ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Most coronary patients in Europe are not meeting their lifestyle, therapeutic and risk factor targets after hospitalisation Posted: 16 Feb 2015 05:49 PM PST Fewer than one half of all European patients following a heart attack are even receiving the benefits of cardiac rehabilitation and preventive care, research shows. In reviewing the results the investigators note considerable variation between European countries in lifestyle and risk factor management, the use of cardioprotective medication, and the provision of rehabilitations services.

Mystery Mars plume baffles scientists Posted: 16 Feb 2015 05:08 PM PST Plumes seen reaching high above the surface of Mars are causing a stir among scientists studying the atmosphere on the Red Planet. On two separate occasions in March and April 2012, amateur astronomers reported definite plume-like features developing on the planet.

Women active a few times weekly have lower risk of heart disease, stroke and blood clots Posted: 16 Feb 2015 05:05 PM PST Middle-aged women physically active a few times per week have lower risks of heart disease, stroke and blood clots than inactive women. More frequent physical activity does not appear to lower the risks further, research shows.

Interaction between light and sound in nanoscale waveguide Posted: 16 Feb 2015 05:04 PM PST Scientists have demonstrated interaction between light and sound in a nanoscale area. Their findings elucidate the physics of light-matter coupling at these scales – and pave the way for enhanced signal processing on mass-producible silicon photonic chips. In the last decade, the field of silicon photonics has gained increasing attention as a key driver of lab-on-a-chip biosensors and of faster-than-electronics communication between computer chips. The technology builds on tiny structures known as silicon photonic wires, which are roughly a hundred times narrower than a typical human hair. These nanowires carry optical signals from one point to another at the speed of light. They are fabricated with the same technological toolset as electronic circuitry. Fundamentally, the wires work only because light moves slower in the silicon core than in the surrounding air and glass.

Changing stem cell structure may help fight obesity Posted: 16 Feb 2015 05:04 PM PST Scientists have found that reducing the size of tiny hair like structures on stem cells stops them turning into fat. The discovery could be used to develop a way of preventing obesity.

Criminologist 'hacks' the hacker Posted: 16 Feb 2015 05:04 PM PST We often view hackers as evil geniuses, but perhaps a more accurate depiction would be a talented -- though sometimes mischievous -- craft worker, according to a researcher. The way society views hackers is not representative of the whole hacking culture. Simply stated: Hacking is more than breaking into security systems and computer networks.

Terror attacks offer insights for first responders Posted: 16 Feb 2015 05:04 PM PST When terrorists strike, emergency workers who have the proper training, information access and a positive work environment will make better decisions, according to research.

Researcher has some questions for the interview Posted: 16 Feb 2015 05:03 PM PST Interviews begin with questions, but a researcher is instead questioning the interview, and the answers are mapping the history and unexplored conceptual areas of this familiar information-gathering tool.

Organizational culture, climate predicts use of evidence-based practices in the treatment of youth with psychiatric disorders Posted: 16 Feb 2015 05:03 PM PST Many mental health therapists use treatments that have little evidence to support them. A new multi-institution study has found that an organization’s culture and climate are better predictors of the use of evidence-based practices than an individual therapist’s characteristics in the treatment of children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders.

When strep throat is something else: Forgotten bacterium is cause of many severe sore throats in young adults Posted: 16 Feb 2015 05:03 PM PST New research suggests that Fusobacterium necrophorum more often causes severe sore throats in young adults than streptococcus — the cause of the much better known strep throat. The findings, suggest physicians should consider F. necrophorum when treating severe sore throat in young adults and adolescents that worsens.

First-ever evidence of drastic climate change of Northern China region 4,200 years ago Posted: 16 Feb 2015 01:00 PM PST Using a relatively new scientific dating technique, geologists were able to document -- for the first time -- a drastic climate change 4,200 years ago in northern China that affected vegetation and led to mass migration from the area.

Molecular trigger of inflammatory bowel disease discovered Posted: 16 Feb 2015 12:57 PM PST Cells lining the gut form a barrier that can be breached because of a signaling molecule called tumor necrosis factor (TNF). Elevated levels of TNF have been shown to cause inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), but what triggers the uptick in TNF is still not clear. Now researchers have discovered that a gene called uhrf1 acts like a kind of molecular handbrake, keeping TNF from setting off signals to inflame and damage the digestive tract.

Complex nerve-cell signaling traced back to common ancestor of humans and sea anemones Posted: 16 Feb 2015 12:57 PM PST New research shows that a burst of evolutionary innovation in the genes responsible for electrical communication among nerve cells in our brains occurred over 600 million years ago in a common ancestor of humans and the sea anemone. The research reveals many of these genes, which when mutated in humans can lead to neurological disease, first evolved in the common ancestor of people and a group of animals that includes jellyfish, coral, and sea anemones.

Focusing on the success of others can make us selfish Posted: 16 Feb 2015 12:57 PM PST It is believed that the success of humans as a species depends to a large extent on our ability to cooperate in groups. Much more so than any other ape (or mammal for that matter), people are able to work together and coordinate their actions to produce mutual benefits. But what do we base our decisions on when we know whatever we do will affect those around us?

In the short run, a high-fat diet may help minimize heart attack damage Posted: 16 Feb 2015 12:57 PM PST A high-fat diet, eaten one day to two weeks days before a heart attack, reduced heart attack damage in mice by about 50 percent, according to a new study. The finding could provide insight into the "obesity paradox," by which obesity appears to provide protection to heart attack patients. Researchers emphasize the study is not a license to eat a lot of cheeseburgers and ice cream.

Accessory lens for Google Glass invented Posted: 16 Feb 2015 12:56 PM PST Scientists have invented a device, called Google Lens, that could have positive ramifications in the medical field and beyond.

Juvenile offenders do better close to home Posted: 16 Feb 2015 12:56 PM PST Juvenile criminal offenders in Texas who are placed under county supervision, close to home, are less likely to be rearrested than those placed in state-run correctional facilities, according to researchers.

Gene mutation drives cartilage tumor formation Posted: 16 Feb 2015 12:56 PM PST Researchers have shown how gene mutations may cause common forms of cartilage tumors. In a new study, they have revealed that mutations in the isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) gene contribute to the formation of benign tumors in cartilage that can be a precursor to malignancies.

In rural India, children receive wrong treatments for deadly ailments Posted: 16 Feb 2015 10:11 AM PST Few health care providers in rural India know the correct treatments for childhood diarrhea and pneumonia -- two leading killers of young children worldwide. But even when they do, they rarely prescribe them properly, according to a new study.

Anti-inflammatory mechanism of dieting and fasting revealed Posted: 16 Feb 2015 10:11 AM PST Researchers have found that a compound produced by the body when dieting or fasting can block a part of the immune system involved in several inflammatory disorders such as type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, and Alzheimer's disease.

Link between powerful gene regulatory elements and autoimmune diseases Posted: 16 Feb 2015 10:11 AM PST Investigators have discovered the genomic switches of a blood cell key to regulating the human immune system. The findings open the door to new research and development in drugs and personalized medicine to help those with autoimmune disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease or rheumatoid arthritis.

Ancient rocks show life could have flourished on Earth 3.2 billion years ago Posted: 16 Feb 2015 10:11 AM PST A spark from a lightning bolt, interstellar dust, or a subsea volcano could have triggered the very first life on Earth. But what happened next? Life can exist without oxygen, but without plentiful nitrogen to build genes -- essential to viruses, bacteria and all other organisms -- life on the early Earth would have been scarce. The ability to use atmospheric nitrogen to support more widespread life was thought to have appeared roughly 2 billion years ago. Now research looking at some of the planet's oldest rocks finds evidence that 3.2 billion years ago, life was already pulling nitrogen out of the air and converting it into a form that could support larger communities.

Scientists uncover marvel molecule that could lead to treatments for inflammatory diseases Posted: 16 Feb 2015 10:11 AM PST Scientists have uncovered a marvel molecule that blocks a key driver of inflammatory diseases. The finding could meet a major unmet clinical need by inspiring new non-invasive treatments for arthritis, multiple sclerosis and Muckle-Wells syndrome, among a myriad of other inflammatory diseases.

Hot flashes, night sweats last for seven or more years in many midlife women Posted: 16 Feb 2015 10:11 AM PST Frequent menopausal vasomotor symptoms (VMS), including hot flashes and night sweats, lasted for more than seven years during the transition to menopause for more than half of the women in a large study and African-American women reported the longest total VMS duration, according to a new article.

Mindfulness meditation appears to help improve sleep quality Posted: 16 Feb 2015 10:11 AM PST Mindfulness meditation practices resulted in improved sleep quality for older adults with moderate sleep disturbance in a clinical trial comparing meditation to a more structured program focusing on changing poor sleep habits and establishing a bedtime routine, according to a new article.

New therapeutic strategy discovered for ovarian cancer Posted: 16 Feb 2015 10:11 AM PST Ovarian cancer is the deadliest of all cancers affecting the female reproductive system with very few effective treatments available. Prognosis is even worse among patients with certain subtypes of the disease. Now, researchers have identified a new therapeutic target in a particularly aggressive form of ovarian cancer, paving the way for what could be the first effective targeted therapy of its kind for the disease.

Material for efficient plasmonic devices in mid-infrared range Posted: 16 Feb 2015 10:11 AM PST A research team has identified and synthesized a material that can be used to create efficient plasmonic devices that respond to light in the mid-infrared range. This is the first time anyone has demonstrated a material that performs efficiently in response to this light range, and it has applications in fields ranging from high-speed computers, to solar energy to biomedical devices.

Genetic evidence shows penguins have 'bad taste' Posted: 16 Feb 2015 10:11 AM PST Penguins apparently can't enjoy or even detect the savory taste of the fish they eat or the sweet taste of fruit. A new analysis of the genetic evidence suggests that the flightless, waddling birds have lost three of the five basic tastes over evolutionary time. For them, it appears, food comes in only two flavors: salty and sour.

Researchers unearth county colic risk in horses Posted: 16 Feb 2015 10:02 AM PST A particular gastrointestinal disorder, which causes colic, or abdominal pain, in horses, is more prevalent in Lancashire compared with other nearby counties, according to researchers.

New ozone-destroying gases on the rise; not controlled by treaty Posted: 16 Feb 2015 10:02 AM PST Scientists report that chemicals that are not controlled by a United Nations treaty designed to protect the Ozone Layer are contributing to ozone depletion.

Urologists perform microsurgery for fertility in 'sterile' men Posted: 16 Feb 2015 09:54 AM PST A microsurgical technique credited with revolutionizing treatment of men once thought to be infertile is now being performed.

USA: Little public support for benefit principle taxation to fund roads Posted: 16 Feb 2015 09:54 AM PST Benefit principle taxes, such as a mileage tax, have the potential to replace fuel taxes and make up for falling revenues. But new research shows that, at best, only one in three Americans believe roads should be financed with benefit-based taxes.

Molecule that provides cellular energy found key to aggressive thyroid cancer Posted: 16 Feb 2015 09:54 AM PST Cancer researchers have identified a molecule they say is important to survival of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) — a lethal tumor with no effective therapies. The molecule also seems to play a role in a wide range of cancers, they report.

Sexual reproduction has another benefit: It makes humans less prone to disease over time Posted: 16 Feb 2015 09:54 AM PST For decades, theories on the genetic advantage of sexual reproduction had been put forward, but none had ever been proven in humans, until now. Researchers have just shown how humanity's predispositions to disease gradually decrease the more we mix our genetic material together. This discovery was finally made possible by the availability in recent years of repositories of biological samples and genetic data from different populations around the globe.

Lack of RNA 'editing' leads to melanoma growth, metastasis Posted: 16 Feb 2015 09:54 AM PST The importance of RNA editing in melanoma has been demonstrated by scientists. The study revealed that a lack of RNA editing, a process by which information inside RNA molecules is transformed, leads to tumor growth and progression through manipulation of proteins.

Mothers can pass traits to offspring through bacteria's DNA, mouse study shows Posted: 16 Feb 2015 09:54 AM PST A new study in mice has shown that the DNA of bacteria that live in the body can pass a trait to offspring in a way similar to the parents' own DNA. According to the authors, the discovery means scientists need to consider a significant new factor -- the DNA of microbes passed from mother to child -- in their efforts to understand how genes influence illness and health.

Researchers may develop saliva test to diagnose autism Posted: 16 Feb 2015 09:54 AM PST A spit test may one day be able to diagnose autism according to new research. Scientists have published the first study showing that children with autism spectrum disorder have differences in protein levels in their saliva when compared to typically developing children.

Possible treatment for diseases caused by mitofusin 2 deficiency Posted: 16 Feb 2015 08:07 AM PST Researchers have discovered a novel role for Mitofusin 2, and the findings may point to a new treatment for patients with diseases caused by loss of the mitochondrial protein.

Marital 'long-timers' have a 'modest rebound' in sexual frequency after 50 years Posted: 16 Feb 2015 06:22 AM PST While people in the early years of marriage have sex more frequently, and their sexual activity tapers off over time, a slight rebound occurs for those whose marriages endure longer than half a century, according to new research.

Newly discovered bacterial family may become a weapon in the fight against malaria Posted: 16 Feb 2015 06:21 AM PST A new family of bacteria that are common in malaria mosquitoes has been described by researchers in a recent publication. Now, attempts are made to use these bacteria in the fight against malaria.

Controlling car pollution at the quantum level Posted: 16 Feb 2015 06:20 AM PST Researchers are working towards a new generation of automotive catalytic converters.

More infectious diseases emerging in animals as climate changes, say zoologists Posted: 16 Feb 2015 03:49 AM PST The appearance of infectious diseases in new places and new hosts is a predictable result of climate change, say zoologists in a new article. Climate change brings humans, crops, wildlife and livestock into contact with new pathogens, which are more likely to jump from one host to another than scientists previously believed.

Satellite images reveal ocean acidification from space Posted: 16 Feb 2015 03:49 AM PST Pioneering techniques that use satellites to monitor ocean acidification are set to revolutionize the way that marine biologists and climate scientists study the ocean. This new approach offers remote monitoring of large swathes of inaccessible ocean from satellites that orbit the Earth some 700 km above our heads.

Teens increasingly sleep deprived Posted: 16 Feb 2015 03:49 AM PST A new study found that female students, racial/ethnic minorities, and students of lower socioeconomic status are less likely to report regularly getting seven or more hours of sleep each night compared with their male counterparts, non-Hispanic white teenagers, and students of higher socioeconomic status, respectively. The largest decrease in the percentage getting seven hours of sleep per night was 15-year-olds, a particularly concerning trend for students at this important juncture in development.

Cold-blooded animals grow bigger in the warm on land, but smaller in warm water Posted: 16 Feb 2015 03:48 AM PST Scientists studying arthropods, the group of cold-blooded animals that includes crabs and insects, have found that individuals within species living on land tend to grow to a larger size in the warm and nearer the equator, but that the reverse is true of species found in water.

Tuition fee increase has had little effect on students’ mental health Posted: 16 Feb 2015 03:48 AM PST New research has found no evidence of a long term impact on students’ mental health as a result of the rise in tuition fees, introduced in 2011. The study did find students paying the higher fees were less likely to experience an improvement in their state of mind during their first year of university, but that the increase had no longer term impact on their mental well-being.

Eating disorders linked with financial difficulties in female students Posted: 16 Feb 2015 03:48 AM PST Experiencing financial difficulties at university may increase the risk of female students developing an eating disorder, according to new research. Conversely, the study also found that having extreme attitudes to food and eating predicted short-term financial difficulties for female students, suggesting the possibility of a 'vicious cycle' occurring, researchers report.

Climate change can cause loss of important ice dynamics in streams Posted: 16 Feb 2015 03:48 AM PST Ice and winter floods are important natural disturbances for maintaining species-rich riparian zones along northern watercourses. If the climate becomes warmer this disturbance might be lost. This could potentially lead to a less diverse riparian zone.

Large scale study warns of unsustainable ecological decline in rural China Posted: 16 Feb 2015 03:48 AM PST The agricultural development of a region of eastern China is ecologically unsustainable and actions are needed soon to reverse its decline, according to a new study. The work used complex system science to examine the long-term health of the ecosystem of the Lower Yangtze River Basin, around Nanjing and Shanghai. Researchers found the region has been in environmental decline since it passed a tipping point in the late 1970s.

Half spheres for molecular circuits Posted: 16 Feb 2015 03:48 AM PST Corannulene is a carbon molecule with a unique shape (similar to the better known fullerene) and promising properties. A team of scientists carried out computer simulations of the molecule’s properties and discovered that it might help overcome the difficulties building molecular circuits (i.e., of the size of molecules).

Experimental 'short cut' reduces from millennia to minutes the time needed to measure glass viscosity Posted: 16 Feb 2015 03:47 AM PST Researchers have designed a method which indirectly measures the viscosity of glass - something that required unfeasible observation times at human scale - based on its elastic properties. The results of the research questions the validity of current theories of glass formation.

How carbonates behave in Earth's interior Posted: 16 Feb 2015 03:47 AM PST Carbonates are the most important carbon reservoirs on the planet. But what role do they play in Earth's interior? How do they react to conditions in Earth's mantle? These are the questions being asked by a group of scientific researchers from various geoscience disciplines.

How do vertebrates take on their form? Posted: 16 Feb 2015 03:47 AM PST A simple physical mechanism that can be assimilated to folding, or buckling, means that an unformed mass of cells can change in a single step into an embryo organized as a typical vertebrate. Thanks to microscopic observations and micromechanical experiments, the scientists have discovered that the pattern that guides this folding is present from the early stages of development. The folds that will give a final shape to the animal form along the boundaries between cell territories with different properties. This work has shed light on the mechanism for the formation of vertebrates and thus how they appeared during evolution.

Personal navigation: How we know where we are Posted: 16 Feb 2015 03:47 AM PST Knowing where we are and remembering routes that we’ve walked are crucial skills for our everyday life. In order to identify neural mechanisms of spatial navigation, researchers analyzed the relevant processes with the aid of an electroencephalography (EEG) monitored directly in the brain. They have now identified the neural signature during learning and remembering of specific spatial locations.

New algorithms locate where a video was filmed from its images and sounds Posted: 16 Feb 2015 03:47 AM PST Researchers have created a system capable of geolocating videos by comparing their audiovisual content with a worldwide multimedia database. In the future this could help to find people who have gone missing after posting images on social networks, or even to recognize locations of terrorist executions.

Even mild heart failure can lead to sudden death Posted: 16 Feb 2015 03:47 AM PST Sudden cardiac arrest is a possible cause of death in patients with non-ischemic cardiac muscle weakness, i.e. a type of heart failure caused by genetics or for which no cause is known. Now, researchers have successfully demonstrated the advantages of an implanted defibrillator (ICD) as a means of prevention in patients with moderately restricted cardiac function, and that patients with the condition must be treated as carefully as patients with ischemic heart failure which has developed following a heart attack, for example.

Technology changing teacher's role Posted: 16 Feb 2015 03:47 AM PST Along with technological development, traditional teaching methods have been challenged by various technologically enhanced teaching and learning methods. This trend has received mixed reactions: On the one hand it is feared that these new technologies will replace teachers altogether. On the other hand, the expectations towards technology can also be over-optimistic; that it will solve all the problems of learning.

Patterns in large data show how information travels Posted: 16 Feb 2015 03:47 AM PST Analysis of massive online data can reveal what information matters to us and with whom we have most in common. For example, networks can be used to study how information travels from one part of the world to another.

New figures on two muscular dystrophy disorders Posted: 16 Feb 2015 03:46 AM PST Public health researchers report the freqency of two muscle-weakness disorders that strike mostly boys: Duchenne muscular dystrophy and Becker muscular dystrophy. The team found that about 1 in 5,000 boys in the United States, between 5 and 9 years old, have the inherited disorders. They also find that the diseases appear to affect Hispanic boys more often than white or African-American boys, for unknown reasons.

Support for sleeping in? Half of parents favor later school start times for teens Posted: 16 Feb 2015 03:46 AM PST What do parents across the country think of delaying their teens' school start times?