korea that appears only in men and could help explain why HBV-infected men are roughly five times more likely than HBV-infected women to develop liver cancer. Although some women do progress to cirrhosis and liver cancer, the mutation is absent in HBV in women.

Mutation in NFKB2 gene causes hard-to-diagnose immunodeficiency disorder CVID Posted: 17 Oct 2013 11:46 AM PDT Researchers discovered that a mutation in the NFKB2 gene impairs a protein from functioning properly, which interferes with the body's ability to make antibodies and fight infection.

Brain may flush out toxins during sleep Posted: 17 Oct 2013 11:46 AM PDT Using mice, researchers showed for the first time that the space between brain cells may increase during sleep, allowing the brain to flush out toxins that build up during waking hours. These results suggest a new role for sleep in health and disease.

Why lithium-ion-batteries fail Posted: 17 Oct 2013 11:46 AM PDT Materials in lithium ion battery electrodes expand and contract during charge and discharge. These volume changes drive particle fracture, which shortens battery lifetime. Scientists have quantified this effect for the first time using high-resolution 3-D movies recorded using x-ray tomography at the Swiss Light Source.

Gene regulation differences between humans, chimpanzees very complex Posted: 17 Oct 2013 11:46 AM PDT Changes in gene regulation have been used to study the evolutionary chasm that exists between humans and chimpanzees despite their largely identical DNA. However, scientists have discovered that mRNA expression levels, long considered a barometer for differences in gene regulation, often do not reflect differences in protein expression -- and, therefore, biological function -- between humans and chimpanzees.

FDA must find regulatory balance for probiotics Posted: 17 Oct 2013 11:46 AM PDT The US Food and Drug Administration should consider the unique features of probiotics -- bacteria that help maintain the natural balance of organisms in the intestines -- in regulating their use and marketing, says a lead author of the a newly released article on the topic.

Researchers advance toward engineering 'wildly new genome' Posted: 17 Oct 2013 11:46 AM PDT In two parallel projects, researchers have rewritten the genetic code of the bacterium E. coli. In the first study they created a genetically and biochemically novel organism by erasing every example of a single codon from the entire genome. In the second, they tested whether all codons could be swapped to a synonymous codon in 42 separate genes, while eliminating every instance of 13 codons throughout each of those genes.

Adaptability to local climate helps invasive species thrive Posted: 17 Oct 2013 11:46 AM PDT The ability of invasive plants to rapidly adapt to local climates -- and potentially to climate change -- may be a key factor in how quickly they spread.

Incoming comet ISON appears intact to NASA's Hubble Posted: 17 Oct 2013 11:44 AM PDT A new image of the sunward plunging Comet ISON taken by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope on October 9, 2013, suggests that the comet is intact despite some predictions that the fragile icy nucleus might disintegrate as the Sun warms it. The comet will pass closest to the Sun on November 28.

Astronomer helps research team see misaligned planets in distant system Posted: 17 Oct 2013 11:44 AM PDT NASA's Kepler space telescope has helped astronomers see a distant planetary system featuring multiple planets orbiting their host star at a severe tilt.

Mysterious ancient human crossed Wallace's Line Posted: 17 Oct 2013 11:44 AM PDT Scientists have proposed that the most recently discovered ancient human relatives – the Denisovans – somehow managed to cross one of the world's most prominent marine barriers in Indonesia, and later interbred with modern humans moving through the area on the way to Australia and New Guinea.

Frog-killing fungus paralyzes amphibian immune response Posted: 17 Oct 2013 11:44 AM PDT A fungus that is killing frogs and other amphibians around the world releases a toxic factor that disables the amphibian immune response, investigators report.

War is not inevitable; psychology research should promote peace Posted: 17 Oct 2013 10:52 AM PDT In a new review of how psychology research has illuminated the causes of war and violence, three political psychologists say this understanding can and should be used to promote peace and overturn the belief that violent conflict is inevitable.

How subtle movements, facial features could predict your demise Posted: 17 Oct 2013 10:52 AM PDT Research shows that interviewers -- who were not health professionals -- could better predict mortality than physicians or individuals themselves. This is likely, the researchers report, because they were attuned to facial expressions, responsiveness and overall agility.

Nanotech system, cellular heating may improve treatment of ovarian cancer Posted: 17 Oct 2013 10:52 AM PDT The combination of heat, chemotherapeutic drugs and an innovative delivery system based on nanotechnology may significantly improve the treatment of ovarian cancer while reducing side effects from toxic drugs, researchers report in a new study.

Stem cell transplant repairs damaged gut of inflammatory bowel disease Posted: 17 Oct 2013 10:52 AM PDT A source of gut stem cells that can repair a type of inflammatory bowel disease when transplanted into mice has been identified by researchers.

Complex diseases traced to gene copy numbers Posted: 17 Oct 2013 10:52 AM PDT Researchers have connected very rare and precise duplications and deletions in the human genome to their complex disease consequences by duplicating them in zebrafish.

Marmoset monkeys know polite conversation Posted: 17 Oct 2013 10:52 AM PDT Humans aren't the only species that knows how to carry on polite conversation. Marmoset monkeys, too, will engage one another for up to 30 minutes at a time in vocal turn-taking.

Mathematical study of photosynthesis clears the path to developing new super-crops Posted: 17 Oct 2013 10:51 AM PDT How some plant species evolved super-efficient photosynthesis had been a mystery. Now, scientists have identified what steps led to that change.

Yoga accessible for the blind with new kinect-based program Posted: 17 Oct 2013 10:50 AM PDT A team of computer scientists has created a software program that watches a user's movements and gives spoken feedback on what to change to accurately complete a yoga pose. Researchers hope this will allow people who are blind or low-vision to participate more fully in yoga exercises.

Next-generation gene sequencing can identify invasive carp species Posted: 17 Oct 2013 08:43 AM PDT A project to map the microbes present in the digestive systems of fish species holds promise for monitoring the presence of Asian carp in Chicago area waterways and ultimately preventing their spread, according to a study.

Scientists show Heisenberg's intuition correct Posted: 17 Oct 2013 08:43 AM PDT An international team of scientists has provided proof of a key feature of quantum physics -- Heisenberg's error-disturbance relation -- more than 80 years after it was first suggested.

A grand unified theory of exotic superconductivity? Posted: 17 Oct 2013 08:42 AM PDT Scientists introduce a general theoretical approach that describes all known forms of high-temperature superconductivity and their "intertwined" phases.

Brain scans may aid in diagnosis of autism Posted: 17 Oct 2013 08:42 AM PDT The investigators found that brain connectivity data from 19 paths in brain scans predicted whether the participants had autism, with an accuracy rate of 95.9 percent.

Depression twice as likely in migraine sufferers Posted: 17 Oct 2013 08:42 AM PDT The prevalence of depression among those with migraine is approximately twice as high as for those without the disease (men: 8.4% vs. 3.4%; women 12.4% vs. 5.7%), according to a new study.

Bird study finds key info about human speech-language development Posted: 17 Oct 2013 08:15 AM PDT A study has shown for the first time how two tiny molecules regulate a gene implicated in speech and language impairments as well as autism disorders, and that social context of vocal behavior governs their function.

A lost generation of young scientists? Grad student voices concern about research funding crunch Posted: 17 Oct 2013 08:15 AM PDT Alexis Carulli wants to make a difference in fighting human disease. So do the thousands of bright graduate students like her. But with federal scientific research funding flat, eroded by inflation and cut by budget sequestration, Carulli worries for her generation of aspiring biomedical scientists.

Archaeologists rediscover the lost home of the last Neanderthals Posted: 17 Oct 2013 08:14 AM PDT A record of Neanderthal archaeology, thought to be long lost, has been re-discovered by scientists working in the Channel island of Jersey.

The complicated birth of a volcano Posted: 17 Oct 2013 08:14 AM PDT They are difficult to reach, have hardly been studied scientifically, and their existence does not fit into current geological models: the Marie Byrd Seamounts off the coast of Antarctica present many riddles to volcanologists. Scientists have just published possible explanations for the origin of these former volcanoes.

Most distant gravitational lens helps weigh galaxies Posted: 17 Oct 2013 08:14 AM PDT Astronomers have found the most distant gravitational lens yet -- a galaxy that, as predicted by Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity, deflects and intensifies the light of an even more distant object. The discovery provides a rare opportunity to directly measure the mass of a distant galaxy. But it also poses a mystery: lenses of this kind should be exceedingly rare.

A stunning new species of dragon tree discovered in Thailand Posted: 17 Oct 2013 07:09 AM PDT Scientists have discovered a highly distinctive and endangered new dragon tree species -- Dracaena kaweesakii. The new species grows to an impressive 12 m and has soft, sword-shaped leaves with white edges and cream flowers with bright orange filaments. Due to its extensive branching and attractive appearance this dragon tree species is often used as an ornamental plant in Thailand.

Images and video move by touch from one smartphone to another tablet Posted: 17 Oct 2013 07:06 AM PDT Scientists have developed technology whereby a ring, structure nail or wristband acts as a user interface allowing files to be transferred directly from one screen to another by touch. The new technical solution is the first step towards the interactivity of various objects and jewellery through a cloud service.

Female doctors better than male doctors, but males are more productive Posted: 17 Oct 2013 07:06 AM PDT The quality of care provided by female doctors is higher than that of their male counterparts while the productivity of males is greater, new research shows. The research team reached this conclusion by studying the billing information of over 870 Quebec practitioners (half of whom were women) relating to their procedures with elderly diabetic patients.

Brain scans show unusual activity in retired American football players Posted: 17 Oct 2013 06:38 AM PDT A new study has discovered profound abnormalities in brain activity in a group of retired American football players. Although the former players in the study were not diagnosed with any neurological condition, brain imaging tests revealed unusual activity that correlated with how many times they had left the field with a head injury during their careers.

Activating proteins in brain by shining LED light on them Posted: 17 Oct 2013 06:35 AM PDT With the flick of a light switch, researchers can change the shape of a protein in the brain of a mouse, turning on the protein at the precise moment they want. This allows the scientists to observe the exact effect of the protein's activation. The new method relies on specially engineered amino acids -- the molecules that make up proteins -- and light from an LED. Now that it has been shown to work, the technique can be adapted to give researchers control of a wide variety of other proteins in the brain to study their functions.

The cost of racial bias in economic decisions Posted: 17 Oct 2013 06:35 AM PDT When financial gain depends on cooperation, we might expect that people would put aside their differences and focus on the bottom line. But new research suggests that people's racial biases make them more likely to leave money on the table when a windfall is not split evenly between groups.

U.S. regions exhibit distinct personalities, research reveals Posted: 17 Oct 2013 06:34 AM PDT Americans with similar temperaments are so likely to live in the same areas that a map of the country can be divided into regions with distinct personalities, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association.

Physical activity in parks can been boosted by modest marketing Posted: 17 Oct 2013 05:06 AM PDT A new study finds that physical activity in parks can be increased significantly by making modest investments in marketing, such as improve signage. The strategy included working with park users and neighbors to develop a coherent plan.

Genetically modified bacteria became efficient sugar producers Posted: 17 Oct 2013 05:03 AM PDT The production of rare sugars has been very costly until now. A recent study indicates that their production can be made significantly more efficient with the help of genetically modified bacteria.  This reduces prices and allows for their more versatile use in medicine, the study suggests.

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