ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Mars exploration: NASA's MAVEN spacecraft completes first deep dip campaign Posted: 19 Feb 2015 06:19 PM PST NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution has completed the first of five deep-dip maneuvers designed to gather measurements closer to the lower end of the Martian upper atmosphere.

Giving shape to black holes' intense winds Posted: 19 Feb 2015 06:19 PM PST By looking at the speed of ambient gas spewing out from a well-known quasar, astronomers are gaining insight into how black holes and their host galaxies might have evolved at the same time.

Insect and mammal ovulation more alike than not? Posted: 19 Feb 2015 06:19 PM PST The average American woman lives more than 80 years and ovulates for 35 of them, producing an egg approximately once a month. The typical fruit fly lives about 4 weeks as an adult and ovulates every 30 minutes. Despite the vast differences, researchers have found that during a key process in ovulation, the same gene may govern both. The results could bring insight to cancer metastasis, human fertility and ovarian disease.

Scientists identify mineral that destroys organic compounds, with implications for Mars Curiosity Mission Posted: 19 Feb 2015 06:17 PM PST Scientists have discovered that the mineral jarosite breaks down organic compounds when it is flash-heated, with implications for Mars research. Jarosite is an iron sulphate and it is one of several minerals that NASA’s Curiosity Mission is searching for, as its presence could indicate ancient habitable environments, which may have once hosted life on the red planet.

Probiotic toxin fights coldwater disease in rainbow trout Posted: 19 Feb 2015 01:24 PM PST The rainbow trout is a work of art but when the freshwater fish falls prey to Coldwater Disease, its colorful body erodes into ragged ulcers. The bacterial infection can kill up to 30 percent of hatchery stock and causes millions in economic loss. Now, scientists have found a simple and effective method to combat Coldwater Disease using some of the trout's own intestinal bacteria as probiotics.

People with multiple sclerosis may have lower levels of key nutrients Posted: 19 Feb 2015 01:23 PM PST Women with multiple sclerosis (MS) may have lower levels of important antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients, such as folate from food and vitamin E, than healthy people, according to a new study.

Gene may help reduce GM contamination Posted: 19 Feb 2015 01:05 PM PST Genetically modified crops have long drawn fire from opponents worried about potential contamination of conventional crops and other plants. Now a plant gene might help farmers reduce the risk of GM contamination and quell arguments against the use of transgenic food crops, says the lead author of a new research paper.

Politics and economics affect 'Health in All Policies' Posted: 19 Feb 2015 01:05 PM PST Some governments have decided that health care is too important to leave to their health departments and have made health care a priority for all departments. The concept, called Health in All Policies, or HiAP, has gained traction in some governments but little research has gone into measuring its effectiveness.

New study could lead way for better assessment of treatment options for men with prostate cancer Posted: 19 Feb 2015 01:04 PM PST Radiation therapy is the most common treatment for men with prostate cancer regardless of the aggressiveness of the tumor, risk to the patient and overall patient prognosis, researchers have found. These findings lay the groundwork for improved treatment assessment by physicians and to better inform men fighting the disease.

New technique for making graphene competitor, molybdenum disulfide Posted: 19 Feb 2015 11:46 AM PST Researchers have made an advance in manufacturing molybdenum disulphide, a 2-D material that could compete with graphene for replacing silicon in next-generation electronics. By growing flakes of the material around 'seeds' of molybdenum oxide, they have made it easier to control the size, thickness and location of the material.

Perfect colors, captured with one ultra-thin lens Posted: 19 Feb 2015 11:46 AM PST A completely flat, ultrathin lens can focus different wavelengths of light at the same point, achieving instant color correction in one extremely thin, miniaturized device.

Sunlight continues to damage skin in the dark Posted: 19 Feb 2015 11:46 AM PST Much of the damage that ultraviolet radiation does to skin occurs hours after sun exposure, a team of researchers has concluded. While noting that news of the carcinogenic effect of melanin is disconcerting, the researchers also pointed to a ray of hope: The slowness of chemiexcitation may allow time for new preventive tools, such as an "evening-after" sunscreen designed to block the energy transfer.

Minimizing 'false positives' key to vaccinating against bovine TB Posted: 19 Feb 2015 11:46 AM PST New diagnostic tests are needed to make vaccination against bovine tuberculosis (bovine TB) viable and the number of false positives from these tests must be below 15 out of every 10,000 cattle tested, according to research.

New ALS gene, signaling pathways identified Posted: 19 Feb 2015 11:46 AM PST Using advanced DNA sequencing methods, researchers have identified a new gene that is associated with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease.

Animals tend to evolve toward larger size over time Posted: 19 Feb 2015 11:46 AM PST In one of the most comprehensive studies of body size evolution ever conducted, scientists have found fresh support for Cope's rule, a theory in biology that states that animal lineages tend to evolve toward larger sizes over time.

Hubble gets best view of a circumstellar debris disk distorted by a planet Posted: 19 Feb 2015 11:22 AM PST Astronomers have used the Hubble Space Telescope to take the most detailed picture to date of a large, edge-on, gas-and-dust disk encircling the 20-million-year-old star Beta Pictoris. The new image traces the disk in closer to the star to within about 650 million miles of the star.

New nanogel for drug delivery Posted: 19 Feb 2015 11:13 AM PST Chemical engineers have designed a new type of self-healing hydrogel that could be injected through a syringe. Scientists are interested in using gels to deliver drugs because they can be molded into specific shapes and designed to release their payload over a specified time period.

New brain mapping reveals unknown cell types Posted: 19 Feb 2015 11:13 AM PST Using a process known as single cell sequencing, scientists have produced a detailed map of cortical cell types and the genes active within them. The study marks the first time this method of analysis has been used on such a large scale on such complex tissue. The team studied over three thousand cells, one at a time, and even managed to identify a number of hitherto unknown types.

Impact of tsunami on the Columbia River Posted: 19 Feb 2015 10:31 AM PST Engineers have completed one of the most precise evaluations yet done about the impact of a major tsunami event on the Columbia River, what forces are most important in controlling water flow and what areas might be inundated.

Innovative transfusion approach has potential save to lives, experts say Posted: 19 Feb 2015 10:31 AM PST A new nationwide, multi-site study in the United States may help save hundreds of lives among trauma patients with major bleeding. The study compared two different methods of blood transfusion, and found that one approach gave patients a significantly better chance of survival within the first 24 hours.

Sensor technology may help improve accuracy of clinical breast exams Posted: 19 Feb 2015 10:31 AM PST Sensor technology has the potential to significantly improve the teaching of proper technique for clinical breast exams, according to a new study. "Variations in palpable force used during a CBE cannot be reliably measured by human observation alone," a researcher says. "Our findings revealed that 15 percent of the physicians we tested were using a technique that put them at significant risk of missing deep tissue lesions near the chest wall. This research underscores the potential for sensor technology to be used not only to improve clinical performance, but to also allow for objective evidence-based training, assessment and credentialing."

Mouse embryo with really big brain: Evolving a bigger brain with human DNA Posted: 19 Feb 2015 10:31 AM PST The human brain expanded dramatically in size during evolution, imparting us with unique capabilities. Scientists have now shown that it's possible to pick out key changes in the genetic code between chimpanzees and humans and visualize their respective contributions to early brain development in mouse embryos. The findings may lend insight what makes the human brain special and why people get some neurological disorders, such as autism and Alzheimer's disease, whereas chimpanzees don't.

Jumping genes have essential biological functions Posted: 19 Feb 2015 10:31 AM PST 'Alu' sequences are small repetitive elements representing about 10 percent of our genome. Because of their ability to move around the genome, these 'jumping genes' are considered as real motors of evolution. However, they were considered for a long time as 'junk' DNA, because, although they are transcribed into RNA, they encode no proteins and do not seem to participate actively in the cell's functions.

Tracing languages back to their common ancestors through the statistics of sound shifts Posted: 19 Feb 2015 10:30 AM PST A statistical technique that sorts out when changes to words’ pronunciations most likely occurred in the evolution of a language offers a renewed opportunity to trace words and languages back to their earliest common ancestor or ancestors.

Precision medicine to prevent diabetes? Researchers develop personalized way to steer prevention efforts Posted: 19 Feb 2015 10:30 AM PST Researchers have just released a “precision medicine” approach to diabetes prevention that could keep more people from joining the ranks of the 29 million Americans with diabetes – using existing information like blood sugar levels and waist-to-hip ratios, and without needing new genetic tests.

Breast cancer spread may be tied to cells that regulate blood flow Posted: 19 Feb 2015 10:30 AM PST Tumors require blood to emerge and spread. That is why scientists believe that targeting blood vessel cells known as pericytes may offer a potential new therapeutic approach when combined with vascular growth factors responsible for cell death.

Proteins pull together as cells divide Posted: 19 Feb 2015 10:30 AM PST Like a surgeon separating conjoined twins, cells have to be careful to get everything just right when they divide in two. Otherwise, the resulting daughter cells could be hobbled, particularly if they end up with too many or two few chromosomes. Successful cell division hangs on the formation of a dip called a cleavage furrow, a process that has remained mysterious. Now, researchers have found that no single molecular architect directs the cleavage furrow’s formation; rather, it is a robust structure made of a suite of team players.

Direct observation of bond formations Posted: 19 Feb 2015 08:58 AM PST Direct "observation" of the bond making, through a chemical reaction, has been longstanding dream for chemists. However, the distance between atoms is very small, at about 100 picometer, and the bonding is completed very quickly, taking less than one picosecond (ps). Hence, previously, one could only imagine the bond formation between atoms while looking at the chemical reaction progressing in the test-tube. In this research, scientists directly observed a very fast chemical reaction, induced by photo-excitation.

Severe asthma: Gallopamil confirmed as a therapeutic approach Posted: 19 Feb 2015 08:58 AM PST The clinical efficacy of gallopamil in 31 patients with severe asthma has been demonstrated through a new study. This chronic disease is characterized by remodeling of the bronchi, which exacerbates the obstruction of the airways already seen in 'classic' asthma. In contrast to the reference treatment, gallopamil has proved capable of reducing the bronchial smooth muscle mass.

Possible regulation of cigarettes not likely to significantly change US illicit tobacco market Posted: 19 Feb 2015 08:57 AM PST Although there is insufficient evidence to draw firm conclusions about how the US illicit tobacco market would respond to any new regulations that modify cigarettes -- for example, by lowering nicotine content -- limited evidence suggests that demand for illicit versions of conventional cigarettes would be modest, says a new report.

Researchers wind up a 40 year old debate on betaretrovirus infection in humans Posted: 19 Feb 2015 08:57 AM PST New light has been shed on primary biliary cirrhosis, a rare liver disease that affects up to one in 500 middle aged women. In a study, researchers demonstrate that patients with the disease are infected with human betaretrovirus -- a virus resembling a mouse mammary tumor virus.

Role of hydrogen sulfide in regulating blood pressure studied Posted: 19 Feb 2015 08:57 AM PST Widely considered simply a malodorous toxic gas, hydrogen sulfide is now being studied for its probable role in regulating blood pressure, according to researchers.

Statins may not lower Parkinson's risk, experts say Posted: 19 Feb 2015 08:57 AM PST The use of statins may not be associated with lowering risk for Parkinson's disease, according to a new study. The findings cast doubts on reports suggesting that the cholesterol-lowering medications may protect against this neurodegenerative brain disorder.

New NIST tools to help boost wireless channel frequencies and capacity Posted: 19 Feb 2015 08:56 AM PST To help solve growing problems with wireless bandwidth crowding and support the next generation of mobile technology, researchers are developing measurement tools for channels that are new for mobile communications and that could offer more than 1,000 times the bandwidth of today's cell phone systems.

A new view of the solar system: Astrophysical jets driven by the sun Posted: 19 Feb 2015 08:56 AM PST New research suggests that the sun's magnetic field controls the large-scale shape of the heliosphere much more than expected. The new model shows that the magnetic field squeezes the solar wind along the sun's north-south axis, producing two jets. These jets are then dragged downstream by the flow of the interstellar medium -- the gases and dust that lie between star systems.

Drugs are effective for diabetic macular edema new trial shows Posted: 19 Feb 2015 08:56 AM PST In the first clinical trial directly comparing three drugs most commonly used to treat diabetic macular edema, researchers found all were effective in improving vision and preventing vision loss. However, one drug, aflibercept, provided greater improvement for people with more severe vision loss when treatment was initiated.

Invasive weed Kochia's resistance to well-known herbicide stems from increase in gene copies Posted: 19 Feb 2015 08:24 AM PST Kochia has evolved to have multiple copies of a gene code that targets glyphosate, the most common herbicide, a study has found. These copies enable the invasive weeds to survive the field rate of glyphosate applications.

Climate change may dramatically reduce wheat production, study shows Posted: 19 Feb 2015 08:24 AM PST In the coming decades, at least one-quarter of the world's wheat production will be lost to extreme weather from climate change if no adaptation measures are taken, researchers warn.

New scoring system helps predict risk of chronic pain after surgery Posted: 19 Feb 2015 08:24 AM PST There are many variables that contribute to a patient’s risk of chronic pain after surgery; however, until recently, physicians had no way to systematically identify those variables prior to surgery.

Supercomputer simulations explore how an air-reed instrument generates air flow and sound Posted: 19 Feb 2015 07:17 AM PST Toyohashi Tech's researcher has succeeded in directly predicting sound radiating from a recorder for the first time all over the world. The calculations for this study took two weeks using about 100 nodes of supercomputers. The findings contribute to proposal of a new design of musical instrument easy-to-play or totally new musical instruments.

Atomically thin gas and chemical sensors Posted: 19 Feb 2015 07:17 AM PST The relatively recent discovery of graphene, a two-dimensional layered material with unusual and attractive electronic, optical and thermal properties, led scientists to search for other atomically thin materials with unique properties.

Neurologist finds link between virus causing chicken pox and giant cell arteritis Posted: 19 Feb 2015 07:17 AM PST A new study links the virus that causes chicken pox and shingles to a condition that inflames blood vessels on the temples and scalp in the elderly, called giant cell arteritis. "Our analysis, which is the largest to-date, provides compelling evidence that the virus also reactivates in people over 60 in another way, triggering giant cell arteritis," said the lead author.

New approach to distributing computations could make multicore chips much faster Posted: 19 Feb 2015 07:17 AM PST Computer chips' clocks have stopped getting faster. To keep delivering performance improvements, chipmakers are instead giving chips more processing units, or cores, which can execute computations in parallel. But the ways in which a chip carves up computations can make a big difference to performance.

Scientists observe 'god particle' analogue in superconductors: 'Tabletop' technique Posted: 19 Feb 2015 07:17 AM PST The Nobel Prize-winning discovery of the Higgs boson -- the 'God particle' believed responsible for all the mass in the universe -- took place in 2012 at CERN's Large Hadron Collider. The first hint of Higgs was inspired by the study of superconductors -- a special class of metals that, when cooled to very low temperatures, allow electrons to move without resistance. Now, a research team has reported the first-ever observations of the Higgs mode in superconducting materials.

Clearing up Europe's air pollution hotspots Posted: 19 Feb 2015 07:16 AM PST Europe cannot achieve the WHO air quality guidelines without strictly controlling emissions from coal and wood burning for home heating, road traffic, and other sources such as industrial-scale factory farming, according to new research.

Global impact of debris on marine life studied Posted: 19 Feb 2015 07:16 AM PST Nearly 700 species of marine animal have been recorded as having encountered humanmade debris such as plastic and glass according to the most comprehensive impact study in more than a decade.

Lab tests, ultrasounds identify children who need surgical treatment for appendicitis Posted: 19 Feb 2015 07:16 AM PST Data from two standard diagnostic tests commonly obtained in children evaluated for abdominal pain -- when combined -- can improve the ability of emergency department physicians and pediatric surgeons to identify those patients who should be sent to the operating room for prompt removal of an inflamed appendix; those who may be admitted for observation; and those who may safely be discharged home, according to a new study.

New test to predict effectiveness of cancer vaccines Posted: 19 Feb 2015 07:16 AM PST Many therapeutic cancer vaccines that are currently being developed are designed to direct the immune system against altered cancer-cell proteins. However, these vaccines can only be effective if the tumor cells present the altered protein to the immune system in a perfectly matching shape. Scientists have now described a test to predict whether this prerequisite for effective tumor vaccination is fulfilled.

Risk of unexpected sarcoma being discovered after hysterectomy appears fairly low Posted: 19 Feb 2015 07:16 AM PST Uterine sarcoma -- a potentially aggressive type of cancer that forms in tissues in the uterus -- was found in 0.22 % of women following a hysterectomy for benign conditions, a new large-scale study shows. Authors say findings may have implications for the risks associated with morcellation.

Neck pain can be changed through altered visual feedback Posted: 19 Feb 2015 07:16 AM PST Using virtual reality to misrepresent how far the neck is turned can actually change pain experiences in individuals who suffer from chronic neck pain, according to research.

Stem cell specialization observed in the brain Posted: 19 Feb 2015 07:15 AM PST Adult stem cells are flexible and can transform themselves into a wide variety of special cell types. Because they are harvested from adult organisms, there are no ethical objections to their use, and they therefore open up major possibilities in biomedicine. For instance, adult stem cells enable the stabilization or even regeneration of damaged tissue. Neural stem cells form a reservoir for nerve cells. Researchers hope to use them to treat neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease.

Genetic mechanism discovery key to controlling cell growth in the vinegar fly Posted: 19 Feb 2015 07:15 AM PST A group of researchers has described a key interaction to understanding growth control in the vinegar fly (Drosophila melanogaster). According to the study, the interaction between the transcription factor Cabut and the protein Yorkie (YAP/TAZ in humans) is necessary for tissue and organ regeneration and growth. The study could have biomedical implications as the protein Yorkie is associated with different types of cancer; to avoid the interaction between Cabut and Yorkie could be a potential therapeutic target.

Cattle damage to riverbanks can be undone Posted: 19 Feb 2015 07:14 AM PST Simply removing cattle may be all that is required to restore many degraded riverside areas in the American West, although this can vary and is dependent on local conditions, researchers have found after comparing repeat photographs to assess rehabilitation of Oregon wildlife refuge. The team analyzed photographs to gauge how the removal of grazing cattle more than two decades ago from Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge in eastern Oregon has helped to rehabilitate the natural environment.

Flame retardants found to cause metabolic, liver problems, animal study shows Posted: 19 Feb 2015 07:13 AM PST Chemicals used as synthetic flame retardants that are found in common household items such as couches, carpet padding, and electronics have been found to cause metabolic and liver problems that can lead to insulin resistance, which is a major cause of obesity, according to new research.

Shape-shifting nanorod ensembles release heat differently Posted: 19 Feb 2015 07:13 AM PST Researchers have revealed previously unobserved behaviors in nanrods that suggest new rules for the behavior of nanorod ensembles and new insights into how to increase heat-transfer efficiency in a nanoscale system.

Digital games and classroom learning: Study finds helpful features, gaps Posted: 19 Feb 2015 06:04 AM PST A new report on how teachers use video games in classrooms identifies features they find most useful to track student learning, as well as gaps where better tools could help link games more closely to the curriculum.

Airport screening misses half of disease cases but could be improved Posted: 19 Feb 2015 06:03 AM PST Researchers have found that in order to be effective, the screening of passengers for disease at airports must be tailored to the outbreak in question.

Sickness and health between men and women Posted: 19 Feb 2015 06:03 AM PST Gender and personality matter in how people cope with physical and mental illness, according to a new paper. Men are less affected by a single-symptom illness than women, but are more affected when more than one symptom is present. The number of symptoms doesn't change how women are affected, according to the authors.

More women now using compounded hormones without understanding the risks Posted: 19 Feb 2015 06:03 AM PST From 28 percent to 68 percent of women using hormones at menopause take compounded, so-called 'bioidentical' hormones, but women don't understand the risks of these unapproved, untested treatments, shows an analysis of two large surveys.

Cancer risk linked to DNA 'wormholes' Posted: 19 Feb 2015 06:03 AM PST Single-letter genetic variations within parts of the genome once dismissed as 'junk DNA' can increase cancer risk through wormhole-like effects on far-off genes, new research shows. Researchers found that DNA sequences within 'gene deserts' -- so called because they are completely devoid of genes -- can regulate gene activity elsewhere by forming DNA loops across relatively large distances.