ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Electronic nose could be used to detect sleep apnea
• Reclaiming rare earths: Improving process to recycle rare-earth materials
• Heart attack victims in rich, white neighborhoods twice as likely to get CPR than people who collapse in poor, black neighborhoods
• Feeling hot, hot, hot: Climate shapes distribution and movement of humans as it does other animals
• Gene mutation identifies colorectal cancer patients who live longer with aspirin therapy
• Satellite images tell tales of changing biodiversity
• Older people guess weights less accurately than younger people
• Archer fish hunt insects with water jet six times stronger than their muscular power
• Gaps in border controls are related to alien insect invasions in Europe
• Advanced cancer patients overoptimistic about chemotherapy's ability to cure, study finds
• The diet-proof holiday meal: Seven ways to stay on track this season
• Area of the brain that processes empathy identified
• Let it snow! Solar panels can take it
• Nearly 80 million Americans won't need vitamin D supplements under new guidelines
• Moderate drinking decreases number of new brain cells
• Video game with biofeedback teaches children to curb their anger
• Plants provide accurate low-cost alternative for diagnosis of West Nile Virus
• 2012 Antarctic ozone hole second smallest in 20 years
• New target for cancer research uncovered
• Wall Street gets it wrong on presidential politics, experts say
• Timing is everything: Hormone use may reduce or increase Alzheimer's disease risk in women
• Pigs may look healthy but can test positive for flu at fairs
• Important flu recommendations for high-risk populations
• How to stop winter from weathering your skin: Top ten tips for preventing 'winter itch'
• For presidential candidates, image may trump debate issues, experts say
• Revealing a mini-supermassive black hole
• Americans use more efficient and renewable energy technologies
• Living power cables discovered: Multicellular bacteria transmit electrons across relatively great distances
• Self-affirmation enhances performance, makes us receptive to our mistakes
• Challenging Parkinson's dogma: Dopamine may not be the only key player in this tragic neurodegenerative disease
• Measuring table-top accelerators' state-of-the-art beams: Slicing through the electron beam
• Prasugrel may reduce cardiovascular events among patients managed medically after an angiogram for acute coronary syndrome
• Is obesity irreversible? Timing is key in weight loss
• Ghost busting: Study examines influence of media messages on perceptions of paranormal investigators' credibility
• Knee replacement not an 'easy solution' for obese patients
• Research findings breathe new life into lung disease
• Why 'singing' sand dunes hum certain notes
• Scientists target bacterial transfer of resistance genes
• A sense of control, even if illusory, eliminates emotion-driven distortions of time
• Large-scale production of biofuels made from algae poses sustainability concerns
• Brain waves reveal video game aptitude
• Gene linked to inflammation in the aorta may contribute to abdominal aortic aneurysm
• Survival of U.S. Affordable Care Act assessed in new commentaries
• Parkinson's breakthough could slow disease progression
• Astronomers report that dark matter 'halos' may contain stars, disprove other theories
• Bacterial wires explain enigmatic electric currents in the seabed
• New gene therapy method tested in human cells ... and it works, researchers report
• Genome analysis of pancreas tumors reveals new pathway
• 'Grassroots' neurons wire and fire together for dominance in the brain
• 100-million-year-old coelacanth fish discovered in Texas is new species from Cretaceous
• Flycatchers' genomes explain how one species became two
• When negative political ads work
• Chewing betel quid exposes half a billion people to direct carcinogens
• Two-drug synergy may treat drug-resistant chronic myeloid leukemia
• Speed limits on cargo ships could reduce their pollutants by more than half
• Buffalo milk mozzarella or buffaloed consumers? New test can provide the answer
• Simple prevention strategy found for reducing MRSA infections
• Risk factors in hospital readmissions among general surgery patients identified in study
• Potatoes created with higher levels of carotenoids
• Hot flashes can come back after SSRI

Electronic nose could be used to detect sleep apnea Posted: 24 Oct 2012 05:48 PM PDT An electronic nose, used to detect the presence of molecules in the breath of a patient, could be used to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea.

Reclaiming rare earths: Improving process to recycle rare-earth materials Posted: 24 Oct 2012 02:55 PM PDT Recycling keeps paper, plastics, and even jeans out of landfills. Could recycling rare-earth magnets do the same? Perhaps, if the recycling process can be improved. Scientists are working to more effectively remove the neodymium, a rare earth element, from the mix of other materials in a magnet. Initial results show recycled materials maintain the properties that make rare-earth magnets useful.

Heart attack victims in rich, white neighborhoods twice as likely to get CPR than people who collapse in poor, black neighborhoods Posted: 24 Oct 2012 02:55 PM PDT In the first study of its kind, researchers have found that those who suffer cardiac arrests in upper income, white neighborhoods are nearly twice as likely to get cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) than people who collapse in low-income, black neighborhoods.

Feeling hot, hot, hot: Climate shapes distribution and movement of humans as it does other animals Posted: 24 Oct 2012 02:53 PM PDT Research shows importance of population movement and growth in shaping climate change over the past century in the United States

Gene mutation identifies colorectal cancer patients who live longer with aspirin therapy Posted: 24 Oct 2012 02:53 PM PDT Aspirin therapy can extend the life of colorectal cancer patients whose tumors carry a mutation in a key gene, but has no effect on patients who lack the mutation, researchers report.

Satellite images tell tales of changing biodiversity Posted: 24 Oct 2012 02:53 PM PDT Analysis of texture differences in satellite images may be an effective way to monitor changes in vegetation, soil and water patterns over time, with potential implications for measuring biodiversity as well, according to new research.

Older people guess weights less accurately than younger people Posted: 24 Oct 2012 02:53 PM PDT As we grow older, we are less capable of correctly estimating differences in the weights of objects we lift, according to a new study.

Archer fish hunt insects with water jet six times stronger than their muscular power Posted: 24 Oct 2012 02:53 PM PDT Archer fish knock their insect prey out of overhanging vegetation with a jet of water several times more powerful than the fish's muscles. New research now shows that the fish generate this power externally using water dynamics rather than with any specialized internal organs. The research provides the first explanation for how archer fish can generate such powerful jets to capture their prey.

Gaps in border controls are related to alien insect invasions in Europe Posted: 24 Oct 2012 02:53 PM PDT European countries with gaps in border security surrounding agricultural imports have been invaded by the largest number of exotic insect pests, according to new research.

Advanced cancer patients overoptimistic about chemotherapy's ability to cure, study finds Posted: 24 Oct 2012 02:53 PM PDT Researchers report that findings from a nationwide study suggest that advanced lung or colorectal cancer patients are frequently mistaken in their beliefs that chemotherapy can cure their disease. Their expectations run counter to the fact that although chemotherapy can alleviate pain and extend life in such patients by weeks or months, it is not curative except in the rarest of circumstances.

The diet-proof holiday meal: Seven ways to stay on track this season Posted: 24 Oct 2012 02:52 PM PDT Holiday dinners are filled with heaping dishes of comfort foods, fattening favorites and savory treats. It is no wonder these meals often leave us feeling stuffed with guilt and holiday remorse.

Area of the brain that processes empathy identified Posted: 24 Oct 2012 02:52 PM PDT Study provides the first evidence suggesting that the empathy deficits in patients with brain damage to the anterior insular cortex are surprisingly similar to the empathy deficits found in several psychiatric diseases, including autism spectrum disorders, borderline personality disorder, schizophrenia, and conduct disorders, suggesting potentially common neural deficits in those psychiatric populations.

Let it snow! Solar panels can take it Posted: 24 Oct 2012 02:52 PM PDT Even if the weather outside is frightful, solar cells can still generate a delightful amount of electricity.

Nearly 80 million Americans won't need vitamin D supplements under new guidelines Posted: 24 Oct 2012 02:52 PM PDT Nearly 80 million Americans would no longer need to take vitamin D supplements under new Institute of Medicine guidelines, according to a new study.

Moderate drinking decreases number of new brain cells Posted: 24 Oct 2012 01:47 PM PDT Moderate to binge drinking significantly reduces the structural integrity of the adult brain. The new research indicates that daily drinking decreases nerve cell development in the hippocampus part of the brain -- necessary for some type of learning and memory -- by 40 percent.

Video game with biofeedback teaches children to curb their anger Posted: 24 Oct 2012 01:47 PM PDT Children with serious anger problems can be helped by a video game that hones their ability to regulate their emotions, finds a new study. Noticing that children with anger control problems are often uninterested in psychotherapy, but eager to play video games, researchers developed "RAGE Control" to motivate children to practice emotional control skills.

Plants provide accurate low-cost alternative for diagnosis of West Nile Virus Posted: 24 Oct 2012 01:47 PM PDT Biologists have developed a new method of testing for West Nile, using plants to produce biological reagents for detection and diagnosis.

2012 Antarctic ozone hole second smallest in 20 years Posted: 24 Oct 2012 01:47 PM PDT The average area covered by the Antarctic ozone hole this year was the second smallest in the last 20 years. Scientists attribute the change to warmer temperatures in the Antarctic lower stratosphere.

New target for cancer research uncovered Posted: 24 Oct 2012 01:47 PM PDT Scientists have detailed a new target for anti-cancer drug development that is sitting at the ends of our DNA. Researchers found a patch of amino acids that, if blocked by a drug docked onto the chromosome end at this location, may prevent cancerous cells from reproducing. The amino acids at this site are called the "TEL patch" and once modified, the end of the chromosome is unable to recruit the telomerase enzyme, which is necessary for growth of many cancerous cells.

Wall Street gets it wrong on presidential politics, experts say Posted: 24 Oct 2012 01:47 PM PDT A new study debunks the conventional wisdom of how political elections impact the stock market: Presidential affiliation has little impact; gridlock is bad for the market; Fed policy is more important than politics.

Timing is everything: Hormone use may reduce or increase Alzheimer's disease risk in women Posted: 24 Oct 2012 01:47 PM PDT A new study suggests that women who begin taking hormone therapy within five years of menopause may reduce their risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Pigs may look healthy but can test positive for flu at fairs Posted: 24 Oct 2012 01:46 PM PDT More than 80 percent of pigs that tested positive for influenza A virus at Ohio county fairs between 2009 and 2011 showed no signs of illness in a new study. A second study showed a 99+ percent genetic similarity among human and pig flu viruses from 2012, indicating interspecies transmission.

Important flu recommendations for high-risk populations Posted: 24 Oct 2012 01:46 PM PDT While it is important to get vaccinated against the flu virus as early as possible, it is never too late to reap the benefits of this vaccine. According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the peak months for the spread of the flu virus are January and February and the season can last into mid-May. Those at highest risk of complications from the flu are young children; people 65 and older; pregnant women; and people with health conditions such as heart, lung or kidney disease, or a weakened immune system.

How to stop winter from weathering your skin: Top ten tips for preventing 'winter itch' Posted: 24 Oct 2012 01:46 PM PDT All winter flakes are not made of snow. Cold weather, with its low relative humidity, wreaks havoc on our skin, making it dry and flaky. Skin dries out if it's deprived of moisture and this dryness often aggravates itchiness, resulting in a condition commonly referred to as "winter itch."

For presidential candidates, image may trump debate issues, experts say Posted: 24 Oct 2012 01:46 PM PDT The wide swings in debate performances by this year's presidential candidates reflect the fact that in modern campaigns, a candidate's image is the message, according to linguistic anthropologists who have studied presidential campaigns. Candidates send important messages to voters through even their smallest gestures, the researchers say.

Revealing a mini-supermassive black hole Posted: 24 Oct 2012 12:09 PM PDT One of the lowest mass supermassive black holes ever observed in the middle of a galaxy has now been identified. The host galaxy is of a type not expected to harbor supermassive black holes, suggesting that this black hole, while related to its supermassive cousins, may have a different origin.

Americans use more efficient and renewable energy technologies Posted: 24 Oct 2012 12:08 PM PDT Americans used less energy in 2011 than in the previous year due mainly to a shift to higher-efficiency energy technologies in the transportation and residential sectors. Meanwhile, less coal was used but more natural gas was consumed according to the most recent energy flow charts.

Living power cables discovered: Multicellular bacteria transmit electrons across relatively great distances Posted: 24 Oct 2012 12:08 PM PDT Scientists have discovered filamentous bacteria that function as living power cables in order to transmit electrons thousands of cell lengths away.

Self-affirmation enhances performance, makes us receptive to our mistakes Posted: 24 Oct 2012 12:08 PM PDT From the mistakes we make at work or school to our blunders in romantic relationships, we are constantly reminded of how we could be better. By focusing on the important qualities that make us who we are -- a process called self-affirmation -- we preserve our self-worth in the face of our shortcomings. New research explores the neurophysiological reactions that could explain how self-affirmation helps us deal with threats to our self-integrity.

Challenging Parkinson's dogma: Dopamine may not be the only key player in this tragic neurodegenerative disease Posted: 24 Oct 2012 12:07 PM PDT Scientists may have discovered why the standard treatment for Parkinson's disease is often effective for only a limited period of time. Their research could lead to a better understanding of many brain disorders, from drug addiction to depression, that share certain signaling molecules involved in modulating brain activity.

Measuring table-top accelerators' state-of-the-art beams: Slicing through the electron beam Posted: 24 Oct 2012 12:07 PM PDT Accurate tests of the beam quality of laser plasma accelerators (LPAs) assume new importance with the approaching advent of the one-meter-long, 10-billion-electron-volt, bringing the promise of "table-top accelerators" closer to realization. Accelerator scientists have now devised novel techniques for characterizing extraordinarily short beam pulses in the complex environment of LPAs, including the metric known as slice-energy spread.

Prasugrel may reduce cardiovascular events among patients managed medically after an angiogram for acute coronary syndrome Posted: 24 Oct 2012 11:16 AM PDT A study has found that the anti-clotting medication prasugrel reduced cardiovascular events among patients who present with an acute coronary syndrome and are managed medically after an angiogram is performed to determine coronary anatomy. Results of the TRILOGY ACS trial, Angiographic Cohort were presented today at the 24th annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) scientific symposium. Sponsored by the Cardiovascular Research Foundation, TCT is the world's premier educational meeting specializing in interventional cardiovascular medicine.

Is obesity irreversible? Timing is key in weight loss Posted: 24 Oct 2012 11:16 AM PDT It's one of the most frustrating mysteries of weight loss -- why the weight inevitably comes back.

Ghost busting: Study examines influence of media messages on perceptions of paranormal investigators' credibility Posted: 24 Oct 2012 11:16 AM PDT Media messages describing paranormal investigators as "scientific" makes people more likely to "believe."

Knee replacement not an 'easy solution' for obese patients Posted: 24 Oct 2012 11:16 AM PDT Obese patients have a greater risk of complications following total knee replacement surgery.

Research findings breathe new life into lung disease Posted: 24 Oct 2012 11:16 AM PDT New research shows that while muscle cells are responsible for constricting or dilating the blood vessels, they are not responsible for sensing the amount of oxygen that gets to the lungs.

Why 'singing' sand dunes hum certain notes Posted: 24 Oct 2012 11:02 AM PDT What does Elvis Presley have in common with a sand dune? No, it's not that people sometimes spot both in the vicinity of Las Vegas. Instead, some sand dunes, like The King, can sing. And new research looking for clues to how streams of sand can sing may explain why some dunes croon in more than one pitch at the same time.

Scientists target bacterial transfer of resistance genes Posted: 24 Oct 2012 10:34 AM PDT The bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae -- which can cause pneumonia, meningitis, bacteremia and sepsis -- likes to share its antibiotic-defeating weaponry with its neighbors. Individual cells can pass resistance genes to one another through a process called horizontal gene transfer, or by "transformation," the uptake of DNA from the environment. Now researchers report that they can interrupt the cascade of cellular events that allows S. pneumoniae to swap or suck up DNA.

A sense of control, even if illusory, eliminates emotion-driven distortions of time Posted: 24 Oct 2012 10:34 AM PDT We humans have a fairly erratic sense of time. We tend to misjudge the duration of events, particularly when they are emotional in nature. Disturbingly negative experiences, for example, seem to last much longer than they actually do. And highly positive experiences seem to pass more quickly than negative ones. Now researchers say they have found a way to lessen these emotion-driven time distortions.

Large-scale production of biofuels made from algae poses sustainability concerns Posted: 24 Oct 2012 10:34 AM PDT Scaling up the production of biofuels made from algae to meet at least five percent -- approximately 39 billion liters -- of US transportation fuel needs would place unsustainable demands on energy, water, and nutrients.

Brain waves reveal video game aptitude Posted: 24 Oct 2012 10:34 AM PDT Scientists report that they can predict who will improve most on an unfamiliar video game by looking at their brain waves.

Gene linked to inflammation in the aorta may contribute to abdominal aortic aneurysm Posted: 24 Oct 2012 10:34 AM PDT A gene known to be involved in cancer and cardiovascular development may be the cause of inflammation in the most common form of aortic aneurysm and may be a key to treatment, according to new research. The study is the first to show that Notch 1 signaling is activated in abdominal aortic aneurysmal tissue in mice and humans.

Survival of U.S. Affordable Care Act assessed in new commentaries Posted: 24 Oct 2012 10:34 AM PDT As the presidential candidates clash over the fate of the U.S. Affordable Care Act, a set of seven essays by leading legal experts, economists, and scholars examines the implications of the Supreme Court's decision on the ACA and makes it clear that there is no consensus about what is economically or morally just when it comes to health care coverage in this country.

Parkinson's breakthough could slow disease progression Posted: 24 Oct 2012 10:34 AM PDT In an early-stage breakthrough, scientists have developed a new family of compounds that could slow the progression of Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's is the second most common neurodegenerative disease and there is no treatment to slow the advance of the disease. The compounds are a new class of potential therapeutics.

Astronomers report that dark matter 'halos' may contain stars, disprove other theories Posted: 24 Oct 2012 10:34 AM PDT Do dark matter "halos" that make up most of the matter in the universe contain a small number of stars? Astronomers now make a case for that.

Bacterial wires explain enigmatic electric currents in the seabed Posted: 24 Oct 2012 10:33 AM PDT The enigma of electric currents in the seabed is solved. Scientists have discovered bacteria that function as living electrical cables. Each of the centimeter-long 'cable bacteria' contains a bundle of insulated wires leading an electric current from one end to the other.

New gene therapy method tested in human cells ... and it works, researchers report Posted: 24 Oct 2012 10:33 AM PDT Development of a new gene therapy method to prevent certain mitochondrial gene based diseases has reached a significant milestone. Researchers have successfully demonstrated their procedure in human cells. It's believed that this research, along with other efforts, will pave the way for future clinical trials in human subjects.

Genome analysis of pancreas tumors reveals new pathway Posted: 24 Oct 2012 10:33 AM PDT The latest genomic analysis of pancreatic tumors identified two new pathways involved in the disease, information that could be capitalized on to develop new and earlier diagnostic tests for the disease.

'Grassroots' neurons wire and fire together for dominance in the brain Posted: 24 Oct 2012 10:09 AM PDT Inside the brain, an unpredictable race -- like a political campaign -- is being run. Multiple candidates, each with a network of supporters, have organized themselves into various left- and right-wing clusters -- like grassroots political teams working feverishly to reinforce a vision that bands them together. While scientists know that neurons in the brain anatomically organize themselves into these network camps, or clusters, the implications of such groupings on neural dynamics have remained unclear until now.

100-million-year-old coelacanth fish discovered in Texas is new species from Cretaceous Posted: 24 Oct 2012 10:09 AM PDT A fossil discovered in Texas is a new species of coelacanth fish. Paleontologists identified the skull as a 100 million-year-old coelacanth, making it the youngest discovered in Texas. The new species, Reidus hilli, brings to 81 the world's coelacanth species, including two alive today. Coelacanth fish have eluded extinction for 400 million years. Reidus hilli belongs to Dipluridae, a new family that is transitional between Mawsoniidae and Latimeriidae families.

Flycatchers' genomes explain how one species became two Posted: 24 Oct 2012 10:09 AM PDT Just how new species are established is still one of the most central questions in biology. Biologists now describe how they mapped the genomes of the European pied flycatcher and the collared flycatcher and found that it is disparate chromosome structures rather than separate adaptations in individual genes that underlies the separation of the species.

When negative political ads work Posted: 24 Oct 2012 09:48 AM PDT Televised political advertising takes up a large portion of campaigns budgets. Much of it is spent on negative political ads. A new study shows that a negative political ad is most effective when it's shown in moderation. The findings reveal that massive exposure to a negative ad has a backlash effect on the evaluation of the sponsor candidate.

Chewing betel quid exposes half a billion people to direct carcinogens Posted: 24 Oct 2012 09:48 AM PDT Chewing betel quid -- the fourth most popular psychoactive substance in the world after tobacco, alcohol and caffeine -- exposes its 600 million users to substances that act as direct carcinogens in the mouth, scientists are reporting in a new study.

Two-drug synergy may treat drug-resistant chronic myeloid leukemia Posted: 24 Oct 2012 09:48 AM PDT Researchers have dissected a case of synergy in drug-resistant chronic myeloid leukemia to understand the mechanism by which two drugs, danusertib and bosutinib, work together to overcome resistance in the BCR-ABL gatekeeper mutation-specific disease.

Speed limits on cargo ships could reduce their pollutants by more than half Posted: 24 Oct 2012 09:48 AM PDT Putting a speed limit on cargo ships as they sail near ports and coastlines could cut their emission of air pollutants by up to 70 percent, reducing the impact of marine shipping on Earth's climate and human health, scientists have found.

Buffalo milk mozzarella or buffaloed consumers? New test can provide the answer Posted: 24 Oct 2012 09:48 AM PDT Those tiny balls of boutique mozzarella cheese with the sticker-shock price tag beckoning from the dairy case -- are they the real deal, mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP, crafted from the milk of water buffaloes? Or are they really cheap fakes made from cow's milk? A new method promises to provide the answer for mozzarella and other dairy products.

Simple prevention strategy found for reducing MRSA infections Posted: 24 Oct 2012 09:48 AM PDT High compliance with hand hygiene and focusing on other simple infection control measures on medical, surgical and neuroscience intensive care units resulted in reduced rates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection by 95 percent in a nine-year study, according to new research.

Risk factors in hospital readmissions among general surgery patients identified in study Posted: 24 Oct 2012 09:47 AM PDT Identifying risk factors in hospital re-admissions could help improve patient care and hospital bottom lines, according to a new study.

Potatoes created with higher levels of carotenoids Posted: 24 Oct 2012 09:47 AM PDT Potatoes with higher levels of beneficial carotenoids are the result of new studies to improve one of America's most popular vegetables. Scientists bred yellow potatoes with carotenoid levels that are two to three times higher than those of the popular Yukon Gold yellow-fleshed potato variety.

Hot flashes can come back after SSRI Posted: 24 Oct 2012 09:47 AM PDT Hot flashes and night sweats can return after women stop using escitalopram -- an antidepressant -- to treat these menopause symptoms, according to a new study. This is typical of stopping hormone therapy as well.

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