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• Life expectancy increases globally as death toll falls from major diseases
• Survey of the general population in France identifies knowledge gaps in the perception of lung cancer
• Targeted next-generation sequencing reveals a high number of genomic mutations in advanced malignant
• Weigh-in once a week or you'll gain weight
• Consumer loyalty driven by aesthetics over functionality
• Spider's web weaves way to advanced networks and displays
• Ultrafast imaging of complex systems in 3-D at near atomic resolution nears
• Big data may be fashion industry's next must-have accessory
• Switching to spintronics: Electric field switching of ferromagnetism at room temperature
• Satellites measure increase of Sun's energy absorbed in the Arctic
• 49 percent of patients withhold clinically sensitive information
• Satellite sees holiday lights brighten cities
• Lens-free microscope can detect cancer at cellular level
• Surprising theorists, stars within middle-aged clusters are of similar age
• Policy action urgently needed to protect Hawaii's dolphins
• New conversion process turns biomass 'waste' into lucrative chemical products
• Australia's coastal observation network may aid in understanding of extreme ocean events
• Short-necked Triassic marine reptile discovered in China
• Microscopy pencils patterns in polymers at the nanoscale
• Colorado River Delta greener after engineered pulse of water
• Ancient, hydrogen-rich waters deep underground around the world: Waters could support isolated life
• Multiple allergic reactions traced to single protein
• 'Perfect storm' quenching star formation around a supermassive black hole
• Scientists open new frontier of vast chemical 'space': As proof-of-principle, the team makes dozens of new chemical entities
• Rx drugs, 'bath salts,' fake pot and laundry pods lead millions to call poison centers
• National model of restoration: Nine Mile Run
• How breast cancer cells break free to spread in body
• Even in restored forests, extreme weather strongly influences wildfire's impacts
• Certainty in our choices often a matter of time, researchers find
• Unpacking brain damage in ALS
• Contrasting views of kin selection assessed
• Orphan receptor proteins deliver two knock-out punches to glioblastoma cells
• New class of synthetic molecules mimics antibodies
• Researchers' recipe: Cook farm waste into energy
• Watch out Internet meanies: Game could soon be over for you
• Privacy policies good for big business, not so good for consumers
• Employees who are open about religion are happier, study suggests
• Great Lakes pollution no longer driven by airborne sources; land, rivers now bigger factors
• Amputee makes history controlling two modular prosthetic limbs
• Novel insights into pathogen behavior
• Heat boosts phthalate emissions from vinyl crib mattress covers
• Not just for the holidays, mistletoe could fight obesity-related liver disease
• Hugs help protect against stress, infection, say researchers
• Asteroid that wiped out dinosaurs may have nearly knocked off mammals, too
• Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria syndrome: Substance from broccoli can moderate defects
• Better focus at the micro world: A low-budget focus stacking system for mass digitization
• Anti-diabetic drug springs new hope for tuberculosis patients
• Women are more empathetic toward their partner than men
• Personality outsmarts intelligence at school: Conscientiousness and openness key to learning
• Firearm violence trends in the 21st century
• Combining social media, behavioral psychology could lead to more HIV testing
• Bugs life: The nerve cells that make locusts ‘gang up’
• Ancient Earth may have made its own water: Rock circulating in mantle feeds world's oceans even today, evidence suggests
• Unraveling the light of fireflies
• Predicting antibiotic resistance
• Global carbon dioxide emissions increase to new all-time record, but growth is slowing down
• North Atlantic signaled Ice Age thaw 1,000 years before it happened, reveals new research
• Many children, adolescents get too much caffeine from energy drinks
• Gothic cathedrals blend iron and stone
• Smart window that tints and powers itself invented

Life expectancy increases globally as death toll falls from major diseases Posted: 17 Dec 2014 05:15 PM PST People are living much longer worldwide than they were two decades ago, as death rates from infectious diseases and cardiovascular disease have fallen, according to a new, first-ever journal publication of country-specific cause-of-death data for 188 countries.

Survey of the general population in France identifies knowledge gaps in the perception of lung cancer Posted: 17 Dec 2014 02:15 PM PST A prospective nationwide survey on perceptions of lung cancer in the general population of France highlights a need for increased public education on the benefits of lung cancer screening, the good survival rates of early-stage disease and the improved outcomes with new therapeutic strategies, including targeted-therapies.

Targeted next-generation sequencing reveals a high number of genomic mutations in advanced malignant Posted: 17 Dec 2014 02:15 PM PST Next generation sequencing in malignant pleural mesothelioma tumors shows a complex mutational setting with a high number of genetic alterations in genes involved in DNA repair, cell survival and cell proliferation pathways. Increased accumulation of mutations correlates with early progression of the tumor and decreased survival.

Weigh-in once a week or you'll gain weight Posted: 17 Dec 2014 02:14 PM PST Stepping on the scale is common among dieters but how does the frequency of weigh-ins impact weight? A new study showed that the more frequently dieters weighed themselves the more weight they lost, and if participants went more than a week without weighing themselves, they gained weight.

Consumer loyalty driven by aesthetics over functionality Posted: 17 Dec 2014 02:14 PM PST Consumers' loyalty and passion for an automobile brand are driven more by appearance than practical concerns. Aesthetics that resonate on an emotional level are more responsible for brand loyalty than such factors as functionality and price, the study found.

Spider's web weaves way to advanced networks and displays Posted: 17 Dec 2014 02:14 PM PST Searching for new ways to develop efficient, flexible networks, physicists discovered the designs of spider webs and leaf venation, refined across thousands of years of evolution, are worthy models for the next generation of optoelectronic applications.

Ultrafast imaging of complex systems in 3-D at near atomic resolution nears Posted: 17 Dec 2014 02:14 PM PST It is becoming possible to image complex systems in 3-D with near-atomic resolution on ultrafast timescales using extremely intense X-ray free-electron laser pulses. One important step toward ultrafast imaging of samples with a single X-ray shot is understanding the interaction of extremely brilliant and intense X-ray pulses with the sample, including ionization rates.

Big data may be fashion industry's next must-have accessory Posted: 17 Dec 2014 02:14 PM PST Big data may be the next new thing to hit the fashion industry's runways, according to a team of researchers.

Switching to spintronics: Electric field switching of ferromagnetism at room temperature Posted: 17 Dec 2014 01:16 PM PST Researchers have used an electric field to reverse the magnetization direction in a multiferroic spintronic device at room temperature, a demonstration that points a new way towards spintronics and smaller, faster and cheaper ways of storing and processing data.

Satellites measure increase of Sun's energy absorbed in the Arctic Posted: 17 Dec 2014 12:41 PM PST NASA satellite instruments have observed a marked increase in solar radiation absorbed in the Arctic since the year 2000 -- a trend that aligns with the steady decrease in Arctic sea ice during the same period.

49 percent of patients withhold clinically sensitive information Posted: 17 Dec 2014 12:41 PM PST In the first real-world trial of the impact of patient-controlled access to electronic medical records, almost half of the patients who participated withheld clinically sensitive information in their medical records from some or all of their health care providers.

Satellite sees holiday lights brighten cities Posted: 17 Dec 2014 12:40 PM PST Even from space, holidays shine bright. With a new look at daily data scientists have identified how patterns in nighttime light intensity change during major holiday seasons -- Christmas and New Year's in the United States and the holy month of Ramadan in the Middle East.

Lens-free microscope can detect cancer at cellular level Posted: 17 Dec 2014 12:40 PM PST A lens-free microscope that can be used to detect the presence of cancer or other cell-level abnormalities with the same accuracy as larger and more expensive optical microscopes, has been developed by researchers. The invention could lead to less expensive and more portable technology for performing common examinations of tissue, blood and other biomedical specimens. It may prove especially useful in remote areas and in cases where large numbers of samples need to be examined quickly.

Surprising theorists, stars within middle-aged clusters are of similar age Posted: 17 Dec 2014 12:40 PM PST An examination of middle-aged star clusters reveals an unexpectedly narrow age range among their stars, suggesting that large groups of stars evolve differently than previously understood.

Policy action urgently needed to protect Hawaii's dolphins Posted: 17 Dec 2014 12:40 PM PST Tourism is increasing pressure on Hawaii's spinner dolphins. A new study shows that long-proposed federal regulations to limit daytime access to bays where the dolphins rest are greatly needed, but local, community-based conservation measures tailored to each individual bay will speed their acceptance. A one-size-fits-all approach will not work, authors say.

New conversion process turns biomass 'waste' into lucrative chemical products Posted: 17 Dec 2014 12:40 PM PST A new catalytic process is able to convert what was once considered biomass waste into lucrative chemical products that can be used in fragrances, flavorings or to create high-octane fuel for racecars and jets. A team of researchers has developed a process that uses a chemical catalyst and heat to spur reactions that convert lignin into valuable chemical commodities.

Australia's coastal observation network may aid in understanding of extreme ocean events Posted: 17 Dec 2014 12:40 PM PST A network of nine reference sites off the Australian coast is providing the latest physical, chemical, and biological information to help scientists better understand Australia's coastal seas.

Short-necked Triassic marine reptile discovered in China Posted: 17 Dec 2014 12:40 PM PST A new species of short-necked marine reptile from the Triassic period has been discovered in China.

Microscopy pencils patterns in polymers at the nanoscale Posted: 17 Dec 2014 12:39 PM PST Scientists have used advanced microscopy to carve out nanoscale designs on the surface of a new class of ionic polymer materials for the first time.

Colorado River Delta greener after engineered pulse of water Posted: 17 Dec 2014 11:11 AM PST The engineered spring flood that brought water to previously dry reaches of the lower Colorado River and its delta resulted in greener vegetation, the germination of new vegetation along the river and a temporary rise in the water table, according to new results from the binational team of scientists studying the water's effects.

Ancient, hydrogen-rich waters deep underground around the world: Waters could support isolated life Posted: 17 Dec 2014 11:11 AM PST A team of scientists has mapped the location of hydrogen-rich waters found trapped kilometers beneath Earth's surface in rock fractures in Canada, South Africa and Scandinavia. Common in Precambrian Shield rocks -- the oldest rocks on Earth -- the ancient waters have a chemistry similar to that found near deep sea vents, suggesting these waters can support microbes living in isolation from the surface.

Multiple allergic reactions traced to single protein Posted: 17 Dec 2014 11:10 AM PST A single protein has been identified as the root of painful and dangerous allergic reactions to a range of medications and other substances. If a new drug can be found that targets the problematic protein, researchers say, it could help smooth treatment for patients with conditions ranging from prostate cancer to diabetes to HIV.

'Perfect storm' quenching star formation around a supermassive black hole Posted: 17 Dec 2014 11:10 AM PST Astronomers have discovered that modest black holes can shut down star formation by producing turbulence. High-energy jets powered by supermassive black holes can blast away a galaxy's star-forming fuel, resulting in so-called "red and dead" galaxies: those brimming with ancient red stars yet containing little or no hydrogen gas to create new ones.

Scientists open new frontier of vast chemical 'space': As proof-of-principle, the team makes dozens of new chemical entities Posted: 17 Dec 2014 10:15 AM PST Chemists have invented a powerful method for joining complex organic molecules that is extraordinarily robust and can be used to make pharmaceuticals, fabrics, dyes, plastics and other materials previously inaccessible to chemists.

Rx drugs, 'bath salts,' fake pot and laundry pods lead millions to call poison centers Posted: 17 Dec 2014 10:14 AM PST National Poison Control Center data from 2012 show that poisonings from prescription drugs are the leading cause of injury death in the United States, and that poisonings from 'bath salts,' synthetic marijuana and laundry detergent pods are emerging threats to public health.

National model of restoration: Nine Mile Run Posted: 17 Dec 2014 10:14 AM PST A study by a hydrologist shows that one of the largest urban-stream restorations in the United States has led to the recovery of fish and, more importantly, a groundswell of local support. Nine Mile Run, which is part of a watershed that drains 6.5 square miles of land, had been truly abused by urbanization and industrialization. Toxins leached into the creek from a slag heap left over from the steelmaking process, sewer lines discharged into the water, and so much of the waterway had been buried in culverts or diverted from its natural path that Nine Mile Run had become toxic. The restoration project involved rerouting the creek to a natural pathway, reestablishing flora, creating areas to catch floodwater, and building natural "slash piles" and "snags" from cut-down trees to create bird and animal habitats.

How breast cancer cells break free to spread in body Posted: 17 Dec 2014 10:14 AM PST More than 90 percent of cancer-related deaths are caused by the spread of cancer cells from their primary tumor site to other areas of the body. A new study has identified how one important gene helps cancer cells break free from the primary tumor.

Even in restored forests, extreme weather strongly influences wildfire's impacts Posted: 17 Dec 2014 10:14 AM PST A new study examined how the Rim Fire burned through forests with restored fire regimes in Yosemite National Park to determine whether they were as resistant to high-severity fire as many scientists and land managers expected.

Certainty in our choices often a matter of time, researchers find Posted: 17 Dec 2014 10:14 AM PST When faced with making choices, but lack sufficient evidence to guarantee success, our brain uses elapsed time as a proxy for task difficulty to calculate how confident we should be, a team of neuroscientists has found. Their findings help untangle the different factors that contribute to the decision-making process.

Unpacking brain damage in ALS Posted: 17 Dec 2014 10:14 AM PST Researchers gain new insight into how motor neurons in the brain die during ALS. About 5 percent of ALS patients carry an altered version of a gene called C9orf72, which in ALS patients contains hundreds of repeat sequences that otherwise are not present in normal individuals. Since the gene's discovery in 2011, however, researchers have been trying to understand its normal function as well as its role in ALS, with multiple hypotheses proposed.

Contrasting views of kin selection assessed Posted: 17 Dec 2014 10:14 AM PST Researchers have used several different ways of testing Hamilton's rule, the core mathematical formula of kin selection, as an explanation for the evolution of much altruistic behavior in animals. These vary in their realism and their ability to generate predictions. The variety of approaches, as well as different views about what constitutes an explanation, helps explain a divisive debate about the importance of kin selection in evolution. A new criterion of 'causal aptness' could help resolve disputes.

Orphan receptor proteins deliver two knock-out punches to glioblastoma cells Posted: 17 Dec 2014 08:36 AM PST Two related proteins exert a lethal double whammy effect against glioblastoma cells when activated with a small molecule. Scientists say when activated, one protein, called the short form, stops glioblastoma cells from replicating their DNA, and the other, called the long form, prevents cell division if the DNA has already been replicated.

New class of synthetic molecules mimics antibodies Posted: 17 Dec 2014 08:36 AM PST The first synthetic molecules that have both the targeting and response functions of antibodies have been crafted by scientists. The new molecules -- synthetic antibody mimics -- attach themselves simultaneously to disease cells and disease-fighting cells. The result is a highly targeted immune response, similar to the action of natural human antibodies.

Researchers' recipe: Cook farm waste into energy Posted: 17 Dec 2014 08:36 AM PST Researchers are studying how to make biofuels from farm waste, especially 'wet' waste, such as corn husks, tomato vines and manure, that is typically difficult to use. They have developed a fairly simple procedure, pressure cooking, to transport waste and produce energy from it. Cooking farm waste yields compact, easily transportable material that will not degrade and can be used in energy-producing plants, they say.

Watch out Internet meanies: Game could soon be over for you Posted: 17 Dec 2014 08:36 AM PST Bullies and mean girls have been around forever but, with the arrival of smartphones and social media, meanness has taken on new forms and dramatically extended its reach. Digital abuse is now so widespread, and such are its dramatic effects on victims, that the American Academy of Pediatrics has issued a stern warning about the risks posed by cyberbullying to adolescents' mental health. But 'how much do we really know about how to tackle online bullies?,' asks a new study.

Privacy policies good for big business, not so good for consumers Posted: 17 Dec 2014 08:35 AM PST Research suggests effective self regulation has yet to emerge for the majority of businesses whose privacy policies keep them from sharing consumers' private information, but are not readable by the average consumer.

Employees who are open about religion are happier, study suggests Posted: 17 Dec 2014 08:35 AM PST Employees who openly discuss their religious beliefs at work are often happier and have higher job satisfaction than those employees who do not, according to a new study.

Great Lakes pollution no longer driven by airborne sources; land, rivers now bigger factors Posted: 17 Dec 2014 08:35 AM PST A researcher who measured organic pollutants in the air and water around Lake Erie and Lake Ontario has found that airborne emissions are no longer the primary cause of the lakes' contamination. Instead, most of the lakes' chemical pollutants come from sources on land or in rivers.

Amputee makes history controlling two modular prosthetic limbs Posted: 17 Dec 2014 08:35 AM PST A Colorado man made history this summer when he became the first bilateral shoulder-level amputee to wear and simultaneously control two modular prosthetic limbs. Most importantly, the patient, who lost both arms in an electrical accident 40 years ago, was able to operate the system by simply thinking about moving his limbs, performing a variety of tasks during a short training period.

Novel insights into pathogen behavior Posted: 17 Dec 2014 07:13 AM PST New insights into the behavior of an important bacterial pathogen have been provided by researchers. The researchers investigated, using combination of experiments and computational modeling, how bacteria swarm in groups containing millions of cells. "We show in this paper that appendages of this bacterium called 'pili' link together to alter group motion and give swarming groups a form of braking power," an author explained.

Heat boosts phthalate emissions from vinyl crib mattress covers Posted: 17 Dec 2014 07:13 AM PST The US continues to look at the use and regulation of phthalates, which have been associated with health problems. Of particular concern is the safety of these plastic additives to children. A new study aims to improve our understanding of one possible exposure route for babies: vinyl crib mattress covers. Scientists report that as these covers warm up, they emit more phthalates into the air.

Not just for the holidays, mistletoe could fight obesity-related liver disease Posted: 17 Dec 2014 07:13 AM PST Mistletoe hanging in doorways announces that the holidays are just around the corner. For some people, however, the symbolic plant might one day represent more than a kiss at Christmas time: It may mean better liver health. Researchers have found that a compound produced by a particular variety of the plant can help fight obesity-related liver disease in mice.

Hugs help protect against stress, infection, say researchers Posted: 17 Dec 2014 07:13 AM PST Researchers tested whether hugs act as a form of social support, protecting stressed people from getting sick. They found that greater social support and more frequent hugs protected people from the increased susceptibility to infection associated with being stressed and resulted in less severe illness symptoms.

Asteroid that wiped out dinosaurs may have nearly knocked off mammals, too Posted: 17 Dec 2014 07:13 AM PST The classic story is that mammals rose to dominance after the dinosaurs went extinct, but a new study shows that some of the most common mammals living alongside dinosaurs, the metatherians, extinct relatives of living marsupials, were also nearly wiped out when an asteroid hit the planet 66 million years ago.

Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria syndrome: Substance from broccoli can moderate defects Posted: 17 Dec 2014 07:13 AM PST Children who suffer from Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria syndrome age prematurely due to a defective protein in their cells. Scientists have now identified another important pathological factor: the system responsible for removing cellular debris and for breaking down defective proteins operates at lower levels in HGPS cells than in normal cells. The researchers have succeeded in reactivating protein breakdown in HGPS cells and thus reducing disease-related defects by using a substance from broccoli.

Better focus at the micro world: A low-budget focus stacking system for mass digitization Posted: 17 Dec 2014 07:13 AM PST Researchers constructed a focus stacking set-up made of consumer grade products with better end results than high-end solutions and this at only a tenth of the price of current existing systems. Because of the operational ease, speed and the low cost of the system, it is ideal for mass digitization programs involving type specimens.

Anti-diabetic drug springs new hope for tuberculosis patients Posted: 17 Dec 2014 07:13 AM PST A more effective treatment for tuberculosis (TB) could soon be available as scientists have discovered that metformin, a drug for treating diabetes, can also be used to boost the efficacy of TB medication without inducing drug resistance, scientists report.

Women are more empathetic toward their partner than men Posted: 17 Dec 2014 06:49 AM PST Women may long have suspected it to be the case, but large-scale research has found women are more empathetic toward their partners than men.

Personality outsmarts intelligence at school: Conscientiousness and openness key to learning Posted: 17 Dec 2014 06:08 AM PST Recent research has found that personality is more important than intelligence when it comes to success in education and this needs to take this into account when guiding students and teachers. Furthermore these personality traits for academic success can be developed.

Firearm violence trends in the 21st century Posted: 17 Dec 2014 06:08 AM PST While the overall death rate from firearm violence has remained unchanged for more than a decade, the patterns for suicide and homicide have changed dramatically, a study on the epidemiology of gun violence from 2003 to 2012 has found.

Combining social media, behavioral psychology could lead to more HIV testing Posted: 17 Dec 2014 06:08 AM PST Social media such as Twitter and Facebook, combined with behavioral psychology, could be a valuable tool in the fight against AIDS by prompting high-risk individuals to be tested, research shows. Though there have been many experimental HIV testing interventions in international settings, none have used social media technologies, said one investigator.

Bugs life: The nerve cells that make locusts ‘gang up’ Posted: 17 Dec 2014 06:06 AM PST A team of biologists has identified a set of nerve cells in desert locusts that bring about 'gang-like' gregarious behavior when they are forced into a crowd. The findings demonstrate the importance of individual history for understanding how brain chemicals control behaviour, which may apply more broadly to humans also.

Ancient Earth may have made its own water: Rock circulating in mantle feeds world's oceans even today, evidence suggests Posted: 17 Dec 2014 06:05 AM PST In a finding that meshes well with recent discoveries from the Rosetta mission, researchers have discovered a geochemical pathway by which Earth makes it own water through plate tectonics. This finding extends the planet's water cycle to billions of years—and suggests that enough water is buried in the deep earth right now to fill the Pacific Ocean.

Unraveling the light of fireflies Posted: 17 Dec 2014 04:45 AM PST How do fireflies produce those mesmerizing light flashes? Using cutting-edge imaging techniques, scientists have unraveled the firefly's intricate light-producing system for the first time.

Predicting antibiotic resistance Posted: 17 Dec 2014 04:45 AM PST Treating bacterial infections with antibiotics is becoming increasingly difficult as bacteria develop resistance not only to the antibiotics being used against them, but also to ones they have never encountered before. By analyzing genetic and phenotypic changes in antibiotic-resistant strains of E. coli, researchers have revealed a common set of features that appear to be responsible for the development of resistance to several types of antibiotics.

Global carbon dioxide emissions increase to new all-time record, but growth is slowing down Posted: 17 Dec 2014 04:44 AM PST 2013 saw global CO2 emissions from fossil fuel use and cement production reach a new all-time high. This was mainly due to the continuing steady increase in energy use in emerging economies over the past ten years.  However, emissions increased at a notably slower rate (2%) than on average in the last ten years (3.8% per year since 2003, excluding the credit crunch years).

North Atlantic signaled Ice Age thaw 1,000 years before it happened, reveals new research Posted: 17 Dec 2014 04:44 AM PST The Atlantic Ocean at mid-depths may have given out early warning signals – 1,000 years in advance - that the last Ice Age was going to end, scientists report.

Many children, adolescents get too much caffeine from energy drinks Posted: 17 Dec 2014 04:43 AM PST When children aged 10-14 consume energy drinks, one in five consumes too much caffeine. When their caffeine intake from other sources such as cola and chocolate is included, every second child and more than one in three adolescents aged 15-17 consume too much caffeine. Researchers estimate that energy drinks cause or contribute to a large proportion of children and adolescents exceeding the recommended maximum daily intake of caffeine.

Gothic cathedrals blend iron and stone Posted: 17 Dec 2014 04:43 AM PST Using radiocarbon dating on metal found in Gothic cathedrals, an interdisciplinary team has shown, for the first time through absolute dating, that iron was used to reinforce stone from the construction phase. This study sheds new light on the technical skill and intentions of cathedral builders.

Smart window that tints and powers itself invented Posted: 17 Dec 2014 04:43 AM PST Scientists have developed a smart window which can darken or brighten without the need for an external power source.

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