ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

California 'rain debt' equal to average full year of precipitation

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 07:00 PM PDT

A new study has concluded California accumulated a debt of about 20 inches of precipitation between 2012 and 2015 -- the average amount expected to fall in the state in a single year. The deficit was driven primarily by a lack of air currents moving inland from the Pacific Ocean that are rich in water vapor.

Cell aging slowed by putting brakes on noisy transcription

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 02:26 PM PDT

Working with yeast and worms, researchers found that incorrect gene expression is a hallmark of aged cells and that reducing such "noise" extends lifespan in these organisms.

Study questions presence in blood of heart-healthy molecules from fish oil supplements

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 02:26 PM PDT

The importance of a diet rich in fish oils -- now a billion dollar food-supplement industry -- has been debated for over half a century. A new study questions the relevance of fish oil-derived substances and their purported anti-inflammatory effects in humans.

Organic molecules on comets: Philae's first results from Churi prove surprising

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 02:25 PM PDT

Organic molecules never previously observed in comets, a relatively varied structure on the surface but a fairly homogeneous interior, organic compounds forming agglomerates rather than being dispersed in the ice: these are just some of first results provided by Philae on the surface of comet Churi. These in situ findings, which contain a wealth of completely new information, reveal several differences in comparison with previous observations of comets and current models.

Research could lead to protective probiotics for frogs

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 02:23 PM PDT

In research that could lead to protective probiotics to fight the 'chytrid' fungus that has been decimating amphibian populations worldwide, researchers have grown bacterial species from the skin microbiome of four species of amphibians.

Depressed females have over-active glutamate receptor gene

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 02:23 PM PDT

Numerous genes that regulate the activity of a neurotransmitter in the brain have been found to be abundant in brain tissue of depressed females. This could be an underlying cause of the higher incidence of suicide among women, according to research.

Research spotlights a previously unknown microbial 'drama' playing in the Southern Ocean

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 02:23 PM PDT

A team of marine researchers has discovered a three-way conflict raging at the microscopic level in the frigid waters off Antarctica over natural resources such as vitamins and iron. The competition has important implications for understanding the fundamental workings of globally significant food webs of the Southern Ocean, home to such iconic Antarctic creatures as penguins, seals, and orcas.

An exceptional planetary system discovered in Cassiopeia

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 01:29 PM PDT

Astronomers have teased out a secret planetary system hiding in the arms of Cassiopea, just 21 light years away from us. The remarkable system, named HD219134, hosts one outer giant planet and three inner super-Earths, one of which transits in front of the star. The transiting super-Earth has a density similar to the Earth. It is by far the closest transiting planet known today. It provides the ideal candidate for follow-up studies and a deeper understanding of planetary formation, internal composition, and atmospheres. The system is so close that astronomers already dream about taking pictures of the new "Stars."

Comets: Soft shell, hard core?

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 01:29 PM PDT

Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko poses new riddles: Surface material measurements performed by the Philae landing module indicate that the near surface material might have changed since its formation. Up to now, many researchers had assumed that it has remained in virtually the same state since its formation about 4.5 billion years ago.

When surgeons listen to their preferred music, their stitches are better and faster

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 01:28 PM PDT

From classical to rock, music can be heard in operating rooms across the world. When plastic surgeons listen to music they prefer, their surgical technique and efficiency when closing incisions is improved, a new study shows.

Root radar: How parasitic plants know when to attack

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 01:28 PM PDT

Researchers have discovered how parasitic plants evolved the ability to detect and attack their hosts. Their findings could lead to new techniques to control the thieving weeds.

Novel model developed to predict amount of nicotine emitted from e-cigarettes

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 01:28 PM PDT

Researchers have developed the first ever, evidence-based model that can predict with up to 90 percent accuracy the amount of nicotine emitted by an electronic cigarettes.

The body and the brain: Impact of mental, physical exertion on fatigue development

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 01:24 PM PDT

Do you ever notice how stress and mental frustration can affect your physical abilities? When you are worried about something at work, do you find yourself more exhausted at the end of the day? This phenomenon is a result of the activation of a specific area of the brain when we attempt to participate in both physical and mental tasks simultaneously.

Countering pet obesity by rethinking feeding habits

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 01:24 PM PDT

The number one cause of malnutrition in American pets is obesity. Research experts share causes, implications and potential solutions to this epidemic.

HVTN 505 vaccine induced antibodies nonspecific for HIV

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 01:24 PM PDT

A new study helps explain why the candidate vaccine used in the HVTN 505 clinical trial was not protective against HIV infection despite robustly inducing anti-HIV antibodies: the vaccine stimulated antibodies that recognized HIV as well as microbes commonly found in the intestinal tract, part of the body's microbiome.

Robotic insect mimics Nature's extreme moves

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 01:24 PM PDT

By analyzing the natural mechanics of the water strider that enable it to launch off water's surface scientists have emulated this extreme form of locomotion in novel robotic insects.

Bering Sea hotspot for corals and sponges

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 01:22 PM PDT

North of the Aleutian Islands, submarine canyons in the cold waters of the eastern Bering Sea contain a highly productive 'green belt' that is home to deep-water corals as well as a plethora of fish and marine mammals.

Paralyzed men move legs with new non-invasive spinal cord stimulation

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 01:22 PM PDT

Five men with complete motor paralysis were able to voluntarily generate step-like movements thanks to a new strategy that non-invasively delivers electrical stimulation to their spinal cords. The strategy, called transcutaneous stimulation, delivers electrical current to the spinal cord by way of electrodes strategically placed on the skin of the lower back. This expands to nine the number of completely paralyzed individuals who have achieved voluntary movement while receiving spinal stimulation.

Nature has more than one way to grow a crystal

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 01:22 PM PDT

New findings have implications for questions regarding how animals and plants grow minerals into shapes that have no relation to their original crystal symmetry, and why some contaminants are difficult to remove from stream sediments.

Computer model forecasts flu outbreaks in a subtropical climate

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 01:20 PM PDT

It is possible to predict the timing and intensity of influenza outbreaks in subtropical climates like Hong Kong where flu seasons can occur at different times and more than once during a year, scientists have shown for the first time.

Earth's magnetic shield is much older than previously thought

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 01:20 PM PDT

Since 2010, the best estimate of the age of Earth's magnetic field has been 3.45 billion years. But now a researcher responsible for that finding has new data showing the magnetic field is far older.

Drought's lasting impact on forests

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 01:20 PM PDT

In a global study of drought impacts, forest trees took an average of two to four years to resume normal growth rates, a revelation indicating that Earth's forests are capable of storing less carbon than climate models have assumed.

Positive reinforcement plays key role in cognitive task performance in ADHD kids

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 10:12 AM PDT

A little recognition for a job well done means a lot to children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder -- more so than it would for typically developing kids.

Cheaper, high-performance prosthetic knee

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 10:11 AM PDT

Researchers report that they have designed a cheap prosthetic knee that mimics normal walking motion. The team reports that it has calculated the ideal torque that a prosthetic knee should produce, given the mass of the leg segments, in order to induce able-bodied kinematics, or normal walking.

Stars in Milky Way have moved

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 10:11 AM PDT

Researchers are part of a team of scientists with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) that created a new map of the Milky Way that shows nearly a third of the stars have dramatically changed their obits.

Distant Uranus-sized planet discovered through microlensing

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 10:11 AM PDT

Astronomers have confirmed the existence of a Uranus-sized exoplanet orbiting far from its central star, discovered through a technique called gravitational microlensing.

Researchers resurrect ancient viruses in hopes of improving gene therapy

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 10:10 AM PDT

Researchers have reconstructed an ancient virus that is highly effective at delivering gene therapies to the liver, muscle, and retina. This discovery could potentially be used to design gene therapies that are not only safer and more potent than therapies currently available, but may also help a greater number of patients.

Take a Trip Through the Brain: New Imaging Tool

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 10:07 AM PDT

A new imaging tool could do for the brain what the telescope did for space exploration. In the first demonstration of how the technology works, the researchers look inside the brain of an adult mouse at a scale previously unachievable, generating images at a nanoscale resolution. The inventors' goal is to make the resource available to the scientific community in the form of a national brain observatory.

How a single molecule turns one immune cell into another

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 10:07 AM PDT

All it takes is one molecule to reprogram an antibody-producing B cell into a scavenging macrophage. This transformation is possible, new evidence shows, because the molecule (C/EBPa, a transcription factor) 'short-circuits' the cells so that they re-express genes reserved for embryonic development.

Trying to quit smoking? First strengthen self-control

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 10:07 AM PDT

The desire to quit smoking -- often considered a requirement for enrolling in treatment programs -- is not always necessary to reduce cigarette cravings, argues a review of addiction research. Early evidence suggests that exercises aimed at increasing self-control, such as mindfulness meditation, can decrease the unconscious influences that motivate a person to smoke.

'Golden jackals' of East Africa are actually 'golden wolves'

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 10:07 AM PDT

Despite their remarkably similar appearance, the 'golden jackals' of East Africa and Eurasia are actually two entirely different species. The discovery, based on DNA evidence, increases the overall biodiversity of the Canidae -- the group including dogs, wolves, foxes, and jackals -- from 35 living species to 36.

Newly identified mechanism of p53-induced cell death could aid cancer therapy

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 09:11 AM PDT

Research reveals how the tumor suppressor protein p53 works in the cytoplasm to trigger death via apoptosis and identifies a potential cancer treatment strategy.

HPV16 detection in oral rinses for oropharyngeal cancer

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 09:08 AM PDT

The presence of persistent human papillomavirus type 16 DNA in oral rinses after treatment for HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer was rare but it appears to be associated with poor prognosis and therefore may have potential as a long-term tool for tumor surveillance, according to an article.

Evolutionary war between microorganisms affecting human health, biologist says

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 08:10 AM PDT

Health experts have warned for years that the overuse of antibiotics is creating 'superbugs' able to resist drugs treating infection. Now scientists have found evidence that an invisible war between microorganisms may also be catching humans in the crossfire.

Pharmacists help patients with hypertension

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 08:10 AM PDT

Patients with hypertension benefit from interacting with a medical team that includes a pharmacist. Two studies showed pharmacist-included care teams delivered more hands-on and tailored medication regimens to patients, which yielded more effective blood-pressure control results than for those patients who did not have a pharmacist on hand.

Studying killer whales with an unmanned aerial vehicle

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 08:10 AM PDT

Last year, for the first time, scientists used an unmanned aerial vehicle to photograph killer whales from above, giving scientists a new way to monitor killer whale health while giving us all a stunning new view of the species. In a recent article, scientists explain how they configured the UAV into a precision scientific instrument.

The bold and the shy one: Could woodlice have personalities?

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 07:46 AM PDT

Put before a predator, one of the defensive behavior terrestrial crustaceans like the Common rough woodlouse can exercise is feigning death. Personality is argued to influence the duration and repetitiveness of the reaction. This is why a team of researchers observed three types of external impact and the variables in the individual woodlouses' responses. Their findings showed there is in fact a significant individual pattern.

Stormy seas in Sagittarius

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 07:46 AM PDT

Some of the most breathtaking views in the Universe are created by nebulae -- hot, glowing clouds of gas. This new NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image shows the center of the Lagoon Nebula, an object with a deceptively tranquil name. The region is filled with intense winds from hot stars, churning funnels of gas, and energetic star formation, all embedded within an intricate haze of gas and pitch-dark dust.

Every country in the world can afford to support its smokers to stop

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 07:45 AM PDT

A major new review examined a wide range of measures that healthcare systems in different countries can adopt to help smokers to stop, determining that in fact, all countries can afford to support smoking cessation.

Ants in the lead: How ants cooperate in steering food to their nest

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 07:45 AM PDT

A physics-based model can explain how ants cooperate in steering food to their nest. To lug a large object, a number of ants surround it -- the back ones lift, those on the leading edge pull. How do they stay on track, instead of simply pulling all around in a sort of tug-of-war? Scientists used video analysis to track the individual movements of ants in a group that was carrying a large food item toward their nest.

Just say 'no' to drugs -- in water

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 06:35 AM PDT

A teen is tackling serious water quality issues that threaten the health of rivers, streams and groundwater. Now she has just put the final touches on her research of a plastic adsorbent that removes pharmaceutical drugs from water sources.

Seniors get mental health drugs at twice the rate of other adults, see psychiatrists less

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 06:35 AM PDT

Older Americans receive prescriptions for mental health drugs at more than twice the rate that younger adults do, but they're much less likely to be getting their mental health care from a psychiatrist, a new study shows. Some seniors could be at risk of problems caused interactions between drugs.

Delay in treatment, missed diagnostic testing found among lung cancer patients

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 05:14 AM PDT

Patients undergoing surgery for lung cancer may wait too long to receive treatment, and too many patients skip vital diagnostic steps that are needed to help determine the best possible treatment, researchers report.

Research could play major role in curbing illegal ivory sales

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 05:12 AM PDT

A new automated data mining system could lead to a dramatic increase in the detection of potentially illegal online sales of elephant ivory through eBay. Law enforcement agencies and conservationist are expected to make use of the system in their ongoing battle against illegal ivory sales. At the moment, identifying illegal elephant ivory being sold online is a laborious, tedious and expensive task, even for experts.

New study narrows the gap between climate models and reality

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 05:12 AM PDT

A new study addresses an important question in climate science: how accurate are climate model projections? Climate models are used to estimate future global warming, and their accuracy can be checked against the actual global warming observed so far. Most comparisons suggest that the world is warming a little more slowly than the model projections indicate. Scientists have wondered whether this difference is meaningful, or just a chance fluctuation.

Most adolescents feel better after gastric bypass

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 05:12 AM PDT

Teenagers suffering from severe obesity generally feel worse than their peers, but after undergoing gastric bypass nearly all experience improved mental health. One in five, however, still suffers from symptoms of depression -- some quite seriously.

Sugar in your cuppa not just about a sweet tooth

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 05:12 AM PDT

New research has given tea and coffee drinkers new information about why their favorite drinks taste as they do. The study shows that sugar has an important effect in reducing the bitterness of tea and coffee, not just by masking it but by influencing the fundamental chemistry.

Depressive ruminations and the idling brain

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 05:11 AM PDT

Depressed people often find themselves preoccupied with guilty, shameful, or self-defeating thoughts for large parts of their day. These thoughts not only distract from other activities but also fail to resolve the underlying life issues. Further, the ideas that receive focused attention in these depressive ruminations are frequently quite distorted and lead to distress.

Treating ships' ballast water: Filtration preferable to disinfection

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 05:11 AM PDT

Untreated ballast water discharge from ships can spread living organisms and even pathogens across the world thereby introducing non-native or invasive species into the local environment. Scientists therefore recommend using physical treatment processes such as filtration rather than electrochemical disinfection, which creates countless potentially toxic compounds.

First reports of robotic surgery for advanced vena cava tumor thrombus due to kidney cancer

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 05:11 AM PDT

Surgery is required when cancer of the kidney causes a Level III thrombus, or clot, to develop in the major vein leading back to the heart. Traditionally this complicated procedure, inferior vena cava (IVC) thrombectomy, is performed using a large open incision, primarily because the vein is often difficult to reach. In a new article, a team of surgeons describe the first cases in which this procedure has been successfully performed robotically, using only seven small incisions and four robotic tools.

Promising progress for new treatment of type 1 diabetes

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 05:11 AM PDT

New research shows promising progress in the use of anti-inflammatory cytokine for treatment of type 1 diabetes. The study reveals that administration of interleukin-35 (a protein made by immune cells) to mice with type 1 diabetes, reverses or cures the disease by maintaining a normal blood glucose level and the immune tolerance.

Blood test predicts prognosis for traumatic brain injuries

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 05:08 AM PDT

A new blood test could help emergency room doctors quickly diagnose traumatic brain injury and determine its severity. The findings could help identify patients who might benefit from extra therapy or experimental treatments.

New study exposes negative effects of climate change on Antarctic fish

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 05:08 AM PDT

The combination of elevated levels of carbon dioxide and an increase in ocean water temperature has a significant impact on survival and development of the Antarctic dragonfish (Gymnodraco acuticeps), researchers have discovered.

Reproducible research for biofuels, biogas

Posted: 30 Jul 2015 05:08 AM PDT

New research presents a virtual package of data for the production of biogas, which is promising for use in biofuels. Biogas is the production of methane through the anaerobic digestion (fermentation) of organic matter. The work here provides not only an enormous amount of, freely available, data; but is also presented in a reproducible, reusable containerized form, allowing scientists to recreate the experiments at the touch of a button.