ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Hydrogel baits offer novel way to manage invasive ants

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 04:20 PM PST

Water-storing crystals known as hydrogels can effectively deliver pesticide bait to invasive Argentine ants, quickly decimating a colony, a study finds. "When you drop hydrogels on the ground next to a colony, the ants really go crazy. It's like a big party," the lead author said. "This has great potential for managing invasive ants in other agricultural systems and natural environments. You could treat a whole vineyard using hydrogels."

Obesity series exposes 'unacceptably slow' progress in tackling soaring global obesity rates over last decade

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 04:17 PM PST

Global failure to tackle obesity epidemic demands new ways of thinking, say leading experts. In less than a generation, experts say, rates of child obesity have risen dramatically worldwide. For example, in the USA children weigh on average 5kg more than they did 30 years ago, and one in three children is now overweight or obese. Although child obesity rates have started to level off in some cities and countries, no country to date has experienced declining rates of obesity across its population.

Unhealthy eating habits outpacing healthy eating patterns in most world regions

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 04:17 PM PST

Worldwide, consumption of healthy foods such as fruit and vegetables has improved during the past two decades, but has been outpaced by the increased intake of unhealthy foods including processed meat and sweetened drinks in most world regions, according to the first study to assess diet quality in 187 countries covering almost 4.5 billion adults.

Farmers can better prevent nutrient runoff based on land characteristics

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 01:58 PM PST

Doing more to keep farm runoff out of the country's waterways can start with a few key questions about what the land looks like, researchers say after creating a comprehensive nutrient runoff mitigation guide for farmland in both the Ohio and Upper Mississippi River Basins.

Feasibility of tracking parrots with GPS telemetry confirmed

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 01:58 PM PST

Yes, it is possible to study parrots with GPS trackers -- you just have to make them beak-proof. Researchers sealed GPS devices in tough polymer before attaching them to captured Keas (Nestor notabilis) using backpack harnesses. They successfully tracked 10 birds for a week and identified where and when they foraged, roosted, and interacted with tourists.

New weapon in the fight against cancer could be in your body already

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 11:55 AM PST

A tool for keeping the most common forms of cancer at bay could be in your gut, a new study concludes. For the study, the research team tested thousands of chemicals found in the body with the help of a robot and discovered more than 20 that could delay the aging process, something inevitably linked to cancer.

Nanotechnology: Better measurements of single molecule circuits

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 11:55 AM PST

A new technique gives better measurements of the properties of electrical circuits made of single molecules. The method should enable more research in nanotechnology, researchers report.

Keeping atherosclerosis in-check with novel targeted inflammation-resolving nanomedicines

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 11:55 AM PST

Nanometer-sized 'drones' that deliver a special type of healing molecule to fat deposits in arteries could become a new way to prevent heart attacks caused by atherosclerosis, according to a study in pre-clinical models.

Development of personalized cellular therapy for brain cancer

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 11:51 AM PST

Immune cells engineered to seek out and attack a type of deadly brain cancer were found to be both safe and effective at controlling tumor growth in mice that were treated with these modified cells, a study concludes.

Switchgrass removes PCBs from soils, engineers find

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 11:14 AM PST

A type of grass that was once a staple of the American prairie can remove soil laden with PCBs, toxic chemicals once used for cooling and other industrial purposes, a study has found.

Teen brain scans reveal a key to weight loss

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 11:14 AM PST

MRI scans of teenagers who had successfully lost weight and kept it off show that they have higher levels of executive function -- the ability to process and prioritize competing interests. Executive function is a trait that can be improved, scientists say.

Partners for Kids: Cost savings, quality examined

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 11:14 AM PST

The cost-saving and health care quality outcomes of the pediatric Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Partners for Kids has been outlined by a recent study that indicates that Partners for Kids successfully improved the value of pediatric healthcare over time through cost containment, while maintaining quality of care.

When estimating fish populations, seeing is believing

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 11:14 AM PST

By adding video cameras to fish traps, scientists get more precise abundance estimates for several important species of reef fish, including red snapper and gag grouper. In a new release, a scientist and a fisherman share very different perspectives on why this is important.

Autism genes activate during fetal brain development

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 11:13 AM PST

Mutations that cause autism in children are connected to a pathway that regulates brain development, scientists have found. The researchers studied a set of well-known autism mutations called copy number variants or CNVs. They investigated when and where the genes were expressed during brain development.

Epigenomics of Alzheimer's disease progression

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 11:13 AM PST

Our susceptibility to disease depends both on the genes that we inherit from our parents and on our lifetime experiences. These two components -- nature and nurture -- seem to affect very different processes in the context of Alzheimer's disease. A new study of epigenomic modifications reveals the immune basis of Alzheimer's disease.

Scientists use MRI to visualize pancreas inflammation in type 1 diabetes

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 09:39 AM PST

It is possible to use magnetic resonance imaging to 'see' the inflammation in the pancreas that leads to type 1 diabetes, a pilot study has revealed. Autoimmunity and inflammation directed against the pancreas and its insulin-producing beta cells underlie the development of type 1 diabetes, researchers note.

Chromosome 'bumper repair' gene predicts cancer patient outcomes

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 09:38 AM PST

Levels of mRNA for the gene TERT predict patient outcomes in bladder cancer, scientists have discovered. Results may help doctors and researchers mark especially aggressive bladder cancers, allowing them to recommend appropriate treatments and improve patient outcomes.

Individuals with type 2 diabetes should exercise after dinner

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 09:38 AM PST

Individuals with type 2 diabetes have heightened amounts of sugars and fats in their blood, which increases their risks for cardiovascular diseases such as strokes and heart attacks. Exercise is a popular prescription for individuals suffering from the symptoms of type 2 diabetes. Now, researchers have found that individuals with type 2 diabetes can lower their risks of cardiovascular diseases more effectively by exercising after a meal.

Manufacturing growth can benefit Bangladeshi women workers

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 09:38 AM PST

The life of a Bangladeshi garment factory worker is not an easy one. But new research indicates that access to such factory jobs can improve the lives of young Bangladeshi women -- motivating them to stay in school and lowering their likelihood of early marriage and childbirth.

An empty stomach can lead to an empty wallet

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 09:38 AM PST

Looking to save money on your next shopping trip? Better eat something before you head to the mall. According to new research, hunger increases our intention to acquire not only food, but also nonfood objects.

High-powered X-ray laser unlocks mechanics of pain relief without addiction

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 09:38 AM PST

Scientists have solved the structure of a bifunctional peptide bound to a neuroreceptor that offers pain relief without addiction. Opiate drugs like morphine relieve pain by targeting mu receptors. While they effectively work by doing so, their prolonged use causes a growing tolerance to the drug and, ultimately, physical dependence.

Recovering attention after a stroke: Brain's right hemisphere may be more valuable

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 09:37 AM PST

The right hemisphere may assist a damaged left hemisphere recover visual attention after a stroke, new research suggests. "The results demonstrate that the tasks we do every day change how the brain pays attention to the world around us. By understanding how these changes occur in healthy individuals, we can focus on behaviors that are impaired in stroke patients and provide a focus for rehabilitation," one researcher noted.

Learning from extinction: New insights on controlling cancer

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 09:37 AM PST

A researcher brings a paleontological view of species extinction to bear on the challenges involved in driving populations of cancer cells to annihilation -- or at least improving patient prognosis through disease-limiting efforts.

Urbanization may affect the initiation of thunderstorms

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 09:36 AM PST

A study that assessed the impact of urban land use on the initiation of thunderstorms from 1997 to 2013 in the humid subtropical region of the southeast United States found that so-called isolated convective initiation events occur more often over the urban area of Atlanta compared with its surrounding rural counterparts. The findings confirm that human-induced changes in land cover in tropical environments lead to more thunderstorm initiation events.

New insights into origins of the world's languages

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 09:34 AM PST

Linguists have long agreed that languages from English to Greek to Hindi, known as 'Indo-European languages', are the modern descendants of a language family that first emerged from a common ancestor spoken thousands of years ago. Now, a new study gives us more information on when and where it was most likely used. Using data from over 150 languages, linguists provide evidence that this ancestor language originated 5,500 - 6,500 years ago on the Pontic-Caspian steppe.

Neanderthal groups based part of their lifestyle on sexual division of labor

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 09:34 AM PST

Neanderthals divided some of their tasks according to their sex. A new study analyzed 99 teeth of 19 individuals from three different sites (El Sidron, in Asturias - Spain, L'Hortus in France, and Spy in Belgium), reveals that the dental grooves in the female fossils follow the same pattern, different to that found in male individuals.

Dark matter guides growth of supermassive black holes

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 09:34 AM PST

Every massive galaxy has a black hole at its center, and the heftier the galaxy, the bigger its black hole. But why are the two related? After all, the black hole is millions of times smaller and less massive than its home galaxy. A new study of football-shaped collections of stars called elliptical galaxies finds that the invisible hand of dark matter somehow influences black hole growth.

Mutant bacteria that keep on growing

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 09:34 AM PST

The typical Escherichia coli, the laboratory rat of microbiology, is a tiny 1-2 thousandths of a millimeter long. Now, by blocking cell division, researchers have grown E. coli that stretch three quarters of a millimeter. That's up to 750 times their normal length. The research has potential applications in nanoscale industry, and may lead to a better understanding of how pathogens work.

Brace yourself: Study finds people can use different strategies to prepare for stress

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 09:31 AM PST

People are not consistent in how they prepare mentally to deal with arguments and other stressors, with each individual displaying a variety of coping behaviors, research shows. In addition, the study found that the coping strategies people used could affect them the following day.

3-D engineered bone marrow makes functioning platelets

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 09:31 AM PST

An international research team has reported development of the first three-dimensional tissue system that reproduces the complex structure and physiology of human bone marrow and successfully generates functional human platelets. Using a biomaterial matrix of porous silk, the new system is capable of producing platelets for future clinical use and also provides a laboratory tissue system to advance study of blood platelet diseases.

A bodyguard for your ears: Scientists discover novel pain sensors in inner ear that warn of dangerously loud noise

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 09:30 AM PST

Our hearing has a secret bodyguard, a newly discovered connection from the cochlea to the brain that warns of intense incoming noise that causes tissue damage and hearing loss. Scientists believe it's the ear's novel pain system designed to protect it from dangerous noise. Because the ear doesn't have the nerve cells that normally detect pain, it needs its own alert system. The findings could usher new treatments for painful hearing conditions like tinnitus and hyperacusis.

Researchers discover promising targets for treating allergies, asthma

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 09:30 AM PST

More than 30 genes that have strong effects on Immunoglobulin E, allergies and asthma have been discovered, reports an international team of scientists. The researchers also found that the genes are concentrated in eosinophils, a white cell that ignites inflammation in asthmatic airways. The genes indicate when the eosinophils are activated and primed to cause the most damage. The newly found activation signals provide a possible means of directing treatments by predicting who will respond before starting therapy.

Research shows value of additional PET/CT scans in follow-up of lung cancer patients

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 09:30 AM PST

New research reveals a high value of scans which could lead to future change of reimbursement policies for follow-up positron emission tomography/computed tomography studies in lung cancer. The study establishes the value of fourth and subsequent follow-up PET/CT scans in clinical assessment and management change in patients with the disease.

Tropical fire ants traveled the world on 16th century ships

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 09:29 AM PST

Thanks to a bit of genetic sleuthing, researchers now know the invasion history of the tropical fire ant (Solenopsis geminata), the first ant species known to travel the globe by sea.

New target for treating asthma found

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 09:29 AM PST

The protein Mucin 5AC plays a critical role in airway hyperreactivity, a characteristic feature of asthma that makes it difficult to breathe, researchers have found. In experiments with mice, the scientists found that genetic removal of Muc5ac eliminated airway hyperreactivity.

Unlikely that topical pimecrolimus associated with increased risk of cancer

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 09:29 AM PST

The topical medicine pimecrolimus to treat eczema (atopic dermatitis or AD) in children appears unlikely to be associated with increased of risk of cancer based on how it was used in group of children followed for 10 years, according to an article.

Mucus retained in cystic fibrosis patients' cells leads to potentially deadly infections

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 09:29 AM PST

Cystic fibrosis mucus actually gets stuck inside some of the cells that create it, rather than simply becoming stuck on the outside linings of organs, researchers have found, which can increase the risk of deadly infection for the patient.

A good night's sleep keeps your stem cells young

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 09:29 AM PST

Environmental stress is a major factor in driving DNA damage in adult hematopoietic stem cells, researchers have found, concluding that a good night's sleep keeps your stem cells "young."

In a warmer world, ticks that spread disease are arriving earlier, expanding their ranges

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 09:29 AM PST

In the northeastern United States, warmer spring temperatures are leading to shifts in the emergence of the blacklegged ticks that carry Lyme disease and other tick-borne pathogens. At the same time, milder weather is allowing ticks to spread into new geographic regions.

Rust preserves fossils from early Earth

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 09:28 AM PST

Since life originated on Earth between 3.8 and 3.9 Ga ago, microorganisms have significantly shaped and influenced the chemistry of Earth's surface and subsurface environments. Reconstructing the evolution of early microbial life depends mainly on finding organic and mineral remnants of microbial activity preserved in the rock record. Even when microfossils are found, there are often controversies about their biological origin, since parameters that lead to a good preservation of microfossils are not well constrained.

Basic personality changes linked to unemployment, study finds

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 09:22 AM PST

Unemployment can change peoples' core personalities, making some less conscientious, agreeable and open, which may make it difficult for them to find new jobs, according to new research.

Can you judge a man by his fingers? Link between relative lengths of index and ring fingers in men and behavior towards women

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 09:21 AM PST

Men with short index fingers and long ring fingers are on average nicer towards women. This phenomenon stems from their fetal life, and the hormones these men have been exposed to in their mother's womb. The findings might help explain why these men have more children.

The perils of powdered caffeine and alcohol

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 09:21 AM PST

Alcohol and caffeine have joined the ranks of milk, juice and other substances that now come in powdered form. Of the two, caffeine is more concerning, says one physician.

White sharks grow more slowly, mature much later than previously thought

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 07:19 AM PST

A new study on white sharks in the western North Atlantic indicates they grow more slowly and mature much later than previously thought. The findings present the first reliable growth curve for this species in the western North Atlantic. The results: males are sexually mature around age 26 and females around age 33, much later than currently accepted estimates of 4-10 years for males and 7-13 years for females.

State funding boosts stem cell research in California, other states

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 07:19 AM PST

A new study analyzed stem cell funding programs in four states and found that in both California and Connecticut, state programs have contributed to an increase in the share of publications in the field produced in these states.

Men more dissatisfied with extra chores in more gender equal countries

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 07:18 AM PST

Men are more likely to feel it's unfair when they tackle a greater share of household chores in countries where a more egalitarian division of labor is considered the norm, according to a new study.

From the scent of geranium to cough medicine

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 07:18 AM PST

Terpenes and their derivatives exert important biological and pharmaceutical functions. Starting out from a few basic building blocks nature elegantly builds up complex structures. Chemically particularly challenging are bridged ring systems such as eucalyptol. Chemists have now developed a catalyst that initiates the formation of such compounds. A special feature of the catalyst: it self-assembles from smaller units.

Increased DNA mutations found in children of teenage fathers

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 07:18 AM PST

New research reveals that the sperm cells of adolescent boys have more than six times the rate of DNA mutations as the equivalent egg cells in adolescent girls, resulting in higher rates of DNA mutation being passed down to children of teenage fathers. The findings suggest that the risk of birth defects is higher in the children of teenage fathers as a consequence.

Brain's iconic seat of speech goes silent when we actually talk

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 07:18 AM PST

The brain's speech area, named after 19th century French physician Pierre Paul Broca, shuts down when we talk out loud, according to a new study that challenges the long-held assumption that 'Broca's area' governs all aspects of speech production.

Study recommends better EPA labels on cost of traditional vs. hybrid, electric cars

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 07:18 AM PST

Small to mid-sized car consumers would be more likely to choose a hybrid or plug-in electric vehicle over a gasoline vehicle if they know the total cost of ownership instead of simply looking at five-year fuel cost comparison, researchers conclude.

Synthetic biology yields new approach to gene therapy

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 07:18 AM PST

A novel gene-delivery system that shuttles a gene into a cell, but only for a temporary stay, has been developed by researchers, providing a potential new gene-therapy strategy for treating disease. The approach offers distinct advantages over other types of gene therapies currently under investigation, said the lead author of a study describing the new technique.

Predicting cancers' cell of origin

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 07:16 AM PST

A study suggests a new way to trace cancer back to its cell type of origin, providing new insights into the early events that shape a cancer, and could have important implications for the many cancer patients for whom the originating site of the cancer is unknown.

People who believe they were 'born that way' more inclined to blame God for bad behavior

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 07:16 AM PST

People are more likely to blame God for their bad moral behavior when they believe they were born to act that way, according to an ongoing project on spirituality and religion.

Size matters in the battle to adapt to diverse environments, avoid extinction

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 07:16 AM PST

By examining research on global patterns of amphibian diversification over hundreds of millions of years, researchers have discovered that 'sexually dimorphic' species -- those in which males and females differ in size, for example -- are at lower risk of extinction and better able to adapt to diverse environments.

Specialized consultations improve geriatric care for elderly patients who are hospitalized for traumatic injuries

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 07:15 AM PST

Elderly patients who are admitted to the hospital for monitoring and surgical treatment of traumatic injuries could have better geriatric care if medical teams took one extra step--offering geriatric consultation, according to new research findings.

Many pregnant teens use alcohol and drugs, study finds

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 06:30 AM PST

Many teenagers, especially younger teens, may not be getting the message about the risks of using alcohol and other drugs during pregnancy, researchers say -- but that having involved parents and being engaged academically can help.

Growing evidence on standardized packaging of tobacco products

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 06:30 AM PST

A collection of peer-reviewed research papers has been collected and published, which bring together key parts of the evidence base for standardized packaging of tobacco products from 2008 to 2015.

Breakthrough in nanotoxicology by researchers

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 06:30 AM PST

Whereas resistance to antibiotics complicates certain treatments, antimicrobial silver nanoparticles are gaining popularity for medical use. These particles are toxic for certain bacteria, but what about for humans? Researchers have taken a step toward understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms that affect these particles

Global warming to increase ocean upwelling, but fisheries impact uncertain

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 06:30 AM PST

A new report suggests that global warming may increase upwelling in several ocean current systems around the world by the end of this century, especially at high latitudes, and will cause major changes in marine biodiversity.

Scientists turn the tables on drug-resistant bacteria by infecting them with bacteriophages (bacterial viruses)

Posted: 18 Feb 2015 06:21 AM PST

Can a bacterial virus found in Jerusalem sewage prevent infections after root canal procedures? Medical researchers propose a way to turn the tables on harmful bacteria that infect humans, by infecting them with tiny viruses called bacteriophages. In a strange twist, one such virus, cultivated from Jerusalem sewage, may help prevent infections following dental procedures.