ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Predator-producing bacteria may be battling in human intestines
• Concussions affect children's brains even after symptoms subside
• Was the sauropod dinosaurs' large size due to plant food? Scientists argue old idea still has legs
• Rare fossil related to crabs, lobsters, shrimp: Exceptionally well preserved, including shell and soft parts
• Colic treatment? Manipulative therapies may be beneficial treatment for infantile colic
• Next step in launching astronauts from U.S. Soil: NASA awards commercial crew certification contracts
• Mars rover self-portrait shoot uses arm choreography
• Mars rover Curiosity nearing Yellowknife Bay
• Fish have enormous nutrient impacts on marine ecosystems, study finds
• Fear of falling may cause social isolation in older adults with vision problems
• Roman settlement and possible prehistoric site uncovered in northern Italy
• Want your baby to learn? Research shows sitting up helps
• An older Vega: New insights about the star all others are measured by
• Mussel goo inspires blood vessel glue
• How our sense of touch is a lot like the way we hear
• My, what big teeth you have! Threatening objects appear closer
• Even moderate smoking associated with sudden death risk in women
• Alzheimer's biomarkers inhibited in animal model by targeting astrocytes
• Ancient red dye powers new 'green' battery: Chemists use plant extract in eco-friendly, sustainable lithium-ion battery
• Grains gang up to bear brunt of missile and meteorite impacts
• Value or attention: Why do consumers prefer familiar products?
• Need to move soon? Don't trust your emotions
• How do stay-at-home dads seek greater social acceptance?
• Holiday shopping madness: When do consumers seek to punish fellow shoppers for behaving badly?
• Global student achievement in math, science and reading literacy: Results of 2011 TIMSS and PIRLS assessments
• Eating or spending too much? Blame it on social networking sites
• Does changing the price of medicine influence consumers' perceived health risk?
• Best of both worlds: Hybrid approach sheds light on crystal structure solution
• Many parents unaware of children's experiences in daycare
• Novel laser technique reveals how the inner ear amplifies sound
• Battling brittle bones with … broccoli and spinach?
• New forecast system helps transoceanic flights avoid storms
• Foreign multidrug resistant bacteria contained in Toronto hospital
• Anti-aging gene identified as tumor suppressor in mice: Mice without pro-longevity gene SIRT6 had higher risk of gastrointestinal cancers
• Black holes have properties that resemble dynamics of both solids and liquids
• Salmonella spreads by targeting cells in our gut, study shows
• Emotion in voices helps capture listener's attention, but in the long run the words are not remembered as accurately
• New components of epigenetic 'code' for honey bee development discovered
• Threatening objects appear closer
• Epigenetics may underlie homosexuality, study finds
• Termites strike gold: Ant and termite colonies unearth gold in Australia
• Higher levels of college-degree attainment boosts employment for all, even the least educated
• Report compares greenhouse gas and black carbon emissions tracking across North America
• Alternative to fullerenes in organic solar cells is just as exciting
• International trade in live corals could help preserve wild corals and coral reefs ecosystems, study suggests
• CubeSats in orbit after historic space station deployment
• Device helps children with disabilities access tablets
• Postpartum women less stressed by threats unrelated to the baby
• Effective immunotherapy for melanoma hinges on blocking suppressive factors, study suggests
• Why do so many women leave biology?
• Epigenetics may be a critical factor contributing to homosexuality, study suggests
• New coronavirus has many potential hosts, could pass from animals to humans repeatedly
• Bedroom TV viewing increases risk of obesity in children: More than 2 hours of TV a day adds significantly to children's waist size
• Does the brain become unglued in autism?
• Sexual and social behavior modified by serotonin system drugs
• Most ancient evidence of insect camouflage: 110 million years ago
• Feeling lonely linked to increased risk of dementia in later life

Predator-producing bacteria may be battling in human intestines Posted: 11 Dec 2012 04:35 PM PST Researchers have found that a bacteriophage unique to the Enterococcus faecalis strain V583 acts as a predator, infecting and harming similar, competing bacteria. They believe these lab results suggest what goes on in the human intestine.

Concussions affect children's brains even after symptoms subside Posted: 11 Dec 2012 04:31 PM PST Brain changes in children who have sustained a mild traumatic brain injury, or concussion, persist for months following injury -- even after the symptoms of the injury are gone, according to a new study. The findings highlight the potential benefit of using advanced imaging techniques to monitor recovery in children following concussions.

Was the sauropod dinosaurs' large size due to plant food? Scientists argue old idea still has legs Posted: 11 Dec 2012 04:31 PM PST The long-necked sauropod dinosaurs were the largest land animals ever to walk the Earth -- but why were they so large? A decade ago, a team of plant ecologists from South Africa suggested that this was due to the nature of the plant food they ate. However, these ideas have fallen out of favor with many dinosaur researchers. Now experts argue that this idea still has legs.

Rare fossil related to crabs, lobsters, shrimp: Exceptionally well preserved, including shell and soft parts Posted: 11 Dec 2012 04:31 PM PST Scientists have made an extremely rare discovery of a species of animal -- related to crabs, lobsters and shrimps -- that is new to science. The discovered species, which is up to 10 millimetres long, is special because it is exceptionally well preserved, complete with not only the shell but also the soft parts -- its body, limbs, eyes, gills and alimentary system. Such discoveries are extremely rare in the fossil record.

Colic treatment? Manipulative therapies may be beneficial treatment for infantile colic Posted: 11 Dec 2012 04:31 PM PST Infantile colic is a distressing problem, characterized by excessive crying of infants and it is the most common complaint seen by physicians in the first 16 weeks of a child's life. It is usually considered a benign disorder because the symptoms generally disappear by the age of five or six months. However, the degree of distress caused to parents and family life is such that physicians often feel the need to intervene. Some studies suggest that there are longer-lasting effects. It has been suggested that certain gentle, low velocity manipulative techniques such as those used in osteopathy and chiropractic, might safely reduce the symptoms associated with infantile colic, specifically excessive crying time.

Next step in launching astronauts from U.S. Soil: NASA awards commercial crew certification contracts Posted: 11 Dec 2012 04:00 PM PST NASA announced Dec. 10 the next step in its plan to launch American astronauts from U.S. soil, selecting three companies to conduct activities under contracts that will enable future certification of commercial spacecraft as safe to carry humans to the International Space Station.

Mars rover self-portrait shoot uses arm choreography Posted: 11 Dec 2012 03:57 PM PST The robotic arm on NASA's Mars rover Curiosity held the rover's Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera in more than 50 positions in one day to generate a single scene combining all the images, creating a high-resolution, full-color portrait of the rover itself.

Mars rover Curiosity nearing Yellowknife Bay Posted: 11 Dec 2012 03:55 PM PST The NASA Mars rover Curiosity drove 63 feet (19 meters) northeastward early Monday, Dec. 10, approaching a step down into a slightly lower area called "Yellowknife Bay," where researchers intend to choose a rock to drill. The drive was Curiosity's fourth consecutive driving day since leaving a site near an outcrop called "Point Lake," where it arrived last month. These drives totaled 260 feet (79 meters) and brought the mission's total odometry to 0.37 mile (598 meters).

Fish have enormous nutrient impacts on marine ecosystems, study finds Posted: 11 Dec 2012 01:35 PM PST Fish play a far more important role as contributors of nutrients to marine ecosystems than previously thought. In a pair of articles, they show that fish contribute more nutrients to their local ecosystems than any other source -- enough to cause changes in the growth rates of the organisms at the base of the food web.

Fear of falling may cause social isolation in older adults with vision problems Posted: 11 Dec 2012 01:35 PM PST A new study found that between 40 to 50 percent of older adults with visually impairing eye disease limit their activities due to a fear of falling. Vision scientists warn that this protective strategy puts seniors at risk for social isolation and disability.

Roman settlement and possible prehistoric site uncovered in northern Italy Posted: 11 Dec 2012 01:35 PM PST Using archaeological expertise and modern technology, archeologists recently discovered a Roman settlement and possible prehistoric site in northern Italy.

Want your baby to learn? Research shows sitting up helps Posted: 11 Dec 2012 01:35 PM PST New research shows that something as simple as the body position of babies while they learn plays a critical role in their cognitive development.

An older Vega: New insights about the star all others are measured by Posted: 11 Dec 2012 12:44 PM PST Vega, a star astronomers have used as a touchstone to measure other stars' brightness for thousands of years, may be more than 200 million years older than previously thought.

Mussel goo inspires blood vessel glue Posted: 11 Dec 2012 12:44 PM PST A researcher has helped create a gel -- based on the mussel's knack for clinging to rocks, piers and boat hulls -- that can be painted onto the walls of blood vessels and stay put, forming a protective barrier with potentially life-saving implications.

How our sense of touch is a lot like the way we hear Posted: 11 Dec 2012 12:44 PM PST Researchers have found that the timing and frequency of vibrations produced in the skin when exploring surfaces play an important role in how humans use the sense of touch to gather information, drawing a powerful analogy to the auditory system.

My, what big teeth you have! Threatening objects appear closer Posted: 11 Dec 2012 12:44 PM PST When we're faced with things that seem threatening, whether it's a hairy spider or an angry mob, our goal is usually to get as far away as we can. Now, new research suggests that our visual perception may actually be biased to help motivate us to get out of harm's way.

Even moderate smoking associated with sudden death risk in women Posted: 11 Dec 2012 12:40 PM PST Even light-to-moderate cigarette smoking is associated with a significant increase in the risk of sudden cardiac death in women. The risk of sudden cardiac death rose 8 percent for each five years of smoking. However, within 15-20 years of smoking cessation the risk of sudden cardiac death drops to that of a nonsmoker.

Alzheimer's biomarkers inhibited in animal model by targeting astrocytes Posted: 11 Dec 2012 11:52 AM PST Researchers have published an article which provides direct evidence that activated astrocytes could play a harmful role in Alzheimer's disease.

Ancient red dye powers new 'green' battery: Chemists use plant extract in eco-friendly, sustainable lithium-ion battery Posted: 11 Dec 2012 11:52 AM PST Rose madder -- a natural plant dye once prized throughout the Old World to make fiery red textiles -- has found a second life as the basis for a new "green" battery. Chemists have developed a non-toxic and sustainable lithium-ion battery powered by purpurin, a dye extracted from the roots of the madder plant.

Grains gang up to bear brunt of missile and meteorite impacts Posted: 11 Dec 2012 11:52 AM PST High-speed video of projectiles slamming into a bed of disks has given scientists a new microscopic picture of the way a meteorite or missile transfers the energy of its impact to sand and dirt grains.

Value or attention: Why do consumers prefer familiar products? Posted: 11 Dec 2012 10:04 AM PST Consumers are more likely to purchase a product if they have previously focused their attention on it but are less likely to purchase a product they have previously ignored, according to a new study.

Need to move soon? Don't trust your emotions Posted: 11 Dec 2012 10:04 AM PST Consumers are more likely to make emotional instead of objective assessments when the outcomes are closer to the present time than when they are further away in the future, according to a new study.

How do stay-at-home dads seek greater social acceptance? Posted: 11 Dec 2012 10:04 AM PST In order to avoid the stigma and loss of status posed by their lifestyle choice, stay-at-home fathers are mobilizing to build greater legitimacy for their marginalized gender identity, according to a new study.

Holiday shopping madness: When do consumers seek to punish fellow shoppers for behaving badly? Posted: 11 Dec 2012 10:04 AM PST Consumers seek to punish fellow consumers who violate social norms while shopping but also make exceptions depending on the situation, according to a new study.

Global student achievement in math, science and reading literacy: Results of 2011 TIMSS and PIRLS assessments Posted: 11 Dec 2012 10:04 AM PST Students from East Asian countries, in addition to a select group of European countries, outperformed students around the world in mathematics, science and reading at both the fourth and eighth grades, according to the latest assessments.

Eating or spending too much? Blame it on social networking sites Posted: 11 Dec 2012 10:03 AM PST Participating in online social networks can have a detrimental effect on consumer well-being by lowering self-control among certain users, according to a new study.

Does changing the price of medicine influence consumers' perceived health risk? Posted: 11 Dec 2012 10:03 AM PST Consumers assume their risk of getting a serious illness is higher when medications are cheaper because they believe that prices for life-saving products are based on need and not profit, according to a new study.

Best of both worlds: Hybrid approach sheds light on crystal structure solution Posted: 11 Dec 2012 10:03 AM PST Understanding the arrangement of atoms in a solid is vital to materials research -- but the problem can be difficult to solve in many important situations. Now, by combining the work of two different scientific camps, researchers have created an algorithm that makes crystal structure solution more automated and reliable.

Many parents unaware of children's experiences in daycare Posted: 11 Dec 2012 10:03 AM PST Many millions of children grow up living double lives: one at home with their parents and another in some form of childcare environment. While parents hope to be informed of what goes on when they're not around, a recent study suggests that parents ought to be more involved in the daycare experience, a major component of their child's development.

Novel laser technique reveals how the inner ear amplifies sound Posted: 11 Dec 2012 10:02 AM PST Researchers have described how the ear amplifies incoming sound using an innovative laser technique.

Battling brittle bones with … broccoli and spinach? Posted: 11 Dec 2012 10:02 AM PST A new study from engineering researchers shows, for the first time, how the little-understood protein osteocalcin plays a significant role in the strength of our bones. The findings could lead to new strategies and therapeutics for fighting osteoporosis and lowering the risk of bone fracture.

New forecast system helps transoceanic flights avoid storms Posted: 11 Dec 2012 09:52 AM PST A new NASA-funded prototype system developed by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) of Boulder, Colo., now is providing weather forecasts that can help flights avoid major storms as they travel over remote ocean regions. The eight-hour forecasts of potentially dangerous atmospheric conditions are designed for pilots, air traffic controllers and others involved in transoceanic flights.

Foreign multidrug resistant bacteria contained in Toronto hospital Posted: 11 Dec 2012 08:30 AM PST A hospital in Canada detected the presence of New Delhi Metallo-ß-lactamase-1-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (NDM1-Kp), a multidrug resistant bacteria that is resistant to carbapenems, one of the last lines of antibiotics. The retrospective report analyzes risk factors and infection control strategies taken to prevent the spread of NDM1-Kp.

Anti-aging gene identified as tumor suppressor in mice: Mice without pro-longevity gene SIRT6 had higher risk of gastrointestinal cancers Posted: 11 Dec 2012 08:30 AM PST A new study sheds more light on how an anti-aging gene suppresses cancer growth, new research shows.

Black holes have properties that resemble dynamics of both solids and liquids Posted: 11 Dec 2012 08:29 AM PST Black holes are surrounded by many mysteries, but now researchers have come up with new groundbreaking theories that can explain several of their properties. The research shows that black holes have properties that resemble the dynamics of both solids and liquids.

Salmonella spreads by targeting cells in our gut, study shows Posted: 11 Dec 2012 08:29 AM PST Scientists have gained fresh insights into how the salmonella bug makes us ill. Researchers have found that the bacteria are able to change key cells that line the intestine, enabling the bugs to thrive.

Emotion in voices helps capture listener's attention, but in the long run the words are not remembered as accurately Posted: 11 Dec 2012 08:27 AM PST Emotion in voices helps capture the listener's attention, but in the long run the words are not remembered as accurately. Does the emotion in our voice have a lasting effect? According to new research, emotion helps us recognize words quicker and more accurately straight away. In the longer term however, we do not remember emotionally intoned speech as accurately as neutral speech. When we do remember the words, they have acquired an emotional value; for example words spoken in a sad voice are remembered as more negative than words spoken in a neutral voice.

New components of epigenetic 'code' for honey bee development discovered Posted: 11 Dec 2012 07:19 AM PST Researchers have uncovered a new element of the honeybee's genetic makeup, which may help to explain why bees are so sensitive to environmental changes.

Threatening objects appear closer Posted: 11 Dec 2012 07:18 AM PST We're more likely to see threatening objects as closer than they really are, a misperception that may fuel us to act in ways to avoid dangerous situations, psychology researchers have found.

Epigenetics may underlie homosexuality, study finds Posted: 11 Dec 2012 07:18 AM PST Is homosexuality genetic? It's a long-running debate. Now researchers say they've found a clue that may unlock the mystery. It lies in something called epi-genetics -- how gene expression is regulated by temporary switches.

Termites strike gold: Ant and termite colonies unearth gold in Australia Posted: 11 Dec 2012 06:50 AM PST Ant and termite nests could lead to hidden treasure, according to researchers in Australia. Scientists have found that at a test site in the West Australian goldfields termite mounds contained high concentrations of gold. This gold indicates there is a larger deposit underneath.

Higher levels of college-degree attainment boosts employment for all, even the least educated Posted: 11 Dec 2012 06:50 AM PST When it comes to four-year college degree attainment, a rising tide lifts all boats. Higher levels of college-degree attainment in an area boost the employment rate for all in that area. In fact, the least educated receive the biggest boost in terms of spillover effect.

Report compares greenhouse gas and black carbon emissions tracking across North America Posted: 11 Dec 2012 06:50 AM PST Scientists in North America have taken an important first step in looking at the state of comparability of emissions data at national and subnational levels with the completion of a background report: Assessment of the Comparability of Greenhouse Gas and Black Carbon Emissions Inventories in North America.

Alternative to fullerenes in organic solar cells is just as exciting Posted: 11 Dec 2012 06:49 AM PST An insight into the properties of fullerene is set to open the door to a new class of electronic acceptors which can be used to build better and cheaper organic solar cells.

International trade in live corals could help preserve wild corals and coral reefs ecosystems, study suggests Posted: 11 Dec 2012 06:49 AM PST Researchers have published findings about a unique trade and its long-term implications.

CubeSats in orbit after historic space station deployment Posted: 11 Dec 2012 06:03 AM PST Typically satellites launch from Earth, requiring dedicated launch vehicles to propel them into the proper orbit. The cost for this launch scenario could be reduced considerably if there was another way to get the satellites into their optimal orbit. The Japan Aerospace and Exploration Agency (JAXA) found a way to cut the costs of this activity by designing a small satellite launcher, installed recently on the International Space Station.

Device helps children with disabilities access tablets Posted: 11 Dec 2012 05:32 AM PST Researchers are trying to open the world of tablets to children whose limited mobility makes it difficult for them to perform the common pinch and swipe gestures required to control the devices.

Postpartum women less stressed by threats unrelated to the baby Posted: 11 Dec 2012 05:32 AM PST Following the birth of a child, new mothers may have an altered perception of stresses around them, showing less interest in threats unrelated to the baby. This change to the neuroendocrine circuitry could help the mothers adapt to the additional stress often accompanying newborns, say researchers.

Effective immunotherapy for melanoma hinges on blocking suppressive factors, study suggests Posted: 11 Dec 2012 05:32 AM PST Researchers have found that delayed tumor growth and enhanced survival of mice bearing melanoma were possible by blocking the reconstitution of myeloid-derived suppressor cells and Tregs (suppressors of anti-tumor activity) after total body irradiation had eliminated them. Blocking myeloid-derived suppressor cells and regulatory T-cell reconstitution improved adoptive T-cell therapy, an immunotherapy designed to suppress tumor activity.

Why do so many women leave biology? Posted: 11 Dec 2012 05:32 AM PST The retention rate of women in the biological sciences, both in the United States and Canada, is lower than would be expected from the number of female doctoral students who graduated within the last decade, and lower than it is in medicine. Early-career competition for positions in biology is the likely explanation, as it is especially unattractive for women with children. Training fewer biologists would alleviate this pressure and may lead to relatively more women staying in scientific careers.

Epigenetics may be a critical factor contributing to homosexuality, study suggests Posted: 11 Dec 2012 05:32 AM PST Epigenetics -- how gene expression is regulated by temporary switches, called epi-marks -- appears to be a critical and overlooked factor contributing to the long-standing puzzle of why homosexuality occurs. According to the study, sex-specific epi-marks, which normally do not pass between generations and are thus "erased," can lead to homosexuality when they escape erasure and are transmitted from father to daughter or mother to son.

New coronavirus has many potential hosts, could pass from animals to humans repeatedly Posted: 11 Dec 2012 05:32 AM PST The SARS epidemic of 2002-2003 was short-lived, but a novel type of human coronavirus that is alarming public health authorities can infect cells from humans and bats alike, a fact that could make the animals a continuing source of infection, according to a new study.

Bedroom TV viewing increases risk of obesity in children: More than 2 hours of TV a day adds significantly to children's waist size Posted: 11 Dec 2012 05:32 AM PST The average American child from age 8 to 18 watches about 4.5 hours of TV each day. 70 percent have a TV in the bedroom and about one-third of youth aged 6-19 is considered obese. Researchers have now established the relationship between having and watching TV in the bedroom and childhood obesity, specifically high waist circumference.

Does the brain become unglued in autism? Posted: 11 Dec 2012 05:30 AM PST A new study suggests that autism is associated with reductions in the level of cellular adhesion molecules in the blood, where they play a role in immune function. Cell adhesion molecules are the glue that binds cells together in the body. Deficits in adhesion molecules would be expected to compromise processes at the interfaces between cells, influencing tissue integrity and cell-to-cell signaling. In the brain, deficits in adhesion molecules could compromise brain development and communication between nerve cells.

Sexual and social behavior modified by serotonin system drugs Posted: 11 Dec 2012 05:30 AM PST Drugs that bind to specific serotonin receptors in the brain can both improve and impair female sexual function in non-human primates.

Most ancient evidence of insect camouflage: 110 million years ago Posted: 11 Dec 2012 05:29 AM PST An insect larva covered by plant remains that lived in the Early Cretaceous, about 110 million years ago, evidences the most ancient known insect camouflage, according to a new article.

Feeling lonely linked to increased risk of dementia in later life Posted: 10 Dec 2012 05:04 PM PST Feeling lonely, as distinct from being/living alone, is linked to an increased risk of developing dementia in later life, indicates new research.

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