ScienceDaily: Top Health News

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• Fossilized human feces from 14th century contain antibiotic resistance genes
• New study reveals evolution at work: Analyses elucidate a part of the brain particular to primates
• Dual role of brain glycogen revealed by researchers
• Trigger found for most common form of intellectual disability, autism
• Bisphenol A (BPA) at very low levels can adversely affect developing organs in primates
• Prenatal Nicotine Exposure May Lead to ADHD in Future Generations
• Link found between pollutants, certain complications of obesity
• Faster anthrax detection could speed bioterror response
• Math anxiety factors into understanding genetically modified food messages
• Training begins for police officers to control bleeding of mass-casualty victims in the US
• 'Oddball science' has proven worth, biologists say
• Supplement added to standard diet improves health, prolongs life in mice
• Study uncovers why autism is more common in males
• Cancer targeted treatments from space station discoveries
• Researchers X-ray living cancer cells
• Type 1 diabetes: Vitamin D deficiency occurs in early stage
• Computer game characters become more human-like by gossiping and lying
• New search engine delivers content matched to student ability
• Low birth weight reduces ability to metabolize drugs throughout life
• The pain of social exclusion: Physical pain brain circuits activated by 'social pain'
• Why dark chocolate is good for your heart
• Cushing's syndrome: Genetic basis for cortisol excess
• Tooth extraction prior to cardiac surgery may increase risk of adverse outcomes
• Smarter colorectal screening could improve senior health
• Scientists wake up to causes of sleep disruption in Alzheimer's disease
• Over 80s often over-treated for stroke prevention
• 'SuperMum' campaign results in startling improvements in people's handwashing behavior
• One gene influences recovery from traumatic brain injury
• Febrile illnesses in children in Tanzania most often due to viral infections
• Harvested rainwater harbors pathogens
• Father's age tied to higher rates of psychiatric, academic problems in kids
• New mechanism of gene regulation, enzyme use in cells discovered
• Research maze puts images on floor, where rodents look
• African-Americans respond better to rubella vaccine, study shows
• Uninsured parents don't take breastfeeding classes, even though breast is best

Fossilized human feces from 14th century contain antibiotic resistance genes Posted: 27 Feb 2014 01:45 PM PST A team of French investigators has discovered viruses containing genes for antibiotic resistance in a fossilized fecal sample from 14th century Belgium, long before antibiotics were used in medicine.

New study reveals evolution at work: Analyses elucidate a part of the brain particular to primates Posted: 27 Feb 2014 01:45 PM PST New research reveals some very unique evolutionary innovations in the primate brain. Scientists described the role of microRNAs -- so named because they contain only 22 nucleotides -- in a portion of the brain called the outer subventricular zone. These microRNAs belong to a special category of noncoding genes, which prevent the formation of proteins.

Dual role of brain glycogen revealed by researchers Posted: 27 Feb 2014 11:26 AM PST Key questions regarding the activity of glycogen in neurons are answered in two recently published articles, building on years of research and publications. The authors postulated that glycogen is a lifeguard under oxygen depletion, a condition that leads the brains to shut down and that often occurs at birth and in cerebral infarctions in adults, which leads to severe consequences, such a cerebral paralysis. Their results are the first evidence that neurons constantly store glycogen by accumulating small amounts and using it as quickly as it becomes available. The beneficial and toxic roles of brain glycogen continue to be the main focus on ongoing research.

Trigger found for most common form of intellectual disability, autism Posted: 27 Feb 2014 11:26 AM PST The most common genetic form of mental retardation and autism occurs because of a mechanism that shuts off the gene associated with the disease, new research concludes. The findings also show that a drug that blocks this silencing mechanism can prevent fragile X syndrome -- suggesting similar therapy is possible for 20 other diseases that range from mental retardation to multisystem failure. Fragile X syndrome occurs mostly in boys, causing intellectual disability as well as telltale physical, behavioral and emotional traits.

Bisphenol A (BPA) at very low levels can adversely affect developing organs in primates Posted: 27 Feb 2014 10:48 AM PST Bisphenol A is a chemical that is used in a wide variety of consumer products and exhibits hormone-like properties. Fetuses, infants, children or adults exposed to the chemical have been shown to exhibit numerous abnormalities, including cancer, as well as reproductive, immune and brain-behavior problems. Now, researchers have determined that daily exposure to very low concentrations of Bisphenol A by pregnant females also can cause fetal abnormalities in primates.

Prenatal Nicotine Exposure May Lead to ADHD in Future Generations Posted: 27 Feb 2014 10:47 AM PST Prenatal exposure to nicotine could manifest as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children born a generation later, according to a new study. Researchers have found evidence that ADHD associated with nicotine can be passed across generations. In other words, your child's ADHD might be an environmentally induced health condition inherited from your grandmother, who may have smoked cigarettes during pregnancy a long time ago. And the fact that you never smoked may be irrelevant for your child's ADHD.

Link found between pollutants, certain complications of obesity Posted: 27 Feb 2014 09:55 AM PST A link has been found between a type of pollutant and certain metabolic complications of obesity. The breakthrough could eventually help improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cardiometabolic risk associated with obesity, such as diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are human-made chemicals used in agricultural, industrial and manufacturing processes. Due to their toxicity, POPs have been strictly and internationally regulated to ensure public health. However, because they have the ability to resist environmental degradation, POPs can still be found all around the world, even in areas where they have never been used, and remain omnipresent in our environment and food products. Thus, virtually all humans are exposed to POPs daily. In this new research, POPs have been found to accelerate the development of prediabetes and obesity in mice, thereby mimicking the unfavourable cardiometabolic profile characteristic of certain obese individuals.

Faster anthrax detection could speed bioterror response Posted: 27 Feb 2014 09:55 AM PST Shortly following the 9/11 terror attack in 2001, letters containing anthrax spores were mailed around the country killing five people and infecting 17 others. At the time, no testing system was in place to screen the letters. Currently, first responders have tests that can provide results in about 24-48 hours. Now, researchers have tested a new method for anthrax detection that can identify anthrax in only a few hours.

Math anxiety factors into understanding genetically modified food messages Posted: 27 Feb 2014 09:55 AM PST People who feel intimidated by math may be less able to understand messages about genetically modified foods and other health-related information, according to researchers.

Training begins for police officers to control bleeding of mass-casualty victims in the US Posted: 27 Feb 2014 09:55 AM PST Surgeons and first responder organizations have been working to increase the number of survivors of an active shooter or mass casualty incident. An important part of this initiative requires all law enforcement officers to get medical training and equipment to control bleeding, a goal set forth by the Hartford Consensus. THREAT is an acronym for the needed response to mass shooting events, and guides new training: T -- Threat suppression, H -- Hemorrhage control, RE - Rapid Extrication to safety, A -- Assessment by medical providers, and T -- Transport to definitive care.

'Oddball science' has proven worth, biologists say Posted: 27 Feb 2014 09:55 AM PST Scoffing at or cutting funds for basic biological research on unusual animal adaptations from Gila monster venom to snail sex, though politically appealing to some, is short-sighted and only makes it more likely that important economic and social benefits will be missed in the long run, say a group of evolutionary biologists.

Supplement added to standard diet improves health, prolongs life in mice Posted: 27 Feb 2014 09:52 AM PST Activating a protein called Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) extends lifespan, delays the onset of age-related metabolic diseases, and improves general health in mice. The findings point to a potentially promising strategy for improving health and longevity. SIRT1 is known to play an important role in maintaining metabolic balance in multiple tissues, and studies in various organisms have shown that activating the protein can lead to many health benefits. Also, drugs that increase SIRT1 activity have been found to slow the onset of aging and delay age-associated diseases in several animal models.

Study uncovers why autism is more common in males Posted: 27 Feb 2014 09:52 AM PST Males are at greater risk for neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder, than females, but the underlying reasons have been unclear. A large cohort study provides compelling evidence in support of the 'female protective model,' which proposes that females require more extreme genetic mutations than do males to push them over the diagnostic threshold for neurodevelopmental disorders. Researchers found that females diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder or ASD had a greater number of harmful CNVs than did males diagnosed with the same disorder. Moreover, females diagnosed with ASD had a greater number of harmful SNVs than did males with ASD. These findings suggest that the female brain requires more extreme genetic alterations than does the male brain to produce symptoms of ASD or neurodevelopmental disorders.

Cancer targeted treatments from space station discoveries Posted: 27 Feb 2014 09:14 AM PST Invasive and systemic cancer treatment is a necessary evil for many people with the devastating diagnosis. These patients endure therapies with ravaging side effects, including nausea, immune suppression, hair loss and even organ failure, in hopes of eradicating cancerous tissues in the body. If treatments targeted a patient's cancerous tissues, it could provide clinicians with an alternative to lessen the delivery of toxic levels of chemotherapy or radiation. Imagine the quality of life from such therapies for patients. Remarkably, research that began in space may soon result in such options here on Earth.

Researchers X-ray living cancer cells Posted: 27 Feb 2014 08:55 AM PST Scientists have carried out the first studies of living biological cells using high-energy X-rays. "The new method for the first time enables us to investigate the internal structures of living cells in their natural environment using hard X-rays,' emphasizes the leader of the working group. "Thanks to the ever-greater resolution of the various investigative techniques, it is increasingly important to know whether the internal structure of the sample changes during sample preparation." In future, the new technique will make it possible to study unchanged living cells at high resolution.

Type 1 diabetes: Vitamin D deficiency occurs in early stage Posted: 27 Feb 2014 08:54 AM PST Low levels of vitamin D are commonly found in people with type 1 diabetes. But even children who have multiple positive islet autoantibodies without manifest type 1 diabetes have lower levels of vitamin D in their blood. This does not appear, however, to influence the progression of the disease from pre-diabetes to diabetes, according to scientists. "Vitamin D deficiency precedes the onset of type 1 diabetes. This may be a consequence of an immune response," one author says. "In the case of prediabetic children, we must therefore be mindful of the risk of vitamin D deficiency and consider recommending vitamin D supplementation at an early stage of type 1 diabetes."

Computer game characters become more human-like by gossiping and lying Posted: 27 Feb 2014 08:52 AM PST Imagine socially intelligent computer game characters with a natural dialogue, human-like in their ways of relating to others, who gossip, manipulate and have their own agendas. New research can make all of this possible.

New search engine delivers content matched to student ability Posted: 27 Feb 2014 08:52 AM PST An Internet search engine developed specifically for schools is being tested as a way to increase reading abilities in challenged students and help motivate intellectual development in gifted students, while saving schools money on textbooks. Complexity Engine uses a sophisticated algorithm to search websites for content and delivers free, customized and age-appropriate reading materials to a user's computer. It promises to give teachers, parents and students an efficient, affordable way to promote reading. Teachers and administrators can set parameters for the search results, and the reading experience can be either student self-directed or guided by the teacher.

Low birth weight reduces ability to metabolize drugs throughout life Posted: 27 Feb 2014 07:11 AM PST Another concern related to low birth weight has been found by researchers: a difference in how the body reacts to drugs, which may last a person's entire life and further complicate treatment of illnesses or diseases that are managed with medications. The findings add to the list of health problems that are already known to correspond to low birth weight, such as a predisposition for adult-onset diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. The implication, researchers say, is that low birth weight may not only cause increased disease, but it may also lessen the effectiveness of the drugs used to treat those diseases.

The pain of social exclusion: Physical pain brain circuits activated by 'social pain' Posted: 27 Feb 2014 07:11 AM PST "Social" pain hurts physically, even when we see it in others. The distress caused by social stimuli (e.g., losing a friend, experiencing an injustice or more in general when a social bond is threatened) activates brain circuits related to physical pain: as observed in a new study. This also applies when we experience this type of pain vicariously as an empathic response (when we see somebody else experiencing it).

Why dark chocolate is good for your heart Posted: 27 Feb 2014 06:21 AM PST It might seem too good to be true, but dark chocolate is good for you and scientists now know why. Dark chocolate helps restore flexibility to arteries while also preventing white blood cells from sticking to the walls of blood vessels. Both arterial stiffness and white blood cell adhesion are known factors that play a significant role in atherosclerosis. What's more, the scientists also found that increasing the flavanol content of dark chocolate did not change this effect.

Cushing's syndrome: Genetic basis for cortisol excess Posted: 27 Feb 2014 06:20 AM PST Cushing's syndrome has been found to be linked to a genetic basis for cortisol excess. Cortisol is a hormone that is produced by the adrenal gland in response to stressful events, and modulates a whole spectrum of physiological processes. An international research collaboration has now identified genetic mutations that lead to the production and secretion of cortisol in the absence of an underlying stressor. This condition, known as Cushing's syndrome, can be successfully treated by surgical removal of the affected adrenal gland.

Tooth extraction prior to cardiac surgery may increase risk of adverse outcomes Posted: 27 Feb 2014 06:12 AM PST Removing an infected tooth prior to cardiac surgery may increase the risk of major adverse outcomes, including risk of death prior to surgery, even though the practice is relatively routine. This research points to a significant departure from current understanding, guideline and practice, and the authors note that further research is required before recommendations and practice are changed.

Smarter colorectal screening could improve senior health Posted: 27 Feb 2014 06:12 AM PST Age-based colorectal cancer screening guidelines could lead to inappropriate use and contribute to healthy seniors missing out on the preventative tests including colonoscopy. Large health system, Medicare and many private insurers use quality measures to encourage screening among 50- to 75-year-olds. An unhealthy, 75-year-old -- whose life expectancy is estimated at less than five years -- was significantly more likely to undergo screening than a 76-year-old who's in good health, the study found. The study suggests the upper age cut-off could unintentionally discourage screening for these healthy, older individuals, leading them to miss out on the colorectal screenings known to prevent cancer.

Scientists wake up to causes of sleep disruption in Alzheimer's disease Posted: 26 Feb 2014 06:12 PM PST New research using fruit flies with Alzheimer's protein finds that the disease doesn't stop the biological clock ticking but detaches it from the sleep-wake cycle that it usually regulates. Findings could lead to more effective ways to improve sleep patterns in those with Alzheimer's.

Over 80s often over-treated for stroke prevention Posted: 26 Feb 2014 06:12 PM PST People in their 80s are often prescribed drugs to ward off a stroke when the risk of a stroke is not that high and the drugs have other side effects, suggest a new medical article. Statins and antihypertensive drugs were the most commonly prescribed cardiovascular drugs in the UK in 2006. And they are widely prescribed to patients in their 80s to ward off stroke. This is despite the fact that the research shows that, by this age, high blood pressure is not a key contributory risk factor, and high cholesterol has little effect on stroke risk, overall.

'SuperMum' campaign results in startling improvements in people's handwashing behavior Posted: 26 Feb 2014 06:10 PM PST An analysis of a unique "SuperMum" (SuperAmma, www.superamma.org) handwashing campaign shows for the first time that using emotional motivators, such as feelings of disgust and nurture, rather than health messages, can result in significant, long-lasting improvements in people's handwashing behavior, and could in turn help to reduce the risk of infectious diseases.

One gene influences recovery from traumatic brain injury Posted: 26 Feb 2014 02:45 PM PST One change in the sequence of the BDNF gene causes some people to be more impaired by traumatic brain injury than others with comparable wounds, new research shows. The study measured general intelligence in a group of 156 Vietnam War veterans who suffered penetrating head injuries during the war. All of the study subjects had damage to the prefrontal cortex, a brain region behind the forehead that is important to cognitive tasks such as planning, problem-solving, self-restraint and complex thought. The team found that a single polymorphism (a difference in one "letter" of the sequence) in the BDNF gene accounted for significant differences in intelligence among those with similar injuries and comparable intelligence before being injured.

Febrile illnesses in children in Tanzania most often due to viral infections Posted: 26 Feb 2014 02:45 PM PST Most children ill with fever in Tanzania suffer from a viral infection. A research team systematically assessed the causes of febrile illnesses in Tanzanian children. According to the results, in most cases a treatment with antimalarials or antibiotics is not required. The finding has the potential to improve the rational use of antimicrobials, and thus reduce costs and drug resistance.

Harvested rainwater harbors pathogens Posted: 26 Feb 2014 01:53 PM PST South Africa has been financing domestic rainwater harvesting tanks in informal low-income settlements and rural areas in five of that nation's nine provinces. But pathogens inhabit such harvested rainwater, potentially posing a public health hazard, especially for children and immunocompromised individuals, according to a research team. Many of the pathogens are normal fresh water inhabitants, but Salmonella (6% of samples) indicates human fecal contamination, while Yersinia are markers of fecal contamination by wild and domestic animals, according to the report.

Father's age tied to higher rates of psychiatric, academic problems in kids Posted: 26 Feb 2014 01:53 PM PST Advancing paternal age can lead to higher rates of psychiatric and academic problems in offspring than previously estimated. Compared to a children born to a 24-year-old father, children born to a 45-year-old father are 3.5 times more likely to have autism, 13 times more likely to have ADHD, twice as likely to have psychotic disorders and 25 times more likely to have bipolar disorder.

New mechanism of gene regulation, enzyme use in cells discovered Posted: 26 Feb 2014 12:56 PM PST In the cells of humans and other organisms, only a subset of genes are active at any given time, depending largely on the stage of life and the particular duties of the cell. Cells use different molecular mechanisms to orchestrate the activation and deactivation of genes as needed. One central mechanism is an intricate DNA packaging system that either shields genes from activation or exposes them for use. New research now provides additional insight into how cancer cells use the PARP1 enzyme in this process to resist current therapies, and may point to the next generation of cancer drugs.

Research maze puts images on floor, where rodents look Posted: 26 Feb 2014 12:56 PM PST Visual acuity is sharpest for rats and mice when the animals are looking down. Researchers have found that rodents can learn tasks in a fourth to a sixth of the usual number of repetitions when visual stimuli are projected onto the floor of the maze rather than onto the walls. The maze in this study is part real and part virtual. There are actual walls -- often in the shape of a giant piece of farfalle -- but researchers can project any imagery they want onto the floor from below. The use of digital projections makes the maze versatile, but using the floor for projections makes it particularly well-designed for rodent subjects.

African-Americans respond better to rubella vaccine, study shows Posted: 26 Feb 2014 12:55 PM PST Somali Americans develop twice the antibody response to rubella from the current vaccine compared to Caucasians in a new study on individualized aspects of immune response. A non-Somali, African-American cohort ranked next in immune response, still significantly higher than Caucasians, and Hispanic Americans in the study were least responsive to the vaccine.

Uninsured parents don't take breastfeeding classes, even though breast is best Posted: 26 Feb 2014 08:06 AM PST Just 12 percent of parents without insurance coverage take breastfeeding support classes that can offer crucial support and encourage new moms to breastfeed.

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ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Secondhand smoke exposure linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes
• DNA test better than standard screens in identifying fetal chromosome abnormalities
• Water filter from the sapwood in pine tree branches
• Waterbirds' hunt aided by specialized tail: Swimming birds evolved rudder-like tail to dive for food
• Impact on mummy skull suggests murder
• Cows are smarter when raised in pairs: Evidence practice of housing calves alone linked to learning difficulties
• Our memory for sounds is significantly worse than our memory for visual or tactile things
• Health reforms: Improved prescribing and reimbursement practices in China
• Climate change: No warming hiatus for extreme hot temperatures
• Antarctic circumpolar current carries 20 percent more water than previous estimates
• Phony honey a sweet deal for counterfeiters, bad for consumers
• Still-fresh remnants of Exxon Valdez oil 25 years after oil spill, found protected by boulders
• Why breastfed babies are so smart: Moms who breastfeed are often responsive and read to their babies
• Surge in designer drugs, tainted 'E' poses lethal risks
• NASA's Kepler mission announces a planet bonanza, 715 new worlds
• Hubble monitors supernova in nearby galaxy M82
• Factors affecting self-reporting among people with traumatic brain injury evaluated
• Finding a few foes among billions of cellular friends
• Nanoscale freezing leads to better imaging
• Predictive fitness model for influenza: Physics, computer science help find clues on flu evolution
• Pine forest particles appear seemingly out of thin air, influence climate
• Physicists discover 'quantum droplet' in semiconductor
• Photopharmacology: Optoswitches turn pain off and sight on
• Sunburns strike twice by altering pigment cells, harming surrounding tissue
• Shingles: A common and painful virus
• Join the crowd: Digitize biodiversity research specimens
• Screen some patients with acute pancreatitis for pancreatic cancer, researchers suggest
• Can a simple handshake predict cancer survival rates?
• New advances in the chronic lymphocytic leukaemia genome
• Ovulation motivates women to outdo other women, research shows
• New target for dengue virus vaccine found
• Virtual computer-based world an effective learning environment for healthcare education, study shows
• Climate change puts wheat crops at risk of disease
• Moths trapped with plant-produced sex pheromone
• Optical 'nanocavity' to boost light absorption in semiconductors; improve solar cells, cameras and more
• Research and applications of iron oxide nanoparticles explored
• 3-D microgels 'on-demand' offer new potential for cell research, the future of personalized medicine
• Fear of death may curb youthful texting while driving, study shows
• Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany, or Merkel, the soccer coach? Software maps ambiguous names in texts to the right person
• Follow-up care for older breast cancer survivors needs to be all-encompassing

Secondhand smoke exposure linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes Posted: 26 Feb 2014 06:12 PM PST Secondhand smoking is linked with pregnancy loss, including miscarriage, stillbirth and tubal ectopic pregnancy, according to new research. The study findings mark a significant step toward clarifying the risks of secondhand smoke exposure.

DNA test better than standard screens in identifying fetal chromosome abnormalities Posted: 26 Feb 2014 02:46 PM PST A new study potentially has significant implications for prenatal testing for major fetal chromosome abnormalities. The study found that in a head-to-head comparison of noninvasive prenatal testing using cell free DNA (cfDNA) to standard screening methods, cfDNA testing (verifi prenatal test, Illumina, Inc.) significantly reduced the rate of false positive results and had significantly higher positive predictive values for the detection of fetal trisomies 21 and 18.

Water filter from the sapwood in pine tree branches Posted: 26 Feb 2014 02:45 PM PST If you've run out of drinking water during a lakeside camping trip, there's a simple solution: Break off a branch from the nearest pine tree, peel away the bark, and slowly pour lake water through the stick. The improvised filter should trap any bacteria, producing fresh, uncontaminated water. In fact, scientists have discovered that this low-tech filtration system can produce up to four liters of drinking water a day -- enough to quench the thirst of a typical person. The researchers demonstrate that a small piece of sapwood can filter out more than 99 percent of the bacteria E. coli from water.

Waterbirds' hunt aided by specialized tail: Swimming birds evolved rudder-like tail to dive for food Posted: 26 Feb 2014 02:45 PM PST The convergent evolution of tail shapes in diving birds may be driven by foraging style. Birds use their wings and specialized tail to maneuver through the air while flying. It turns out that the purpose of a bird's tail may have also aided in their diversification by allowing them to use a greater variety of foraging strategies. To better understand the relationship between bird tail shape and foraging strategy, researchers examined the tail skeletal structure of over 50 species of waterbirds, like storks, pelicans, and penguins, and shorebirds, like gulls and puffins. They first categorized each species by foraging strategy, such as aerial, terrestrial, and pursuit diving, and then compared the shape and structure of different tails.

Impact on mummy skull suggests murder Posted: 26 Feb 2014 02:45 PM PST Blunt force trauma to the skull of a mummy with signs of Chagas disease may support homicide as cause of death, which is similar to previously described South American mummies. Radiocarbon dated to around 1450 -- 1640 AD, skeletal examination indicated that the mummy was likely 20-25 years old at the time of her death, and her skull exhibits typical Incan-type skull formations.

Cows are smarter when raised in pairs: Evidence practice of housing calves alone linked to learning difficulties Posted: 26 Feb 2014 02:45 PM PST Cows learn better when housed together, which may help them adjust faster to complex new feeding and milking technologies on the modern farm, a new study finds. Dairy calves become better at learning when a "buddy system" is in place. The study also provides the first evidence that the standard practice of individually housing calves is associated with certain learning difficulties.

Our memory for sounds is significantly worse than our memory for visual or tactile things Posted: 26 Feb 2014 02:44 PM PST Remember that sound bite you heard on the radio this morning? The grocery items your spouse asked you to pick up? Chances are, you won't. Researchers have found that when it comes to memory, we don't remember things we hear nearly as well as things we see or touch.

Health reforms: Improved prescribing and reimbursement practices in China Posted: 26 Feb 2014 01:53 PM PST Pay-for-performance has become a major component of health reforms in the United States, the United Kingdom, and other affluent countries. Although the approach has also become popular in the developing world, there has been little evaluation of its impact.

Climate change: No warming hiatus for extreme hot temperatures Posted: 26 Feb 2014 01:53 PM PST While there are claims that there has been a hiatus in global average temperatures, no such hiatus has occurred at the extreme end of the temperature spectrum. New research shows extremely hot temperatures over land have dramatically and unequivocally increased in number and area despite claims that the rise in global average temperatures has slowed over the past 10 to 20 years.

Antarctic circumpolar current carries 20 percent more water than previous estimates Posted: 26 Feb 2014 01:51 PM PST By analyzing four years of continuous measurements of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current at Drake Passage, the narrowest point in the Southern Ocean, oceanographers have concluded that the current carries 20 percent more water than previous estimates. They also found that the current remains strong all the way to the seafloor.

Phony honey a sweet deal for counterfeiters, bad for consumers Posted: 26 Feb 2014 01:51 PM PST Consumers buying honey might not be getting what they pay for according to one of the world's leading honey experts, who is supporting a U.S. Senate bill that would, if passed, put more stringent requirements on the federal government to ensure the origin of imported honey and compel sellers to label it accurately.

Still-fresh remnants of Exxon Valdez oil 25 years after oil spill, found protected by boulders Posted: 26 Feb 2014 12:56 PM PST Twenty-five years after the infamous Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound, beaches on the Alaska Peninsula hundreds of kilometers from the incident still harbor small hidden pockets of surprisingly unchanged oil, according to new research.

Why breastfed babies are so smart: Moms who breastfeed are often responsive and read to their babies Posted: 26 Feb 2014 12:56 PM PST Research has shown that children who were breastfed score higher on IQ tests and perform better in school, but the reason why remained unclear. Now a new study shows that two parenting skills deserve the credit. Responsiveness to children's emotional cues boosts kids' math and reading skills. Reading to children as early as 9 months of age also significantly improves school readiness. These two skills can give kids an extra 2-3 months' worth of brain development.

Surge in designer drugs, tainted 'E' poses lethal risks Posted: 26 Feb 2014 12:56 PM PST With up to 10 new designer drugs flooding streets every year, more education is needed to convey risks, especially among youth. In the span of a decade, Canada has gone from ecstasy importer to global supplier of the illegal party drug. At the same time, even newer designer highs -- sometimes just a mouse-click away -- are flooding the drug market faster than legislation can keep pace.

NASA's Kepler mission announces a planet bonanza, 715 new worlds Posted: 26 Feb 2014 12:33 PM PST NASA's Kepler mission announced Wednesday the discovery of 715 new planets. These newly-verified worlds orbit 305 stars, revealing multiple-planet systems much like our own solar system. Nearly 95 percent of these planets are smaller than Neptune, which is almost four times the size of Earth. This discovery marks a significant increase in the number of known small-sized planets more akin to Earth than previously identified exoplanets, which are planets outside our solar system.

Hubble monitors supernova in nearby galaxy M82 Posted: 26 Feb 2014 11:45 AM PST Astronomers have taken a Hubble Space Telescope composite image of a supernova explosion designated SN 2014J in the galaxy M82. At a distance of approximately 11.5 million light-years from Earth it is the closest supernova of its type discovered in the past few decades. The explosion is categorized as a Type Ia supernova, which is theorized to be triggered in binary systems consisting of a white dwarf and another star -- which could be a second white dwarf, a star like our sun, or a giant star.

Factors affecting self-reporting among people with traumatic brain injury evaluated Posted: 26 Feb 2014 10:30 AM PST Among individuals with traumatic brain injury, depression and self-awareness affect subjective reports of memory, quality of life, and satisfaction with life, new research has found. Impairment in self-awareness (the ability to accurately recognize one's own abilities and limitations) often occurs after TBI. Intact self-awareness would result in accurate self-reports; however, intact self-awareness can also be associated with depressive symptoms. This is the first study to examine the complex relationship between self-awareness and depression, while also accounting for the self-reporting of well being and quality of life by individuals with TBI.

Finding a few foes among billions of cellular friends Posted: 26 Feb 2014 10:30 AM PST Beating cancer is all about early detection, and new research is another step forward in catching the disease early. A team of chemists is reporting a new way to detect just a handful of lurking tumor cells, which can be outnumbered a billion to one in the bloodstream by healthy cells. The researchers have constructed an ultrasensitive nanoprobe that can electrochemically sense as few as four circulating tumor cells, and it doesn't require any enzymes to produce a detectable signal.

Nanoscale freezing leads to better imaging Posted: 26 Feb 2014 10:30 AM PST It's an odd twist. For scientists to determine if a cell is functioning properly, they must destroy it. This is what happens in X-ray fluorescence microscopy when biological specimens are exposed to ionizing radiation, which provides images with a level of detail that conventional microscopes just can't match. This exposure can change what is being imaged in profound ways, possibly giving false accounts of how the cell actually works. To address this issue, researchers created a new probe that freezes cells to "see" at greater detail without damaging the sample.

Predictive fitness model for influenza: Physics, computer science help find clues on flu evolution Posted: 26 Feb 2014 10:29 AM PST A new model to successfully predict the evolution of the influenza virus from one year to the next has been created by researchers. This advance in our understanding of influenza suggests a new, systematic way to select influenza vaccine strains. The flu is one of the major infectious diseases in humans. Seasonal strains of the influenza A virus account for about half a million deaths per year. Because influenza is a fast-evolving pathogen, the selection of optimal vaccines is a challenging global health issue. The scientists used ideas from physics and computer science in their approach to finding clues about the predictable versus random part of the flu evolution.

Pine forest particles appear seemingly out of thin air, influence climate Posted: 26 Feb 2014 10:29 AM PST Pine forests are especially magical places for atmospheric chemists. Coniferous trees give off pine-scented vapors that form particles, very quickly and seemingly out of nowhere. New research elucidates the process by which gas wafting from coniferous trees creates particles that can reflect sunlight or promote formation of clouds.

Physicists discover 'quantum droplet' in semiconductor Posted: 26 Feb 2014 10:29 AM PST Physicists have used an ultra-fast laser to discover a new semiconductor quasiparticle -- a handful of smaller particles that briefly condense into a liquid-like droplet. The discovery improves understanding of how electrons interact in various situations, including in optoelectronic devices.

Photopharmacology: Optoswitches turn pain off and sight on Posted: 26 Feb 2014 10:28 AM PST Photoreactive compounds developed by scientists directly modulate nerve-cell function, and open new routes to the treatment of neurological diseases, including chronic pain and certain types of visual impairment. All modes of sensory perception are based on communication between nerve cells. Both the response to the primary stimulus and the transmission of the resulting signal depend on the function of specialized receptor proteins that are associated with the surface membranes of neurons. Many sensory neurons respond only to a single sensory modality, such as mechanical stimulation or temperature. However, researchers have developed a method which, in principle, enables all types of neuroreceptors to be controlled by light.

Sunburns strike twice by altering pigment cells, harming surrounding tissue Posted: 26 Feb 2014 10:28 AM PST Melanoma is particularly dangerous because it can form metastases in vital organs such as the lungs, liver or brain. UV radiation is considered to be the most significant triggering factor. An interdisciplinary team of researchers has now discovered that sunburns contribute to the development of this malignant disease not only through direct alteration of pigment cell genomes but also indirectly through inflammatory processes in the surrounding tissue.

Shingles: A common and painful virus Posted: 26 Feb 2014 10:27 AM PST Shingles is a painful viral infection that affects almost one million people worldwide and 30 percent of Americans every year. Known as herpes zoster, it's caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox, the varicella-zoster virus. The outbreak occurs mostly in people older than 50 because the virus can lay dormant in the nerve tissue of the body for many years then become activated and cause shingles later in life. A new article gives advice and guidance for those at risk.

Join the crowd: Digitize biodiversity research specimens Posted: 26 Feb 2014 10:27 AM PST A crowdsourcing project aims to enable transcription of specimen labels and ledgers from the world's 3 billion biodiversity research specimens.

Screen some patients with acute pancreatitis for pancreatic cancer, researchers suggest Posted: 26 Feb 2014 10:27 AM PST There is a much higher risk of pancreatic cancer in patients with acute pancreatitis than commonly believed, new research demonstrates. researchers have found a link between acute pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) and pancreatic cancer, a finding which may eventually lead to some pancreatic cancers being detected earlier. Pancreatic cancer, the fourth most common cause of cancer death in the U.S., is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage because it has few early warning signs and no established screening method.

Can a simple handshake predict cancer survival rates? Posted: 26 Feb 2014 09:53 AM PST New acquaintances are often judged by their handshake. Research has now recognized the simple squeeze as an important diagnostic tool in assessing strength and quality of life among critical care patients. The test was simple: 203 patients fighting advanced-stage cancers squeezed a device known as a dynamometer with their dominant hand. The instrument then measured peak grip strength and information gleaned from that could predict, to some degree, survival rates among cancer patients.

New advances in the chronic lymphocytic leukaemia genome Posted: 26 Feb 2014 09:53 AM PST The Chronic Lymphatic Leukemia (CLL) Genome Consortium moves closer to the functional study of the genome and its application for improving the treatment of the disease. Researchers can now identify functional differences in leukemia cells. Their findings provide a new classification of the disease that could, eventually, improve predictions of the best time for starting treatment.

Ovulation motivates women to outdo other women, research shows Posted: 26 Feb 2014 09:53 AM PST For approximately one week every month, millions of women change their economic behavior and become more focused on their social standing relative to other women. According to new research, the ovulatory cycle alters women's behavior by subconsciously motivating them to outdo other women. Based on studies rooted in theory and research in evolutionary biology and evolutionary consumer behavior, their findings that ovulating women jockey for position over other women is consistent with the literature on animals. For example, studies have shown that female monkeys become more aggressive toward other females when fertile. This research could have important implications for marketers, consumers and researchers.

New target for dengue virus vaccine found Posted: 26 Feb 2014 09:53 AM PST Using an experimental technique new to the dengue field, researchers showed that a molecular hinge where two regions of a protein connect is where natural human antibodies attach to dengue type-3 to disable it. The finding shows that most human antibodies that neutralize the virus bind to this hinge. It's the first study to demonstrate how these binding sites can be genetically exchanged without disrupting the integrity of the virus.

Virtual computer-based world an effective learning environment for healthcare education, study shows Posted: 26 Feb 2014 09:53 AM PST Researchers have demonstrated the potential of using a virtual computer environment for distance healthcare education for an international audience that often has limited access to conventional teaching and training.

Climate change puts wheat crops at risk of disease Posted: 26 Feb 2014 09:52 AM PST There is a risk that severity of epidemics of some wheat diseases may increase within the next ten to twenty years due to the impacts of climate change according to a study by international researchers. The researchers carried out a survey in China to establish a link between weather and the severity of epidemics of fusarium ear blight on the wheat crops. This weather-based model was then used to predict the impact on severity of the disease of future weather scenarios for the period from 2020 to 2050.

Moths trapped with plant-produced sex pheromone Posted: 26 Feb 2014 09:52 AM PST By engineering plants that emitted sex pheromones that mimic those naturally produced by two species of moths, researchers have demonstrated that an effective, environmentally friendly, plant-based method of insect control is possible. While a proof-of-concept experiment, engineering plants to be insect pheromone-producing factories creates an environmentally friendly alternative to pesticides as well as an easier and less expensive method of synthesizing insect pheromones

Optical 'nanocavity' to boost light absorption in semiconductors; improve solar cells, cameras and more Posted: 26 Feb 2014 08:09 AM PST Scientists are developing an optical 'nanocavity' that boosts the amount of light that ultrathin semiconductors absorb. The advancement could lead to: more powerful photovoltaic cells; faster video cameras; and it could be useful for splitting water using energy from light, which could aid in the development of hydrogen fuel.

Research and applications of iron oxide nanoparticles explored Posted: 26 Feb 2014 08:07 AM PST A scientist spent thirty years investigating how craftsman were able to render the beautiful red colors in Bizen and Arita pottery. This research revealed the important role of iron oxide particles for producing the colors. Now he is working on innovative applications of nanometer scale iron oxide materials produced by 'iron-oxidizing bacteria', having made the transition from fine ceramics and Bizen stoneware to fuel cells and biotechnology.

3-D microgels 'on-demand' offer new potential for cell research, the future of personalized medicine Posted: 26 Feb 2014 08:06 AM PST Stars, diamonds, circles. Rather than your average bowl of Lucky Charms, these are three-dimensional cell cultures generated by an exciting new digital microfluidics platform.

Fear of death may curb youthful texting while driving, study shows Posted: 26 Feb 2014 06:52 AM PST While drivers tend to believe it is dangerous to text and drive, many say they can still do it safely. Now researchers say drivers can be discouraged from the practice with public service announcements that evoke their fear of death in graphic terms. The study comes as distracted driving is implicated in thousands of fatalities and hundreds of thousands of injuries each year. The researchers cite a National Safety Council estimate that distracted cell phone use accounts for more than one-fourth of all traffic accidents, with as many as 200,000 stemming specifically from texting while driving.

Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany, or Merkel, the soccer coach? Software maps ambiguous names in texts to the right person Posted: 26 Feb 2014 06:52 AM PST Computer scientists have developed software that resolves the ambiguity of names within texts automatically. This mapping between mentions and actual entities like persons not only improves search engines, but also makes it possible to analyze huge amounts of text efficiently.

Follow-up care for older breast cancer survivors needs to be all-encompassing Posted: 26 Feb 2014 06:52 AM PST Older women who have overcome breast cancer are likely to struggle with heart disease, osteoporosis and hypertension further on in their lives. Whether these conditions occur or not is influenced by the treatment that patients received to fight cancer, their overall weight and their age. Breast cancer survivors therefore should watch their weight and get regular exercise so that they can enjoy a high quality of life.

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