ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Extreme climate change linked to early animal evolution
• Fecal incontinence is highly underreported
• Leptin may play a role in hearing and vision loss, zebrafish study suggests
• 'I'm bored!' -- Research on attention sheds light on the unengaged mind
• Ready for your close-up? Distance at which facial photos are taken influences perception, study shows
• Rare great earthquake in April triggers large aftershocks all over the globe
• Molecular process in fat cells that influences stress and longevity identified
• Asteroid's troughs suggest stunted planet
• Hurricane Irene polluted Catskills watershed
• Two categories of multiple sclerosis patients defined
• Researchers discover what vampire squids eat: It's not what you think
• Researchers determine how inflammatory cells function, setting stage for future remedies
• Artificially intelligent game bots pass the Turing test on Turing's centenary
• Skip the cake? Neural processes at work during self-regulation identified
• As population, interest in outdoor recreation grow, more pressure likely for northern forests
• New strategy for battling HIV
• Tracking koala disease: New findings from old DNA
• Women twice as likely to suffer infection with kidney stones and other urinary blockages
• Exposure to school-age children ups severity of cold infections
• Biologist discovers mammal with salamander-like regenerative abilities
• Metagenome-wide association study of gut microbiota in type 2 diabetes
• Gut bacteria could could play key role in development of type 2 diabetes
• Inadequate cellular rest may explain effects of aging on muscles
• Scientists make old muscles young again in attempt to combat aging
• Large 2012 earthquake triggered temblors worldwide for nearly a week
• Pregnancy generates maternal immune-suppressive cells that protect the fetus
• Study reveals complex rupture process in surprising 2012 Sumatra quake
• Diabetes is characterized by specific intestinal flora, researchers find
• Salt marsh carbon may play role in slowing climate warming
• Magnitude-8.7 quake was part of crustal plate breakup
• Taking the battle against the toxic trio beyond 'Leaves of three, leave it be'
• Protein structure unlocks one mystery of multi-drug tolerance
• Federal law needed to safeguard 'digital afterlives', expert argues
• New insights into functionality of cystic fibrosis protein
• Pain pill abuse: Research sheds light on potential habit-forming properties of tramadol
• Geometry plays a role in GPCR transmembrane signaling
• A birth control pill for men? When?
• Date palm juice: A potential new 'green' anti-corrosion agent for aerospace industry
• Reducing acrylamide levels in french fries
• Search for element 113 concluded at last
• More heart patients staying out of hospital thanks to telemonitoring
• How is a Kindle like a cuttlefish? Parallels between e-Paper technology and biological organisms that change color
• New simulation method produces realistic fluid movements
• Melatonin and exercise work against Alzheimer's in mice
• Loss of species makes nature more sensitive to climate change, study finds
• Preserving large females could prevent overfishing of Atlantic cod, Swedish study finds
• Antibiotics could replace surgery for appendicitis, research suggests
• Ancient Buddhist statue made of meteorite, new study reveals
• Antipsychotic drugmakers target marketing dollars at D.C. Medicaid psychiatrists, study indicates
• Smoking relapse prevention a healthy step for new mothers, babies, researchers say
• Blood test accurately detects early stages of lung, breast cancer in humans
• Study looks at risk factors for HIV in U.S. Navy and Marines during 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'
• Study pinpoints epigenetic function of common cancer-causing protein: It's not what science thought
• Coral hotspots found in deepwater canyons off northeast US coast
• Robotic surgery through the mouth safe for removing tumors of the voice box, study shows
• Computers match humans in understanding art
• Brain parts can evolve independently, shows analysis of brains of 10,000 mice
• Backpack-toting birds help researchers reveal migratory divide, conservation hotspots
• Most European languages in danger of digital extinction, study finds
• 3-D images of 300-million-year-old insects revealed

Extreme climate change linked to early animal evolution Posted: 26 Sep 2012 01:17 PM PDT An international team of scientists has uncovered new evidence linking extreme climate change, oxygen rise, and early animal evolution.

Fecal incontinence is highly underreported Posted: 26 Sep 2012 01:15 PM PDT Fecal incontinence, or the inability to control the bowels, is a highly underreported and stigmatized condition, according to colorectal surgeons.

Leptin may play a role in hearing and vision loss, zebrafish study suggests Posted: 26 Sep 2012 12:30 PM PDT Leptin -- commonly dubbed the "fat hormone" -- does more than tell the brain when to eat. A new study shows that leptin may play a role in hearing and vision loss. This discovery, made in zebrafish treated to produce low leptin, could ultimately help doctors better understand sensory loss in humans.

'I'm bored!' -- Research on attention sheds light on the unengaged mind Posted: 26 Sep 2012 12:30 PM PDT Boredom is often seen as a trivial and temporary, but it can also be a chronic and pervasive stressor that has significant consequences for health and well-being. Despite this, boredom itself is still poorly understood. A new article explores the mental processes that underlie our feelings of boredom with the aim of creating a precise definition of boredom that can be applied across a variety of theoretical frameworks.

Ready for your close-up? Distance at which facial photos are taken influences perception, study shows Posted: 26 Sep 2012 12:30 PM PDT As the saying goes, "A picture is worth a thousand words." Previous studies have examined how our social judgments of pictures of people are influenced by factors such as whether the person is smiling or frowning, but until now one factor has never been investigated: the distance between the photographer and the subject. According to a new study, this turns out to make a difference.

Rare great earthquake in April triggers large aftershocks all over the globe Posted: 26 Sep 2012 12:30 PM PDT Large earthquakes can alter seismicity patterns across the globe in very different ways, according to two new studies by US Geological Survey seismologists. Both studies shed light on more than a decade of debate on the origin and prevalence of remotely triggered earthquakes. Until now, distant but damaging "aftershocks" have not been included in hazard assessments, yet in each study, changes in seismicity were predictable enough to be included in future evaluations of earthquake hazards.

Molecular process in fat cells that influences stress and longevity identified Posted: 26 Sep 2012 12:29 PM PDT Scientists have identified a new factor -- microRNA processing in fat tissue -- which plays a major role in aging and stress resistance. This finding may lead to the development of treatments that increase stress resistance and longevity and improve metabolism.

Asteroid's troughs suggest stunted planet Posted: 26 Sep 2012 11:35 AM PDT Enormous troughs that reach across the asteroid Vesta may actually be stretch marks that hint of a complexity beyond most asteroids. Scientists have been trying to determine the origin of these unusual troughs since their discovery just last year. Now, a new analysis supports the notion that the troughs are faults that formed when a fellow asteroid smacked into Vesta's south pole. The research reinforces the claim that Vesta has a layered interior, a quality normally reserved for larger bodies, such as planets and large moons.

Hurricane Irene polluted Catskills watershed Posted: 26 Sep 2012 11:17 AM PDT The water quality of lakes and coastal systems will be altered if hurricanes intensify in a warming world, according to a new study.

Two categories of multiple sclerosis patients defined Posted: 26 Sep 2012 11:16 AM PDT Medical researchers have found a way to distinguish patients with multiple sclerosis into two meaningful subsets.

Researchers discover what vampire squids eat: It's not what you think Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:32 AM PDT Over the last 100 years, perhaps a dozen scientific papers have been published on the mysterious vampire squid, but no one has been able to figure out exactly what it eats. A new article shows for the first time that the vampire squid uses two thread-like filaments to capture bits of organic debris that sink down from the ocean surface into the deep sea.

Researchers determine how inflammatory cells function, setting stage for future remedies Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:32 AM PDT A research team has determined how cells that cause inflammatory ailments, such as Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis, differentiate from stem cells and ultimately affect the clinical outcome of these diseases.

Artificially intelligent game bots pass the Turing test on Turing's centenary Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:32 AM PDT An artificially intelligent virtual gamer has won the BotPrize by convincing a panel of judges that it was more human-like than half the humans it competed against. The victory comes 100 years after the birth of mathematician and computer scientist Alan Turing, whose "Turing test" stands as one of the foundational definitions of what constitutes true machine intelligence.

Skip the cake? Neural processes at work during self-regulation identified Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:32 AM PDT When making healthy choices, we often have to engage in an internal struggle. Now, scientists have identified the neural processes at work during such self-regulation -- and what determines whether you choose chocolate cake or something healthier.

As population, interest in outdoor recreation grow, more pressure likely for northern forests Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:32 AM PDT Despite just modest gains in population and participation in outdoor recreation compared to the rest of the nation, there is a strong likelihood of increasing pressure on forest and other undeveloped lands in northern states as the population grows and recreation demands shift.

New strategy for battling HIV Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:32 AM PDT New research shows how the HIV virus targets "veterans" or memory T-cells could change how drugs are used to stop the virus.

Tracking koala disease: New findings from old DNA Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:32 AM PDT DNA extracted from the skins of koalas displayed in European and North American museums shows that a retrovirus has been a problem for the animals for much longer than was thought, according to researchers.

Women twice as likely to suffer infection with kidney stones and other urinary blockages Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:32 AM PDT While more men than women develop kidney stones and other obstructions in the urinary tract, women are more than twice as likely to suffer infections related to the condition, according to a new study.

Exposure to school-age children ups severity of cold infections Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:32 AM PDT Exposure to school-age children raises the odds that a person with lung disease who catches a cold will actually suffer symptoms like a runny nose, sore throat and cough. While many studies have found that being around school-age children increases the risk of infection, the new findings go one step further: Of people who come down with colds, the course of the infection is much more likely to be worse in people exposed to children.

Biologist discovers mammal with salamander-like regenerative abilities Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:31 AM PDT A small African mammal with an unusual ability to regrow damaged tissues could inspire new research in regenerative medicine, a new study finds.

Metagenome-wide association study of gut microbiota in type 2 diabetes Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:31 AM PDT Researchers have published a novel metagenomic study on human gut microbiota and their potential impact on type 2 diabetes (T2D), the most common form of diabetes. This work lays an important foundation for comprehensively understanding the genetic characteristics of gut microbiota and their relationship to T2D risk, as well as providing a new way of classifying microbes detected by DNA sequence. The work here also opens the way for transferring the potential value of a gut-microbiota-based approach into a means for clinical assessment and diagnosis of patients at risk of this disease.

Gut bacteria could could play key role in development of type 2 diabetes Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:31 AM PDT Studying gut bacteria can reveal a range of human illness. Now, new research shows that the composition of a person's intestinal bacteria could play an important role in the development of type 2 diabetes.

Inadequate cellular rest may explain effects of aging on muscles Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:31 AM PDT Is aging inevitable? What factors make older tissues in the human body less able to maintain and repair themselves, as in the weakening and shrinkage of aging muscles in humans? A new study describes the mechanism behind impaired muscle repair during aging and a strategy that may help rejuvenate aging tissue by manipulating the environment in which muscle stem cells reside.

Scientists make old muscles young again in attempt to combat aging Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:31 AM PDT An international team of scientists has identified for the first time a key factor responsible for declining muscle repair during aging, and discovered how to halt the process in mice with a common drug. Although an early study, the findings provide clues as to how muscles lose mass with age, which can result in weakness that affects mobility and may cause falls.

Large 2012 earthquake triggered temblors worldwide for nearly a week Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:31 AM PDT This year's largest earthquake, a magnitude 8.6 temblor on April 11 centered in the East Indian Ocean off Sumatra, did little damage, but it triggered quakes around the world for at least a week, according to a new analysis by seismologists.

Pregnancy generates maternal immune-suppressive cells that protect the fetus Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:31 AM PDT A new study suggests it might be possible to develop vaccines to prevent premature birth and other pregnancy complications. If so, such vaccines would be the first intended to stimulate the subset of regulatory CD4 T cells that suppress the immune response.

Study reveals complex rupture process in surprising 2012 Sumatra quake Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:31 AM PDT The massive earthquake that struck under the Indian Ocean southwest of Sumatra on April 11, 2012, came as a surprise to seismologists and left them scrambling to figure out exactly what had happened. Analysis of the seismic waves generated during the event has now revealed a complicated faulting process unlike anything seen before.

Diabetes is characterized by specific intestinal flora, researchers find Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:27 AM PDT Whether you have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, in the future may be derived from the composition of your intestinal flora, according to new metagenomics research.

Salt marsh carbon may play role in slowing climate warming Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:26 AM PDT A warming climate and rising seas will enable salt marshes to more rapidly capture and remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, possibly playing a role in slowing the rate of climate change, according to a new study.

Magnitude-8.7 quake was part of crustal plate breakup Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:26 AM PDT Seismologists have known for years that the Indo-Australian plate of Earth's crust is slowly breaking apart, but they saw it in action last April when at least four faults broke in a magnitude-8.7 earthquake that may be the largest of its type ever recorded.

Taking the battle against the toxic trio beyond 'Leaves of three, leave it be' Posted: 26 Sep 2012 09:38 AM PDT With more than half of all adults allergic to poison ivy, oak and sumac, scientists are reporting an advance toward an inexpensive spray that could reveal the presence of the rash-causing toxic oil on the skin, clothing, garden tools, and even the family pet. Using the spray would enable people to wash off the oil, or avoid further contact, in time to sidestep days of misery.

Protein structure unlocks one mystery of multi-drug tolerance Posted: 26 Sep 2012 09:38 AM PDT The structures of key bacterial proteins have revealed one of the biochemical secrets that enables bacteria to outwit antibiotics.

Federal law needed to safeguard 'digital afterlives', expert argues Posted: 26 Sep 2012 09:38 AM PDT Federal law ought to play a stronger role in regulating social networking sites by allowing users to determine what happens to their "digital afterlives," an expert argues.

New insights into functionality of cystic fibrosis protein Posted: 26 Sep 2012 09:38 AM PDT CFTR is an important protein that, when mutated, causes the life-threatening genetic disease cystic fibrosis. A new study details how an accidental discovery has provided new understanding about CFTR functionality.

Pain pill abuse: Research sheds light on potential habit-forming properties of tramadol Posted: 26 Sep 2012 09:38 AM PDT A study by a team of University of Kentucky researchers has shed new light on the potential habit-forming properties of the popular pain medication tramadol.

Geometry plays a role in GPCR transmembrane signaling Posted: 26 Sep 2012 09:38 AM PDT A recent study characterizes the movement of rhodopsin, a GPCR and member of a large family of transmembrane receptors responsible for many cellular responses and involved in many human diseases.

A birth control pill for men? When? Posted: 26 Sep 2012 09:38 AM PDT When will men have their own birth control pill? Scientists have been predicting the debut of a male pill within five years for the last 30 years. The factors accounting for that delay -- and new optimism that a male pill will emerge within a decade -- are the topic of a new article.

Date palm juice: A potential new 'green' anti-corrosion agent for aerospace industry Posted: 26 Sep 2012 09:38 AM PDT The search for a "greener" way to prevent corrosion on the kind of aluminum used in jetliners, cars and other products has led scientists to an unlikely source, according to a new report. It's the juice of the date palm -- those tall, majestic trees that, until now, were noted mainly as sources of food and traditional medicines.

Reducing acrylamide levels in french fries Posted: 26 Sep 2012 09:38 AM PDT The process for preparing frozen, par-fried potato strips -- distributed to some food outlets for making french fries -- can influence the formation of acrylamide in the fries that people eat, a new study has found. The study identifies potential ways of reducing levels of acrylamide, which the National Toxicology Program and the International Agency for Research on Cancer regard as a "probable human carcinogen."

Search for element 113 concluded at last Posted: 26 Sep 2012 08:27 AM PDT The most unambiguous data to date on the elusive 113th atomic element has now been obtained. A chain of six consecutive alpha decays, produced in experiments at the RIKEN Radioisotope Beam Factory (RIBF), conclusively identifies the element through connections to well-known daughter nuclides.

More heart patients staying out of hospital thanks to telemonitoring Posted: 26 Sep 2012 08:27 AM PDT The use of telemonitoring for cardiac patients is increasing – despite mixed evidence as to how effective it really is.

How is a Kindle like a cuttlefish? Parallels between e-Paper technology and biological organisms that change color Posted: 26 Sep 2012 08:01 AM PDT New research examines parallels between e-Paper technology (the technology behind sunlight-readable devices like the Kindle) and biological organisms that change color.

New simulation method produces realistic fluid movements Posted: 26 Sep 2012 08:01 AM PDT What does a yogurt look like over time? The food industry will soon be able to answer this question using a new fluid simulation tool.

Melatonin and exercise work against Alzheimer's in mice Posted: 26 Sep 2012 08:01 AM PDT The combination of two neuroprotective therapies, voluntary physical exercise, and the daily intake of melatonin has been shown to have a synergistic effect against brain deterioration in rodents with three different mutations of Alzheimer's disease.

Loss of species makes nature more sensitive to climate change, study finds Posted: 26 Sep 2012 07:43 AM PDT When we wipe out the most sensitive species, human beings reduce the resilience of ecosystems to climate change, reveals a new study from biologists in Sweden. High biodiversity acts as an insurance policy for nature and society alike as it increases the likelihood that at least some species will be sufficiently resilient to sustain important functions such as water purification and crop pollination in a changing environment.

Preserving large females could prevent overfishing of Atlantic cod, Swedish study finds Posted: 26 Sep 2012 07:42 AM PDT Cod are among Sweden's most common and most popular edible fish and have been fished hard for many years. One consequence is the risk of serious changes in cod stocks, reveals new research.

Antibiotics could replace surgery for appendicitis, research suggests Posted: 26 Sep 2012 07:42 AM PDT Although the standard approach to acute appendicitis is to remove the appendix, a study from Sweden reveals that treatment with antibiotics can be just as effective in many cases.

Ancient Buddhist statue made of meteorite, new study reveals Posted: 26 Sep 2012 07:42 AM PDT An ancient Buddhist statue which was first recovered by a Nazi expedition in 1938 has been analyzed by a team of scientists. The probably 1,000-year-old statue, called the "Iron Man", weighs 10 kilograms, portrays the Buddhist god Vaisravana and is believed to originate from the pre-Buddhist Bon culture of the 11th Century. Geochemical analyses by the German-Austrian research team revealed that the priceless statue was carved from an ataxite, a very rare class of iron meteorites.

Antipsychotic drugmakers target marketing dollars at D.C. Medicaid psychiatrists, study indicates Posted: 26 Sep 2012 07:42 AM PDT The D.C. Department of Health has released a study by George Washington University School of Public Health & Health Services indicating the high levels of marketing by antipsychotic drug manufacturers to Medicaid psychiatrists in the District of Columbia.

Smoking relapse prevention a healthy step for new mothers, babies, researchers say Posted: 26 Sep 2012 07:42 AM PDT Researchers concerned that women who quit smoking during their pregnancies often resume smoking after they deliver their baby, tested self-help interventions designed to prevent postpartum smoking relapse.

Blood test accurately detects early stages of lung, breast cancer in humans Posted: 26 Sep 2012 07:42 AM PDT In less than an hour, a new test can detect breast cancer and non-small lung cancer -- the most common type of lung cancer -- before symptoms like coughing and weight loss start. Researchers anticipate testing for the early stages of pancreatic cancer shortly.

Study looks at risk factors for HIV in U.S. Navy and Marines during 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Posted: 26 Sep 2012 07:42 AM PDT Same-sex partners and inconsistent condom use were among the major risk factors for HIV infection among U.S. Navy and Marines personnel during the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) era, a new study reports.

Study pinpoints epigenetic function of common cancer-causing protein: It's not what science thought Posted: 26 Sep 2012 06:46 AM PDT "This is a potent oncogene whose mechanism we thought we knew. But basically in this paper we demolish the accepted model. DNp63a doesn't work through p53 – it operates through epigenetic silencing of anti-proliferative genes," says the study's senior author, Joaquin M. Espinosa, Ph.D.

Coral hotspots found in deepwater canyons off northeast US coast Posted: 26 Sep 2012 06:45 AM PDT For the first time in decades, researchers have conducted an extensive exploration for deep-sea corals and sponges in submarine canyons off the northeastern coast of the US. The survey revealed coral "hotspots," and found that a new coral habitat suitability model could help predict where corals are likely to occur.

Robotic surgery through the mouth safe for removing tumors of the voice box, study shows Posted: 26 Sep 2012 06:45 AM PDT Robotic surgery though the mouth is a safe and effective way to remove tumors of the throat and voice box, according to a new study.

Computers match humans in understanding art Posted: 26 Sep 2012 06:45 AM PDT Understanding and evaluating art has widely been considered as a task meant for humans, until now. Computer scientists tackled the question "can machines understand art?" The results were very surprising. In fact, an algorithm has been developed that demonstrates computers are able to "understand" art in a fashion very similar to how art historians perform their analysis, mimicking the perception of expert art critiques.

Brain parts can evolve independently, shows analysis of brains of 10,000 mice Posted: 26 Sep 2012 06:45 AM PDT Scientists have found compelling evidence that parts of the brain can evolve independently from each other. The brains of approximately 10,000 mice were analyzed. Seven individual parts of each brain were measured by volume and weight. The entire genome, except the Y chromosome, was scanned for each animal and the gene set for each brain part identified. The findings promise to significantly advance our understanding of the brain.

Backpack-toting birds help researchers reveal migratory divide, conservation hotspots Posted: 26 Sep 2012 06:45 AM PDT By outfitting two British Columbia subspecies of Swainson's thrushes with penny-sized, state-of-the-art geolocators, researchers have been able to map their wildly divergent migration routes and pinpoint conservation hotspots.

Most European languages in danger of digital extinction, study finds Posted: 26 Sep 2012 06:45 AM PDT More than 20 European languages face digital extinction because of a lack of technological support, a study by Europe's leading language technology experts has found.

3-D images of 300-million-year-old insects revealed Posted: 26 Sep 2012 06:45 AM PDT Stunning 3-D images of 300-million-year-old insects have been revealed for the first time by researchers. The scientists have used a high resolution form of CT scanning to reconstruct two 305-million-year-old juvenile insects. Without the pioneering approach to imaging, these tiny insects -- which are three-dimensional holes in a rock -- would have been impossible to study.

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