ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Red v. Blue state knowledge about abortion examined

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 10:52 AM PDT

A new survey uncovers surprising findings regarding political polarization and knowledge about abortion and health. Although initial results showed some support for the red-versus-blue state divide when it came to abortion health knowledge (but not legal knowledge), this difference between states disappeared when researchers took into account individual-level characteristics, including respondents' political beliefs, their beliefs about whether abortion should be permitted and whether or not they knew someone who had an abortion.

Red eye feels endless? Blame the internet: Price has become most important factor for airlines

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 10:52 AM PDT

The Internet has affected performance and product quality in the airline industry, especially flight times, a new study shows. Instead of competing for space at the top of travel agents' computer screens by scheduling the shortest flights, airlines have adapted to an environment in which price is playing the dominant role in selling tickets.

Quasi-legal drug 15 times stronger than heroin hides in plain sight

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 10:52 AM PDT

Emergency physicians should expect 'an upswing in what on the surface appear to be heroin overdoses,' but are actually overdoses tied to acetyl fentanyl, an opiate that is mixed into street drugs marketed as heroin, a new study suggests.

500 million year reset for immune system

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 10:51 AM PDT

A single factor can reset the immune system of mice to a state likely similar to what it was 500 million years ago, when the first vertebrates emerged. The model, researchers report, could provide an explanation of how the immune system had developed in the course of evolution.

Project serves up big data to guide managing America's coastal waters

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 10:51 AM PDT

Researchers have given a sweeping assessment to understand how human activities are affecting estuaries, the nation's sounds, bays, gulfs and bayous. This first comprehensive look at changes in land cover, river flow, pollution and nutrient levels offers a comprehensive look at the state of America's estuaries.

New tool makes online personal data more transparent

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 10:51 AM PDT

XRay is a new tool that reveals which data in a web account, such as emails, searches, or viewed products, are being used to target which outputs, such as ads, recommended products, or prices. Determined to provide checks and balances on data abuse, XRay is designed to be the first fine-grained, scalable personal data tracking system for the web.

Pigs' hearts transplanted into baboon hosts remain viable more than a year

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 08:34 AM PDT

Investigators have successfully transplanted hearts from genetically engineered piglets into baboons' abdomens and had the hearts survive for more than one year, twice as long as previously reported. This was achieved by using genetically engineered porcine donors and a more focused immunosuppression regimen in the baboon recipients, according to a new study.

Recycling old car batteries into solar cells: Environmental twofer could recycle lead batteries to make solar cells

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 08:34 AM PDT

This could be a classic win-win solution: A system proposed by researchers recycles materials from discarded car batteries -- a potential source of lead pollution -- into new, long-lasting solar panels that provide emissions-free power.

Invasion of Americas by mosquito-borne virus likely

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 08:32 AM PDT

While media attention has been focused recently on coronavirus cases in the Arabian peninsula and the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, experts note that another threat lies in the spread of Chikungunya fever, an illness that is transmitted by mosquitoes and can cause fever, joint and muscle pain, headaches, and rashes. While it does not often cause death, the symptoms can be severe and disabling, with no treatment available.

Smoking during pregnancy may affect grandchildren's growth

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 08:32 AM PDT

Smoking during pregnancy has discernible effects on the growth of a woman's future grandkids, a new study shows. The "likely transgenerational effects from the grandmothers' smoking in pregnancy need to be taken into account in future studies of the effects of maternal smoking on child growth and development. If replicated, such studies could be a useful model for the molecular analysis of human transgenerational responses," said the senior author.

Ocean warming could drive heavy rain bands toward poles

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 08:32 AM PDT

In a world warmed by rising atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations, precipitation patterns are going to change because of two factors: one, warmer air can hold more water; and two, changing atmospheric circulation patterns will shift where rain falls. According to previous model research, mid- to high-latitude precipitation is expected to increase by as much as 50 percent. Yet the reasons why models predict this are hard to tease out.

Ebola has profound effects on wildlife population dynamics

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 08:32 AM PDT

New research in gorillas that were affected by an Ebola virus outbreak shows that disease can influence reproductive potential, immigration and social dynamics, and it highlights the need to develop complex models that integrate all the different impacts of a disease.

Butterflies' evolutionary responses to warmer temperatures may compromise their ability to adapt to future climate change

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 08:32 AM PDT

Members of the brown argus butterfly species that moved north in response to recent climate change have evolved a narrower diet dependent on wild Geranium plants, researchers report. However, butterflies that did not move north have more diverse diets, including plants such as Rockrose that are abundant in southern parts of the UK.

Did an exceptional iceberg sink the Titanic?

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 08:32 AM PDT

While the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 is typically blamed on human, design and construction errors, a new paper points to two other unfavorable factors outside human control: there were a greater number of icebergs than normal that year, and weather conditions had driven them further south, and earlier in the year, than was usual.

Prioritizing suicide research can help lead to fewer suicide attempts, deaths

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 07:21 AM PDT

Suicide experts recommend research into early behavioral detection, interventions, use of mass media, and other areas, researchers report. Proposed strategies include research into early detection of suicidal behavior, particularly among youth and adolescents, intervention, evidence-based follow-up care, and reducing stigma through the use of mass media.

International scientific team criticizes adoption of 'novel ecosystems' by policymakers

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 07:20 AM PDT

Novel ecosystems arise when human activities transform biological communities through species invasions and environmental change. They are seemingly ubiquitous, and thus many policymakers and ecologists argue for them to be accepted as the "new normal" -— an idea the researchers say is a bad one.

White, straight women leading surge in infertility treatments

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 07:20 AM PDT

Heterosexual white women are twice as likely as racial or sexual minority women to obtain medical help to get pregnant, according to a recent study. While income and lack of insurance only partially explained the lower number of racial minority women receiving fertility assistance, lack of insurance appeared to play a crucial role in whether lesbian and bisexual women received medical fertility help, especially in more recent years, according to an American study.

Antibiotics in early life may alter immunity long-term

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 06:59 AM PDT

A new study aims to help scientists understand how different antibiotics affect bacteria that play a positive role in promoting a healthy immune system. "This is the first step to understanding which bacteria are absolutely necessary to develop a healthy immune system later in life," says the lead researcher.

Stronger drunk driving laws lead to safer roads: Study

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 06:52 AM PDT

Changes to British Columbia's laws against driving while impaired have reduced fatal crashes as well as ambulance calls and hospital admissions resulting from motor vehicle crashes, a new study finds.

Visual 'gist' helps us figure out where a crowd is looking

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 06:52 AM PDT

Have you ever seen a crowd of people looking off into the distance, perhaps toward a passing biker or up to the top of a building? You probably looked there, too, instantly, even without paying attention to the individuals in the group. Researchers have discovered that we rely on a specialized visual process known as 'ensemble coding' to perceive where a crowd is looking.

Sun's activity influences natural climate change

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 06:52 AM PDT

A new study has, for the first time, reconstructed solar activity during the last ice age. The study shows that the regional climate is influenced by the sun and offers opportunities to better predict future climate conditions in certain regions.

New discovery: Microbes create dripstones

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 06:50 AM PDT

According to new research humble, microscopic organisms can create dripstones in caves. This illustrates how biological life can influence the formation of Earth's geology -- and the same may be happening right now on other planets in space.

Toothless 'dragon' pterosaurs dominated the Late Cretaceous skies

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 06:50 AM PDT

A new study provides an exciting insight into the diversity and distribution of pterosaurs from the Azhdarchidae family. Dominating the Late Cretaceous skies this group of toothless flying 'dragons' represent an important link in evolutionary transitions between the pre-historic times and the world as we know it today.

Artificial cells act like the real thing

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 06:50 AM PDT

Scientists have created an artificial, network-like cell system that is capable of reproducing the dynamic behavior of protein synthesis. This achievement is not only likely to help gain a deeper understanding of basic biological processes, but it may, in the future, pave the way toward controlling the synthesis of both naturally-occurring and synthetic proteins for a host of uses.

From rectal cells to neurons: Keys to understanding transdifferentiation

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 06:48 AM PDT

How can a specialized cell change its identity? A research team investigated a 100% effective natural example of this phenomenon, which is called transdifferentiation. This process, by which some cells lose their characteristics and acquire a new identity, could be more generally involved in tissue or organ regeneration in vertebrates, and is a promising research avenue for regenerative medicine. This study identifies the role of epigenetic factors involved in this conversion, underlines the dynamic nature of the process, and shows the key mechanisms for effective transdifferentiation.

Music to your ears? Evidence of damage to hearing from music

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 06:48 AM PDT

Many people listen to loud music without realizing that this can affect their hearing. This could lead to difficulties in understanding speech during age-related hearing loss which affects up to half of people over the age of 65. New research has examined the cellular mechanisms that underlie hearing loss and tinnitus triggered by exposure to loud sound.

Genes determine traces that stress leaves behind on brains

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 06:48 AM PDT

Our individual genetic make-up determines the effect that stress has on our emotional centers, researchers have found. Not every individual reacts in the same way to life events that produce the same degree of stress. Some grow as a result of the crisis, whereas others break down and fall ill, for example with depression. The outcome is determined by a complex interaction between depression gene versions and environmental factors.

Poor health literacy poses risks for pacemaker, defibrillator patients

Posted: 18 Aug 2014 06:46 AM PDT

40 percent of patients with pacemakers and defibrillators had little to no ability to understand information about their cardiac health, according to results of a new study. The study examined literacy among patients with medical conditions that are common among patients with pacemakers and defibrillators. Individuals with hypertension or high cholesterol were more than twice as likely to have limited health literacy as individuals without those conditions. Diabetics were almost twice as likely to have low health literacy.

How genes, gender and environment influence substance abuse

Posted: 17 Aug 2014 10:23 PM PDT

Social integration, including strong family ties, can protect one's wellbeing and even reduce the impact high-risk genes have on health. Scientists call this phenomenon a gene-environment interaction. A study focusing on substance abuse, however, found that a three-way interplay of gender, genetics and social integration produced the different outcomes for men and women.

Women seek anti-aging clinicians to treat menopausal symptoms, study finds

Posted: 17 Aug 2014 10:23 PM PDT

Feeling that conventional doctors did not take their suffering seriously, women instead sought out hormonal treatments for menopausal symptoms from anti-aging clinicians, according to a study that investigated the appeal of anti-aging medicine.

High-intensity exercise found safe and effective in long-term heart transplant, study concludes

Posted: 17 Aug 2014 10:22 PM PDT

High-intensity exercise can help stable heart transplant patients reach higher levels of exercise capacity, and gain better control of their blood pressure than moderate intensity exercise, investigators report. Their research shows that high-intensity interval exercise -— training for a few minutes at close to the maximum heart rate -— is safe and more efficient than moderate exercise for improving exercise capacity in different groups of patients with heart disease.

Surprising number of older adults weathered the 'great recession' without financial strain

Posted: 17 Aug 2014 10:22 PM PDT

The "Great Recession" may have put a dent in many older adults' pocketbooks, but a new study finds that more than 40 percent reported a decrease in "financial strain" between 2006 and 2010.

'Super-parent' cultural pressures can spur mental health conditions in new Moms and Dads

Posted: 17 Aug 2014 10:22 PM PDT

Mental health experts in the past three decades have emphasized the dangers of post-partum depression for mothers, but a researcher says expanding awareness of several other perinatal mental health conditions is important for all new parents, including fathers.

'Bonus effect' for certain multiracial daters

Posted: 17 Aug 2014 10:22 PM PDT

While previous research has documented the existence of a racial hierarchy within the dating world with white women and men on top, a new study finds that in certain circumstances multiracial daters are actually seen as more desirable than individuals from all other racial groups, including whites.

Men viewed more favorably than women when seeking work-life balance

Posted: 17 Aug 2014 10:22 PM PDT

While some suggest that flexible work arrangements have the potential to reduce workplace inequality, a new study finds these arrangements may exacerbate discrimination based on parental status and gender.

Suspect gene corrupts neural connections: Diseases of synapses' demo'd in a dish

Posted: 17 Aug 2014 07:01 PM PDT

Researchers have demonstrated in patients' cells how a rare mutation in a suspect gene corrupts the turning on and off of dozens of other genes underlying synapses -- the connections between neurons. In a 'disease-in-a-dish' study, induced neurons of patients from families affected by a mutation associated with schizophrenia and other major mental illness expressed 80 percent lower-than-normal levels of a protein made by a suspect gene.

How children's brains memorize math facts

Posted: 17 Aug 2014 07:01 PM PDT

As children learn basic arithmetic, they gradually switch from solving problems by counting on their fingers to pulling facts from memory. The shift comes more easily for some kids than for others, but no one knows why. Now, new brain-imaging research gives the first evidence drawn from a longitudinal study to explain how the brain reorganizes itself as children learn math facts.

Stem cells reveal how illness-linked genetic variation affects neurons

Posted: 17 Aug 2014 07:01 PM PDT

A genetic variation linked to schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and severe depression wreaks havoc on connections among neurons in the developing brain, a team of researchers reports. The study used stem cells generated from people with and without mental illness to observe the effects of a rare and pernicious genetic variation on young brain cells. The results add to evidence that several major mental illnesses have common roots in faulty 'wiring' during early brain development.

DNA methylation involved in Alzheimer's disease

Posted: 17 Aug 2014 07:01 PM PDT

A new study reveals how early changes in brain DNA methylation are involved in Alzheimer's disease. The research is the first large-scale study employing epigenome-wide association (EWAS) studies -- which look at chromosomal make-up and changes -- in relation to the brain and Alzheimer's disease.

A shift in the code: New method reveals hidden genetic landscape

Posted: 17 Aug 2014 07:01 PM PDT

With three billion letters in the human genome, it seems hard to believe that adding or removing a base could have much of an effect on our health. Yet, such insertions and deletions can dramatically alter biological function. It is has been difficult to detect these mutations. Scientists have devised a new way to analyze genome sequences that pinpoints insertions and deletions in people with diseases such as autism, obsessive compulsive disorder, and Tourette syndrome.

Evolutionary misfit: Misunderstood worm-like fossil finds its place in the Tree of Life

Posted: 17 Aug 2014 07:00 PM PDT

One of the most bizarre-looking fossils ever found -- a worm-like creature with legs, spikes and a head difficult to distinguish from its tail -- has found its place in the evolutionary tree of life, definitively linking it with a group of modern animals for the first time.

Stuck in neutral: Brain defect traps schizophrenics in twilight zone

Posted: 17 Aug 2014 07:00 PM PDT

People with schizophrenia struggle to turn goals into actions because brain structures governing desire and emotion are less active and fail to pass goal-directed messages to cortical regions affecting human decision-making, new research reveals.

Fascinating rhythm: Light pulses illuminate a rare black hole

Posted: 17 Aug 2014 07:00 PM PDT

Astronomers have accurately measured -- and thus confirmed the existence of -- a rare intermediate-mass black hole about 400 times the mass of our sun in a galaxy 12 million light years from the Milky Way. The finding uses a technique never applied in this way before, and opens the door to new studies of these mysterious objects.

'Cavity protection effect' helps to conserve quantum information

Posted: 17 Aug 2014 07:00 PM PDT

Two different quantum systems are being coupled by researchers to create a powerful hybrid quantum system. Using a strong coupling effect, the coherence time could now be considerably prolonged.

Most temporary workers from Mexico no better off than undocumented workers

Posted: 17 Aug 2014 07:00 PM PDT

Many politicians see the temporary worker program in the US as a solution to undocumented immigration from Mexico. But a new study finds that these legal workers earn no more than undocumented immigrants, who unlike their legal counterparts can improve their situation by changing jobs or negotiating for better pay.

Microchip reveals how tumor cells transition to invasion

Posted: 17 Aug 2014 07:00 PM PDT

A microscopic obstacle course of carefully spaced pillars enables researchers to observe cancer cells directly as they break away from a tumor mass and move more rapidly across the microchip. The device could be useful for testing cancer drugs and further research on the mechanics of metastasis.

New mechanism of erosion: Gorges are eradicated by downstream sweep erosion

Posted: 17 Aug 2014 06:59 PM PDT

Local surface uplift can block rivers, particularly in mountainous regions. The impounded water, however, always finds its way downstream, often cutting a narrow gorge into the rocks. Subsequent erosion of the rocks can lead to a complete eradication of this initial incision, until not a trace is left of the original breakthrough. In extreme cases the whole gorge disappears, leaving behind a broad valley with a flat floodplain. Previously, the assumption was that this transition from a narrow gorge to a wide valley was driven by gorge widening and the erosion of the walls of the gorges.

Risky situations increase women’s anxiety, hurt their performance compared to men

Posted: 17 Aug 2014 06:58 PM PDT

Risky situations increase anxiety for women but not for men, leading women to perform worse under these circumstances, finds a new study.

Virginity pledges for men can lead to sexual confusion, even after the wedding day

Posted: 17 Aug 2014 06:58 PM PDT

Bragging of sexual conquests, suggestive jokes and innuendo, and sexual one-upmanship can all be a part of demonstrating one's manhood, especially for young men eager to exert their masculinity. But how does masculinity manifest itself among young men who have pledged sexual abstinence before marriage?

Federal law to combat use of 'club drugs' has done more harm than good, study suggests

Posted: 17 Aug 2014 06:58 PM PDT

A federal law enacted to combat the use of "club drugs" such as Ecstasy -- and today's variation known as Molly -- has failed to reduce the drugs' popularity and, instead, has further endangered users by hampering the use of measures to protect them.

Range of skills students taught in school linked to race and class size

Posted: 17 Aug 2014 06:58 PM PDT

Pressure to meet national education standards may be the reason states with significant populations of African-American students and those with larger class sizes often require children to learn fewer skills, finds a researcher.

FDA-approved drug restores hair in patients with alopecia areata

Posted: 17 Aug 2014 06:58 PM PDT

Researchers have identified the immune cells responsible for destroying hair follicles in people with alopecia areata, a common autoimmune disease that causes hair loss, and have tested an FDA-approved drug that eliminated these immune cells and restored hair growth in a small number of patients.

8,000-year-old mutation key to human life at high altitudes: Study identifies genetic basis for Tibetan adaptation

Posted: 17 Aug 2014 06:58 PM PDT

In an environment where others struggle to survive, Tibetans thrive in the thin air of the Tibetan Plateau, with an average elevation of 14,800 feet. A new study is the first to find a genetic cause for the adaptation and demonstrate how it contributes to the Tibetans' ability to live in low oxygen conditions.

Factors that contribute to food trucks' fast spread

Posted: 16 Aug 2014 05:45 PM PDT

Gourmet food trucks have spread around the nation, according to researchers who harvested Twitter data to conduct a de facto census of up-scale US food trucks, invented in Los Angeles in 2008.