ScienceDaily: Top News

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• 'Gold rush' threatens tropical forests in South America
• First contracting human muscle grown in laboratory
• Study shows expression just as important as words in presidential debates
• Study sheds light on chemicals that insects use to communicate and survive
• Feeling cold is contagious, scientists find
• Bilingualism changes children's beliefs
• Dinosaurs wiped out rapidly in Europe 66 million years ago
• 100 million Americans live with chronic pain, but treatment research is insufficient
• Women who are told that men desire larger-body women are happier with their weight
• Nothing to squirm about: Space station worms help battle muscle, bone loss
• New target identified for potential brain cancer therapies
• World's oldest butchering tools gave evolutionary edge to human communication: Oldowan technology behind genesis of language and teaching
• Glut2 protein's role identified in zebrafish brain development
• Rate of investment in medical research has declined in U.S., increased globally
• Community-wide CVD prevention programs linked with improved health outcomes
• Zinc oxide materials tapped for tiny energy harvesting devices
• Can racial injustice be settled out of court?
• Software created to help find a cure for a 'great neglected disease'
• Greenland meltwater contributes to rising sea levels
• Three new Begonia plant species from Brazil
• Novel multiferroic materials, devices integrated with silicon chips developed
• Crops can do their own weed control
• Predicting properties of the surface of titanium dioxide crystals
• Decoding the gravitational evolution of dark matter halos
• Glass for battery electrodes
• Stalking risk increases among college students
• Brazilian scarab beetles found to be termitophiles
• Estimated social cost of climate change not accurate, scientists say
• Fast sorting of CD4+ T cells from whole blood using glass microbubbles
• Surprise discovery off California exposes loggerhead 'lost years'
• Cold plasma treatment cuts norovirus germs
• Rescuing farmland after a flood
• What's that I smell? New 'poppers' are not what you think
• Not always cool to stay cool in negotiations, study finds
• Photonic crystal nanolaser biosensor simplifies DNA detection
• Can your cellphone help you lose weight?
• High vitamin D levels increase survival of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer
• Breast cancer: Anthropometric and metabolic dowels integrate metabolic details and contribute to an increasingly complex puzzle
• Jewish Americans who attend synagogue enjoy better health, study finds
• Teams better than individuals at intelligence analysis, research finds
• Iconic South American mammal tracked: Guanacos getting into trouble
• Blocking hormone could eliminate stress-induced infertility
• Robots learn to use kitchen tools by watching YouTube videos
• Cocaine antidote closer than ever
• The recess swap: Getting kids to eat their veggies at school
• Novel inorganic material emitting laser light in solution discovered
• Sizing up giants under the sea: Biologists correct inaccuracies for 25 marine species
• Can inhaled oxygen cause cancer?
• Development of psychosis: Gray matter loss and the inflamed brain
• GMOs with health benefits have a large market potential
• Image searches are improved by 3-D presentation
• People prefer fair, but does the brain?
• Species of bird 'paints' its own eggs with bacteria to protect embryo
• Chronic periodontitis, an inflammatory gum disease, influences prognosis and the severity of heart attacks
• Sustainable approach for the world's fish supply
• Biochemically modified constituent of yew demonstrates early effectiveness in bile duct cancer
• Napping helps infants' memory development
• Can your smartphone help you exercise?
• Good life satisfaction has beneficial effects on bone health
• Children of melanoma survivors need better protection from sun's harmful rays

'Gold rush' threatens tropical forests in South America Posted: 13 Jan 2015 05:43 PM PST A global 'gold rush' has led to a significant increase of deforestation in the tropical forests of South America.

First contracting human muscle grown in laboratory Posted: 13 Jan 2015 12:40 PM PST Researchers have grown human skeletal muscle in the laboratory that, for the first time, contracts and responds just like native tissue to external stimuli such as electrical pulses, biochemical signals and pharmaceuticals. The development should soon allow researchers to test new drugs and study diseases in functioning human muscle outside of the human body.

Study shows expression just as important as words in presidential debates Posted: 13 Jan 2015 12:39 PM PST New research through visual analysis and social media gives a good indication that voters pick up on nonverbal communications as much as a candidate's rhetoric.

Study sheds light on chemicals that insects use to communicate and survive Posted: 13 Jan 2015 11:52 AM PST Most insects are covered with a thin layer of hydrocarbon molecules as a waterproofing barrier. Embedded in this layer are compounds the insects use as chemical signals for a wide variety of functions such as communicating species and sex. But isolating these chemicals and determining their absolute configuration and functions has been a challenge. Now a team of scientists has devised a straightforward method for purifying these compounds.

Feeling cold is contagious, scientists find Posted: 13 Jan 2015 11:52 AM PST Just looking at somebody shivering is enough to make us feel cold, new research has found. Volunteers who watched videos of people putting their hands in cold water found their own body temperature drop significantly, investigators report.

Bilingualism changes children's beliefs Posted: 13 Jan 2015 10:19 AM PST Most young children are essentialists: They believe that human and animal characteristics are innate. That kind of reasoning can lead them to think that traits like native language and clothing preference are intrinsic rather than acquired. But a new study suggests that certain bilingual kids are more likely to understand that it's what one learns, rather than what one is born with, that makes up a person's psychological attributes.

Dinosaurs wiped out rapidly in Europe 66 million years ago Posted: 13 Jan 2015 09:12 AM PST The well-known theory that an asteroid suddenly killed the dinosaurs is based almost entirely on fossils from North America. A new study shows that dinosaurs -- and other continental vertebrates -- remained diverse in Europe up until the asteroid impact, 66 million years ago. This is strong evidence that dinosaurs and many of their contemporaries went extinct rapidly and simultaneously all across the globe.

100 million Americans live with chronic pain, but treatment research is insufficient Posted: 13 Jan 2015 09:12 AM PST An estimated 100 million Americans live with chronic pain. A new report has found a need for evidence-based, multidisciplinary approaches to pain treatment that incorporate patients' perspectives and desired outcomes while also avoiding potential harms.

Women who are told that men desire larger-body women are happier with their weight Posted: 13 Jan 2015 09:12 AM PST Telling women that men desire larger women who aren't model-thin made women feel better about their own weight in a series of new studies. Results of the three Independent studies suggest a woman's body image is strongly linked to her perception of what she thinks men prefer, said a social psychologist and lead researcher on the study. On average, heterosexual women believe that heterosexual men desire ultra-thin women.

Nothing to squirm about: Space station worms help battle muscle, bone loss Posted: 13 Jan 2015 09:11 AM PST Two investigations on the space station help researchers seek clues to physiological problems found in astronauts by studying C. elegans -- a millimeter-long roundworm that is widely used as a model organism. This simple, tiny roundworm could lead to a cure for symptoms affecting millions of the aging and infirm population of Earth, and the astronauts orbiting it, potentially offering a solution to a major problem in an extremely small package, scientists say.

New target identified for potential brain cancer therapies Posted: 13 Jan 2015 09:10 AM PST A new protein-protein interaction that could serve as a target for future therapies for the most common form of brain cancer, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), has been identified by researchers. GBM is a devastating disease that originates from glia or their precursors within the central nervous system, and the prognosis for GBM patients is unfortunately poor, but this discovery offers new therapeutic potential.

World's oldest butchering tools gave evolutionary edge to human communication: Oldowan technology behind genesis of language and teaching Posted: 13 Jan 2015 09:10 AM PST Two and a half million years ago, our hominin ancestors in the African savanna crafted rocks into shards that could slice apart a dead gazelle, zebra or other game animal. Over the next 700,000 years, this butchering technology spread throughout the continent and, it turns out, came to be a major evolutionary force.

Glut2 protein's role identified in zebrafish brain development Posted: 13 Jan 2015 09:09 AM PST The key role that GLUT2 protein plays in embryonic brain development in zebrafish has now been reported by researchers. A new article proves that this molecule depletion alters the development of brain basic structures involved in glucose sensing.

Rate of investment in medical research has declined in U.S., increased globally Posted: 13 Jan 2015 09:09 AM PST From 2004 to 2012, the rate of investment in medical research in the U.S. declined, while there has been an increase in research investment globally, particularly in Asia, according to a study.

Community-wide CVD prevention programs linked with improved health outcomes Posted: 13 Jan 2015 09:09 AM PST In a rural Maine county, sustained, community-wide programs targeting cardiovascular risk factors and behavior changes were associated with reductions in hospitalization and death rates over a 40 year period (1970-2010) compared with the rest of the state, with substantial improvements seen for hypertension and cholesterol control and smoking cessation, according to a study.

Zinc oxide materials tapped for tiny energy harvesting devices Posted: 13 Jan 2015 09:09 AM PST Today, we're surrounded by a variety of electronic devices that are moving increasingly closer to us -- we can attach and wear them, or even implant electronics inside our bodies. Many types of smart devices are readily available and convenient to use. The goal now is to make wearable electronics that are flexible, sustainable and powered by ambient renewable energy.

Can racial injustice be settled out of court? Posted: 13 Jan 2015 08:16 AM PST With many calling for policy reform to improve race problems in the US criminal justice system, new research suggests that the issue is less political and more behavioral. Researchers recommend increased documentation, institutional diversity, and bias training in a new paper.

Software created to help find a cure for a 'great neglected disease' Posted: 13 Jan 2015 08:16 AM PST For decades, scientists around the world have worked to develop a treatment for schistosomiasis, a debilitating water-born parasite. To aid this research, scientists have developed software that helps assess the impact of a drug on the parasite. The researchers recently completed the Quantal Dose Response Calculator, software that analyzes images showing the effects of potential drugs on parasites and quantifies their effectiveness.

Greenland meltwater contributes to rising sea levels Posted: 13 Jan 2015 08:16 AM PST As the largest single chunk of melting snow and ice in the world, the massive ice sheet that covers about 80 percent of Greenland is recognized as the biggest potential contributor to rising sea levels due to glacial meltwater.

Three new Begonia plant species from Brazil Posted: 13 Jan 2015 08:16 AM PST Scientists discover and describe three new species of the plant genus Begonia, which holds many of the world-favorite decoratives. The news species come from Brazil, where they are found dwelling on small, confined territories which makes them rare and hard to discover.

Novel multiferroic materials, devices integrated with silicon chips developed Posted: 13 Jan 2015 08:16 AM PST Two advances in multiferroic materials have been made by scientists, including the ability to integrate them on a silicon chip, which will allow the development of new electronic memory devices. The researchers have already created prototypes of the devices and are in the process of testing them.

Crops can do their own weed control Posted: 13 Jan 2015 08:16 AM PST Weeds would have a tough time competing against crops such as corn, grains and beans if farmers were to alter their sowing patterns, experts say. "Our results demonstrate that weed control in fields is aided by abandoning traditional seed sowing techniques. Farmers around the world generally sow their crops in rows. Our studies with wheat and corn show that tighter sowing in grid patterns supresses weed growth. This provides increased crop yields in fields prone to heavy amounts of weeds," states an author and plant ecologist.

Predicting properties of the surface of titanium dioxide crystals Posted: 13 Jan 2015 08:15 AM PST A new article investigates the surface of titanium dioxide crystals.

Decoding the gravitational evolution of dark matter halos Posted: 13 Jan 2015 08:15 AM PST Researchers have revealed that considering environmental effects such as a gravitational tidal force spread over a scale much larger than a galaxy cluster is indispensable to explain the distribution and evolution of dark matter halos around galaxies. A detailed comparison between theory and simulations made this work possible.

Glass for battery electrodes Posted: 13 Jan 2015 08:15 AM PST Today's lithium-ion batteries are good, but not good enough if our future energy system is to rely on electrical power. Chemists and materials scientists have now developed a type of glass that can be used as an electrode material in lithium-ion batteries -- likely making a vast improvement in these batteries' capacity and energy density.

Stalking risk increases among college students Posted: 13 Jan 2015 08:15 AM PST College students are at higher risk for stalking than the general public, but are less likely to report the crime to police, experts have determined. Stalking, defined as a repeated course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear, is a crime in all 50 states. This crime most commonly occurs between current or former intimate partners, with the highest rates of offenses between 18 to 24 years old.

Brazilian scarab beetles found to be termitophiles Posted: 13 Jan 2015 08:14 AM PST An international team of scientists has provided the first record of chafer leaf beetles (Leucothyreus suturalis) living in the nests of two different termite species in Brazil.

Estimated social cost of climate change not accurate, scientists say Posted: 13 Jan 2015 08:14 AM PST The 'social cost' of carbon dioxide emissions may not be $37 per ton, as estimated by a recent US government study, but $220 per ton, experts report.

Fast sorting of CD4+ T cells from whole blood using glass microbubbles Posted: 13 Jan 2015 08:14 AM PST A new report has demonstrated a new cell sorting technology for isolating CD4 positive T cells which may be used for HIV disease monitoring in resource-limited areas such as the developing countries in Africa.

Surprise discovery off California exposes loggerhead 'lost years' Posted: 13 Jan 2015 08:14 AM PST North Pacific loggerhead turtles hatch in Japan, with many later reappearing 6,000 miles away off southern Baja California to forage. The sighting late last year of numerous young turtles far off the Southern California Coast provides new insight into their their epic migration across the Pacific Ocean.

Cold plasma treatment cuts norovirus germs Posted: 13 Jan 2015 08:14 AM PST Treating surfaces with cold atmospheric pressure plasma may reduce the risk of transmitting norovirus, a contagious virus leading to stomach pain, nausea and diarrhea, according to a new study.

Rescuing farmland after a flood Posted: 13 Jan 2015 08:11 AM PST When levees fail, either naturally or as an intentional breach, as was the case on the Mississippi River in 2011, an orchestrated effort is made to remove or repair flood-damaged homes and other structures. A soil scientist believes that an equivalent  effort should be coordinated to assess soil damages, including how flooding has affected soil productivity and land used for agriculture.

What's that I smell? New 'poppers' are not what you think Posted: 13 Jan 2015 08:11 AM PST While it is widely known that "huffing" -  inhaling organic solvents or propellants to achieve a "high" - is extremely dangerous, new products being sold as "poppers" and distributed throughout the US,  primarily to men who have sex with men (MSM), actually contain harmful solvents and propellants and pose the same health risks as huffing.

Not always cool to stay cool in negotiations, study finds Posted: 13 Jan 2015 08:11 AM PST Repressing anger about important matters makes negotiators lose focus, a new study concludes. Suppressing anger about important points could, in fact, cause them to lose the focus of discussions, says the lead of the research.

Photonic crystal nanolaser biosensor simplifies DNA detection Posted: 13 Jan 2015 08:11 AM PST A simple method to sense DNA, as well as potential biomarker proteins of cancer or other diseases such as Alzheimer's, may soon be within reach -- thanks to new work.

Can your cellphone help you lose weight? Posted: 13 Jan 2015 08:11 AM PST Cellphone support can help people lose significantly more weight, according to a recent study. Using one of the many mobile apps with daily text messages or videos incites the user to think about dieting and eating well, researchers said.

High vitamin D levels increase survival of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer Posted: 13 Jan 2015 08:11 AM PST Clinical trial patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who had high levels of vitamin D in their bloodstream prior to treatment with chemotherapy and targeted drugs, survived longer, on average, than patients with lower levels of the vitamin, researchers report.

Breast cancer: Anthropometric and metabolic dowels integrate metabolic details and contribute to an increasingly complex puzzle Posted: 13 Jan 2015 08:10 AM PST Once more, the multifactorial and heterogeneous nature of breast cancer fascinates researchers. In a new study, researchers have focused on a specific breast cancer subtype known as luminal B breast cancer, as well as its relationship with BMI, insulin and estrogen receptor (ER) expression.

Jewish Americans who attend synagogue enjoy better health, study finds Posted: 13 Jan 2015 08:10 AM PST For Jewish Americans, going to synagogue makes a difference for health, according to a study of five large Jewish urban communities.

Teams better than individuals at intelligence analysis, research finds Posted: 13 Jan 2015 08:10 AM PST When it comes to predicting important world events, teams do a better job than individuals, and laypeople can be trained to be effective forecasters even without access to classified records, according to new research.

Iconic South American mammal tracked: Guanacos getting into trouble Posted: 13 Jan 2015 08:10 AM PST Guanacos are back -- and getting into trouble -- says a team of scientists tracking these iconic hoofed mammals across a variety of landscapes on the Chilean side of the island of Tierra del Fuego.

Blocking hormone could eliminate stress-induced infertility Posted: 13 Jan 2015 06:06 AM PST Stress is known to interfere with reproduction, but a new study shows that the effects of chronic stress on fertility persist long after the stress is gone. This is because a hormone that suppresses fertility, GnIH, remains high even after stress hormone levels return to normal. In rats, they successfully blocked the hormone gene and restored normal reproductive behavior, suggesting therapeutic potential for stressed humans and animals in captive breeding programs.

Robots learn to use kitchen tools by watching YouTube videos Posted: 13 Jan 2015 06:06 AM PST Robotic systems that are able to teach themselves have been developed by researchers. Specifically, these robots are able to learn the intricate grasping and manipulation movements required for cooking by watching online cooking videos. The key breakthrough is that the robots can 'think' for themselves, determining the best combination of observed motions that will allow them to efficiently accomplish a given task.

Cocaine antidote closer than ever Posted: 13 Jan 2015 06:05 AM PST New insight has been gained into the mechanism behind a protein dopamine transporter that could help in the development of future medical treatment against cocaine addiction.

The recess swap: Getting kids to eat their veggies at school Posted: 13 Jan 2015 06:05 AM PST Many schools have reported that fruits and vegetables are feeding trash cans rather than students. A new study shows that one simple no-cost change, holding recess before lunchtime, can increase fruit and vegetable consumption by 54 percent.

Novel inorganic material emitting laser light in solution discovered Posted: 13 Jan 2015 06:05 AM PST Scientists have discovered a new type of laser material based on an inorganic molecule -- a complex of boron and hydrogen and no carbon atoms -- that emits laser light in solution.

Sizing up giants under the sea: Biologists correct inaccuracies for 25 marine species Posted: 13 Jan 2015 06:05 AM PST Researchers sifted through multiple datasets and historical records to produce more accurate and comprehensive measurements for 25 species including the Blue Whale, Giant Squid, and Great White Shark.

Can inhaled oxygen cause cancer? Posted: 13 Jan 2015 06:05 AM PST The ancient physician/alchemist, Paracelsus, said: 'The dose makes the poison.' According to a new study, even oxygen may fall prey to the above adage. While essential to human life, aspects of oxygen metabolism may promote cancer. Capitalizing on the inverse relationship of oxygen concentration with elevation, researchers found lower rates of lung cancer at higher elevations, a trend that did not extend to non-respiratory cancers, suggesting that carcinogen exposure occurs via inhalation.

Development of psychosis: Gray matter loss and the inflamed brain Posted: 13 Jan 2015 06:04 AM PST The thickness of cortical brain tissue progressively reduces as individuals develop psychosis, according to researchers of a large, multi-site study of young adults at clinical high risk. Onset of psychosis typically occurs during the transition from adolescence to early adulthood, a period of time when the brain is also maturing, they note.

GMOs with health benefits have a large market potential Posted: 13 Jan 2015 06:04 AM PST Genetically modified crops with an increased vitamin and/or mineral content have large potential to improve public health, but their availability for consumers is still hampered, as a result of the negative public opinion. Research has demonstrated that these crops have a promising market potential.

Image searches are improved by 3-D presentation Posted: 13 Jan 2015 06:04 AM PST Most image and video search engines list their results two-dimensionally. Researchers have now discovered that the search performance is more satisfying, if the results are displayed using a 3-D interface.

People prefer fair, but does the brain? Posted: 13 Jan 2015 06:04 AM PST Whether for oneself or for others, fairness is preferred by people, but the brain network changes depending on who is actually benefiting. "In previous studies," explains the lead investigator, "we found the same tendency to reject unfair offers regardless of whether the decision involved the subjects themselves or a third party. Brain imaging, however, suggested that the brain was working differently in the two situations."

Species of bird 'paints' its own eggs with bacteria to protect embryo Posted: 13 Jan 2015 06:04 AM PST Hoophoes cover their eggs with a secretion produced by themselves, loaded with mutualistic bacteria, which is then retained by a specialized structure in the eggshell that increases successful hatching. So far this sort of behavior has only been detected in this species of birds, and it is a mechanism to protect their eggs from infections by pathogens.

Chronic periodontitis, an inflammatory gum disease, influences prognosis and the severity of heart attacks Posted: 13 Jan 2015 06:04 AM PST Researchers have demonstrated for the first time that chronic periodontitis, an inflammatory gum disease which provokes gradual teeth loss, is closely related to the severity of acute myocardial infarction, commonly known as heart attack.

Sustainable approach for the world's fish supply Posted: 13 Jan 2015 06:04 AM PST China's booming aquaculture industry is increasingly dependent on fishmeal made from wild-caught fish, a practice that depletes wild fish stocks. A new study offers a more sustainable path by proposing recycling the waste by-products from seafood processing plants as feed for farm-raised fish..

Biochemically modified constituent of yew demonstrates early effectiveness in bile duct cancer Posted: 13 Jan 2015 06:03 AM PST Bile duct cancers are amongst the most aggressive tumor-related diseases and, so far, the medical treatment options available have been limited. Clinical oncologists have now demonstrated that the substance nab-paclitaxel, a biochemically modified ingredient that occurs in the bark of the Pacific yew tree, could be highly effective against bile duct cancers.

Napping helps infants' memory development Posted: 13 Jan 2015 06:03 AM PST After studying over 200 young children, researchers have concluded that daytime naps of 30 minutes or more help infants to retain and remember new behaviors, adding that bedtime stories are invaluable for a child's development. Interestingly, the babies showed that they learn best when they are sleepy: "Until now people have presumed that the best time for infants to learn is when they are wide-awake, rather than when they are starting to feel tired, but our results show that activities occurring just before infants have a nap can be particularly valuable and well-remembered," researchers noted.

Can your smartphone help you exercise? Posted: 13 Jan 2015 06:03 AM PST Fitness applications (apps) use behavior change techniques (BCTs) to help users modify their physical activities, but which apps and which techniques are most effective? In a new study, researchers evaluated 100 top-ranked physical activity apps and analyzed which BCTs are being used in these apps. They determined that at present BCTs have been only narrowly implemented in physical activity apps.

Good life satisfaction has beneficial effects on bone health Posted: 13 Jan 2015 06:03 AM PST Women aged 60-70 who are satisfied with their lives have a higher bone density and they suffer from osteoporosis less frequently than their unsatisfied peers, according to a recent study. Osteoporosis is a common disease, which easily leads to bone fracture, and hip fractures in particular can have serious consequences. Bone density gets lower as people age; however, for women, the menopause constitutes a significant risk factor.

Children of melanoma survivors need better protection from sun's harmful rays Posted: 13 Jan 2015 06:01 AM PST Children of melanoma survivors are not adhering optimally to sun protection recommendations, researchers have discovered in a groundbreaking new study. This is concerning as sunburns are a major risk factor for melanoma, and children of survivors are at increased risk for developing the disease as adults.

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