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Released: 13-Nov-2017 4:55 PM EST
High Cognitive Ability Not a Safeguard From Conspiracies, Paranormal Beliefs
University of Illinois Chicago

A University of Illinois at Chicago social psychologist reports on two studies that examined why some people are inclined to believe in various conspiracies and paranormal phenomena.

Released: 13-Nov-2017 8:05 AM EST
New Research Finds People Will Desire Something Even More if You Increase Their Focus on It
Case Western Reserve University

Study suggests ways marketing and clinical treatment can influence behavior

   
Released: 10-Nov-2017 12:55 PM EST
Measuring the Implicit Biases We May Not Even Be Aware Of
University of Florida

Two UF Psychology Professors Examine the Prejudices and Stereotypes That Contribute to Social Inequality and Discuss the Tests Social Scientists Apply to Measure the Implicit Bias People Tend to Harbor

8-Nov-2017 10:00 AM EST
Biomarker May Predict Early Alzheimer’s Disease
Sanford Burnham Prebys

Researchers at SBP have identified a peptide that could lead to the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The discovery, published in Nature Communications, may also provide a means of homing drugs to diseased areas of the brain to treat AD, Parkinson’s disease, as well as glioblastoma, brain injuries and stroke.

7-Nov-2017 4:05 PM EST
Sleep Apnea May Increase Risk of Developing Alzheimer’s Disease
American Thoracic Society (ATS)

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may put elderly people at greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD), according to new research published online in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

7-Nov-2017 4:05 PM EST
Parasites Suck It Up
Harvard Medical School

Depletion of a fatty molecule in human blood propels malaria parasites to stop replicating and causing illness in people and instead to jump ship to mosquitoes to continue the transmission cycle, according to a new study by an international research team.

Released: 8-Nov-2017 4:05 PM EST
Is He Really That Into You?
University of Utah

New research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology finds that women who were reminded of a time that their dad was absent from their lives — or who actually experienced poor quality fathering while growing up — perceived greater mating intent in the described behaviors of a hypothetical male dating partner and when talking with a man. These women also “saw” more sexual arousal when viewing images of men’s faces.

Released: 7-Nov-2017 2:05 PM EST
New Approach to Geoengineering Simulations Is Significant Step Forward
National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)

Using a sophisticated computer model, scientists have demonstrated for the first time that a new research approach to geoengineering could potentially be used to limit Earth’s warming to a specific target while reducing some of the risks and concerns identified in past studies, including uneven cooling of the globe.

2-Nov-2017 5:00 PM EDT
How a “Flipped” Gene Helped Butterflies Evolve Mimicry
University of Chicago Medical Center

Scientists from the University of Chicago analyzed genetic data from a group of swallowtail species to find out when and how mimicry first evolved, and what has been driving those changes since then.

3-Nov-2017 3:30 PM EDT
Scientists Find Potential “Missing Link” in Chemistry That Led to Life on Earth
Scripps Research Institute

Chemists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have found a compound that may have been a crucial factor in the origins of life on Earth.

Released: 2-Nov-2017 1:00 PM EDT
Hubble Sees Nearby Asteroids Photobombing Distant Galaxies
Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI)

Photobombing asteroids from our solar system have snuck their way into this deep image of the universe taken by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. These asteroids reside roughly 160 million miles from Earth, yet they’ve horned their way into this picture of thousands of galaxies scattered across space and time at inconceivably farther distances.

Released: 1-Nov-2017 3:50 PM EDT
Eating More Like Our Ancestors Would Improve Human Health
Washington University in St. Louis

Malnutrition problems can be traced to poor-quality diets lacking in diversity, a recent phenomenon in evolutionary history, according to a new paper from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.“Earlier diets were highly diverse and nutrient dense, in contrast to modern food systems in which monotonous diets of staple cereals and ultra-processed foods play a more prominent role,” wrote Lora Iannotti, associate professor and senior author of the paper, “Genome–nutrition Divergence: Evolving Understanding of the Malnutrition Spectrum,” published in the journal Nutrition Reviews.

   
Released: 1-Nov-2017 3:20 PM EDT
Nature’s Whistles: Rodents Use a Mechanism Like Police Whistle to Produce Ultrasonic Vocalizations
Northern Arizona University

The anatomy and mechanisms underlying vocal production are often poorly described, especially in small animals, but thanks to new imaging technology, NAU researchers were able to examine the laryngeal structures of small rodents for the first time.

Released: 31-Oct-2017 1:30 PM EDT
Why Do Some Head Knocks Cause More Damage Than Others?
University of North Carolina Health Care System

Veteran sailors know that rogue waves can rise suddenly in mid-ocean to capsize even the largest vessels. Now it appears that a similar phenomenon called shear shock wave occurs in the concussed brain. It may help explain why some head knocks cause so much more harm than others.

   
Released: 31-Oct-2017 1:05 PM EDT
How to Store Information in Your Clothes Invisibly, Without
University of Washington

University of Washington computer scientists have created fabrics and fashion accessories that can store data — from security codes to identification tags — without needing any on-board electronics or sensors.

Released: 31-Oct-2017 11:05 AM EDT
Workplace Health - The Silent Epidemic
Texas A&M University

Workplace incivility is taking over our organizations, professional relationships and everyday interactions. According to Dr. Jia Wang, associate professor of human resource development, understanding why incivility happens and how to address it starts with awareness.

27-Oct-2017 11:30 AM EDT
How a $10 Microchip Turns 2-D Ultrasound Machines to 3-D Imaging Devices
Duke Health

Technology that keeps track of how your smartphone is oriented can now give $50,000 ultrasound machines many of the 3-D imaging abilities of their $250,000 counterparts — for the cost of a $10 microchip. Doctors and engineers from Duke and Stanford universities will demonstrate their device Oct. 31 at the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) Research Forum in Washington, D.C.

Released: 27-Oct-2017 6:05 AM EDT
Efforts to Revive Coal Industry Unlikely to Work, May Slow Job Growth
Indiana University

Current federal efforts to revive the coal industry will likely do more harm than good to fragile Appalachian communities transitioning from coal as a major source of employment, according to a study conducted by Indiana University researchers.

   
Released: 25-Oct-2017 5:00 PM EDT
Transplanted Hematopoietic Stem Cells Reverse Damage Caused by Neuro-Muscular Disorder
UC San Diego Health

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine report that a single infusion of wildtype hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) into a mouse model of Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) measurably halted cellular damage caused by the degenerative disease.

Released: 25-Oct-2017 4:50 PM EDT
Ordinance Reduces Violent Crime Near Late-Night Bars by Making Owners Part of Solution
Iowa State University

An ordinance requiring bar owners to beef up security helped reduce crime at late-night clubs in Little Rock, Arkansas, according to a new study. Iowa State's Kyle Burgason says other cities tackling crime near bars could take similar action with the same results.

Released: 25-Oct-2017 2:05 PM EDT
Aitape Skull Likely Belongs to World’s Oldest Tsunami Victim
University of Notre Dame

Mark Golitko, assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Notre Dame, worked with colleagues from the Field Museum in Chicago and institutes in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea to study the Aitape skull and the area it was found in.

Released: 24-Oct-2017 1:30 PM EDT
A Quarter of Problematic Pot Users Have Anxiety Disorders, Many Since Childhood
Duke Health

About a quarter of adults whose marijuana use is problematic in early adulthood have anxiety disorders in childhood and late adolescence, according to new data from Duke Health researchers.

20-Oct-2017 1:05 PM EDT
Exposure to Glyphosate, Chemical Found in Weed Killers, Increased Over 23 Years
UC San Diego Health

Analyzing samples from a prospective study, University of California San Diego School of Medicine researchers found that human exposure to glyphosate, a chemical widely found in weed killers, has increased approximately 500 percent since the introduction of genetically modified crops.

   
Released: 24-Oct-2017 9:05 AM EDT
There Is No Safe Amount of Alcohol During Pregnancy, New Study Shows
Binghamton University, State University of New York

Any amount of alcohol exposure during pregnancy can cause extreme lasting effects on a child, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York.

   
20-Oct-2017 11:00 AM EDT
Scientists Track Ovarian Cancers to Site of Origin: Fallopian Tubes
Johns Hopkins Medicine

Some scientists have suspected that the most common form of ovarian cancer may originate in the fallopian tubes, the thin fibrous tunnels that connect the ovaries to the uterus. Now, results of a study of nine women suggest that the genomic roots of many ovarian tumors may indeed arise in the fallopian tubes, potentially providing insights into the origin of ovarian cancer and suggesting new ways for prevention and intervention of this disease.

Released: 19-Oct-2017 4:05 PM EDT
Eye-Catching Labels Stigmatize Many Healthy Foods
University of Delaware

Labels such as organic, fair-trade and cage free may be eye-catching but are often free of any scientific basis and stigmatize many healthy foods, a new University of Delaware-led study found.

   
Released: 19-Oct-2017 1:05 PM EDT
Genetics Study Reveals Reactions to Drugs Result in Poorer Outcomes for African American Breast Cancer Patients
Indiana University

African American women participating in a clinical study on breast cancer had more side effects and poorer survival rates than did women of European ancestry, according to a an Indiana University study that identified ethnicity through genetics--a first in this type of research.

17-Oct-2017 9:00 AM EDT
Dogs Are More Expressive When Someone Is Looking
University of Portsmouth

Dogs produce more facial expressions when humans are looking at them, according to new research from the University of Portsmouth.

Released: 17-Oct-2017 3:55 PM EDT
Study Suggests Psychedelic Drugs Could Reduce Criminal Behavior
University of Alabama at Birmingham

Classic psychedelics such as mushrooms, LSD and peyote are associated with a decreased likelihood of antisocial criminal behavior, according to new research from investigators at UAB

   
Released: 17-Oct-2017 5:05 AM EDT
Microbes Leave "Fingerprints" on Martian Rocks
University of Vienna

Scientists around Tetyana Milojevic from the Faculty of Chemistry at the University of Vienna are in search of unique biosignatures, which are left on synthetic extraterrestrial minerals by microbial activity. The biochemist and astrobiologist investigates these signatures at her own miniaturized "Mars farm" where she can observe interactions between the archaeon Metallosphaera sedula and Mars-like rocks. These microbes are capable of oxidizing and integrating metals into their metabolism. The original research was currently published in the journal "Frontiers in Microbiology".

Released: 16-Oct-2017 3:50 PM EDT
Plant-Based Diet Converts Breast Cancer in Mice From Lethal to Treatable Form
University of Alabama at Birmingham

Researchers use compounds found in a combination plant-based diet to successfully prevent and treat ER-negative breast cancer in mice.

Released: 16-Oct-2017 3:45 PM EDT
Filling the Early Universe with Knots Can Explain Why the World Is Three-Dimensional
Vanderbilt University

Filling the universe with knots shortly after it popped into existence 13.8 billion years ago provides a neat explanation for why we inhabit a three-dimensional world. That is the basic idea advanced by an out-of-the-box theory developed by an international team of physicists.

Released: 16-Oct-2017 11:15 AM EDT
Astronomers Detect Colliding Neutron Stars for the First Time
Northwestern University

Four Northwestern University astronomers are part of an international research collaboration that is the first to detect the spectacular collision of two neutron stars using both gravitational waves and light. The discovery ushers in an exciting new era in astronomy -- multi-messenger astronomy with gravitational waves -- less than two years after the first detection of gravitational waves opened a new window onto the universe. The astronomers hold leading roles on both sides of discovery, in gravitational-wave astronomy and electromagnetic astronomy.

28-Sep-2017 3:05 PM EDT
Are There Really Glow-in-the-Dark Soil Organisms?
American Society of Agronomy (ASA), Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), Soil Science Society of America (SSSA)

Soil organisms are diverse, with characteristics that can astound. The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) October 15 Soils Matter blog post explains which soil critters glow—and why.

Released: 16-Oct-2017 8:05 AM EDT
A Dietary Supplement Dampens the Brain Hyperexcitability Seen in Seizures or Epilepsy
University of Alabama at Birmingham

Inducing a biochemical alteration in brain proteins via the dietary supplement glucosamine was able to rapidly dampen that pathological hyperexcitability in rat and mouse models. These results represent a potentially novel therapeutic target for the treatment of seizure disorders

Released: 13-Oct-2017 4:05 PM EDT
Northern CA Wildfires Generate 1.5 Million Views of UC San Diego’s ‘Firemap’ Resource
University of California San Diego

A web-based tool recently developed by UC San Diego researchers under an NSF grant to perform data-driven predictive modeling and real-time tracking of fires has already been viewed about one million times and generated more than 115,000 unique visitors since the outbreak of numerous wildfires across Northern California late last weekend.

Released: 13-Oct-2017 10:05 AM EDT
New Method to Detect Spin Current in Quantum Materials Unlocks Potential for Alternative Electronics
Oak Ridge National Laboratory

A new method that precisely measures the mysterious behavior and magnetic properties of electrons flowing across the surface of quantum materials could open a path to next-generation electronics. A team of scientists has developed an innovative microscopy technique to detect the spin of electrons in topological insulators, a new kind of quantum material that could be used in applications such as spintronics and quantum computing.

Released: 12-Oct-2017 5:05 PM EDT
Astronomers Say Star Dust Helps Explain Mysterious Dimming Star
Iowa State University

Iowa State's Massimo Marengo is part of a team of astronomers working to understand the mysterious dimming of Tabby's Star. The astronomers report that space dust orbiting the star -- not alien megastructures -- is the likely cause of the star's long-term dimming.

Released: 12-Oct-2017 12:30 PM EDT
Thriving at Home: One Year After a Marathon Surgery to Separate Them, Formerly Conjoined Twins Jadon and Anias McDonald “Achieve New Milestones Every Day”
Montefiore Health System

October 14 marks one year since complete separation of Jadon and Anias McDonald at the Children's Hospital at Montefiore

Released: 12-Oct-2017 10:05 AM EDT
Giving Voice to Values: How to Counter Rationalizations Rationally
University of Virginia Darden School of Business

Mary Gentile, a Professor at UVA Darden, discusses commonly confronted rationalizations and potential responses for those who wish to act effectively and with integrity under pressure. This is the companion piece to Giving Voice to Values: An Overview.

Released: 11-Oct-2017 9:00 AM EDT
‘Resilience’ to Adversity Determines if a Child Survives or Thrives When Bullied
Florida Atlantic University

Why is it that some children are devastated by bullying while others are not? Is there is a major personal characteristic or trait that buffers and protects them against internalizing the harm intended through bullying and cyberbullying? The answer is a resounding “yes.”

8-Oct-2017 8:00 PM EDT
How Fever in Early Pregnancy Causes Heart, Facial Birth Defects
Duke Health

Researchers have known for decades that fevers in the first trimester of pregnancy increase risk for some heart defects and facial deformities such as cleft lip or palate. Exactly how this happens is unclear. Duke researchers now have evidence indicating that the fever itself, not its root source, is what interferes with the development of the heart and jaw during the first three to eight weeks of pregnancy.

6-Oct-2017 3:30 PM EDT
Alzheimer’s Gene Poses Both Risk — and Benefits
Washington University in St. Louis

Scientists drilling down to the molecular roots of Alzheimer’s disease have encountered a good news/bad news scenario. The bad news is that in the early stages of the disease, high-risk TREM2 variants can hobble the immune system’s ability to protect the brain from amyloid beta. The good news, according to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, is that later in the disease, the absence of TREM2 protein seems to protect the brain from damage.

29-Sep-2017 3:40 PM EDT
A Spoonful of Oil: Research Finds Further Evidence That Fats and Oils Help to Unlock Full Nutritional Benefits of Veggies
Iowa State University

Some dressing with your greens may help you absorb more nutrients, according to a study from an Iowa State University scientist. The research found enhanced absorption of multiple fat-soluble vitamins in addition to beta-carotene and three other carotenoids. The study appeared recently in the peer-reviewed American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, and the results may ease the guilt of countless dieters who fret about adding dressing to their salads.

5-Oct-2017 5:00 AM EDT
Global Kids Study: More Trees, Less Disease
University of Vermont

A study of 300,000 children in 35 nations says kids whose watersheds have greater tree cover are less likely to experience diarrheal disease, the second leading cause of death for children under the age of five.

Released: 5-Oct-2017 8:05 AM EDT
Study Sheds Light on How, Why Middle Managers Can Coerce Employees Into Deceptive Practices
University of Kansas

A study led by a University of Kansas School of Business professor sheds new light on how and why middle managers can coerce their employees into deceiving upper management, in order to ensure that a unit's performance looks good while also keeping the actions hidden.

Released: 4-Oct-2017 7:05 PM EDT
Low-Cost, High-Volume Services Make Up Big Portion of Spending on Unneeded Health Care
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Low-cost, high-volume health services account for a high percentage of unnecessary health spending, adding strain to the health care system.

3-Oct-2017 4:30 PM EDT
Study Reveals Staggering Economic Burden of Dementia in Younger People
Florida Atlantic University

While the social and economic cost of Alzheimer’s is well documented, a new study shows that frontotemporal degeneration (FTD)—the most common dementia for people under age 60—inflicts a significantly higher economic burden on both patients and their caregivers. It found that the average annual costs associated with FTD to total $119,654, nearly two times the reported annual cost of Alzheimer’s.

Released: 3-Oct-2017 10:45 AM EDT
Large Volcanic Eruptions in Tropics Can Trigger El Niño Events
Rutgers University

Explosive volcanic eruptions in the tropics can lead to El Niño events, those notorious warming periods in the Pacific Ocean with dramatic global impacts on the climate, according to a new study.



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