ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Boy or girl? Lemur scents have the answer Posted: 24 Feb 2015 04:27 PM PST Dozens of pregnancy myths claim to predict whether a mom-to-be is carrying a boy or a girl. Some say you can tell by the shape of a woman's bump, or whether she craves salty or sweet. Even ultrasound doesn't always get it right. But for lemurs, the answer is in the mother's scent.

Bionic reconstruction lets patients use a robotic prosthetic hand controlled by the mind Posted: 24 Feb 2015 04:26 PM PST Three Austrian men have become the first in the world to undergo a new technique called "bionic reconstruction", enabling them to use a robotic prosthetic hand controlled by their mind, according to new research. All three men suffered for many years with brachial plexus injuries and poor hand function as a result of motor vehicle and climbing accidents.

High-energy breakfast with low-energy dinner helps control blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes Posted: 24 Feb 2015 03:25 PM PST A small new study shows that, in people with type 2 diabetes, those who consume a high-energy breakfast and a low-energy dinner have better blood sugar control than those who eat a low-energy breakfast and a high-energy dinner.

Tissue engineering: Scientists grow leg muscle from cells in a dish Posted: 24 Feb 2015 03:25 PM PST Scientists have generated mature, functional skeletal muscles in mice using a new approach for tissue engineering. The scientists grew a leg muscle starting from engineered cells cultured in a dish to produce a graft. The subsequent graft was implanted close to a normal, contracting skeletal muscle where the new muscle was nurtured and grown. In time, the method could allow for patient-specific treatments for a large number of muscle disorders.

Potential treatment for drug-resistant tuberculosis discovered Posted: 24 Feb 2015 02:21 PM PST A new small molecule drug has been discovered that may serve as a treatment against multi-drug resistant tuberculosis, a form of the disease that cannot be cured with conventional therapies. While standard anti-tuberculosis drugs can cure most people of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, improper use of antibiotics has led to new strains of the bacterium resistant to the two most powerful medications, isoniazid and rifampicin.

Skin test may shed new light on Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases Posted: 24 Feb 2015 01:49 PM PST Scientists have discovered a skin test that may shed new light on Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. The study showed that skin biopsies can be used to detect elevated levels of abnormal proteins found in the two diseases.

SOHO sees something new near the sun: Comet survives close encounter Posted: 24 Feb 2015 01:48 PM PST An unusual comet skimmed past the sun on Feb 18-21, 2015, as captured by the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, or SOHO.

NASA satellite sees a warm winter U.S. West Posted: 23 Feb 2015 08:11 AM PST While people in the eastern two-thirds of the U.S have been dealing with Arctic Air, the bulge in the Jet Stream over the eastern Pacific Ocean has been keeping the western third of the U.S. in warmer than normal temperatures over the last two months. Infrared data from NASA provided a look at those surface temperature extremes from west to east.

Dawn captures sharper images of Ceres Posted: 17 Feb 2015 08:11 AM PST Craters and mysterious bright spots are beginning to pop out in the latest images of Ceres from NASA's Dawn spacecraft. These images, taken Feb. 12 at a distance of 52,000 miles (83,000 kilometers) from the dwarf planet, pose intriguing questions for the science team to explore as the spacecraft nears its destination.

Sensor-packed smartphones can read your mood, guard your data, and wreak havoc in the wrong hands Posted: 24 Feb 2015 12:47 PM PST Smartphones have replaced nearly every conceivable gadget, but computer scientists are teaching them some new tricks. The researchers are adapting accelerometers, GPS chips, gyroscopes and other sensors to make phones that can read a user's mood, eliminate passwords, protect financial transactions and more.

Yellowstone: Geysers erupt periodically because they have loops in their plumbing Posted: 24 Feb 2015 11:31 AM PST Volcanologists threaded sensors and cameras into the superheated water of geysers in Chile and Yellowstone, and have come up with an explanation for why geysers erupt periodically. They've even built a laboratory geyser that erupts every 20 minutes to demonstrate that loops and bends in the underground plumbing trap steam bubbles that slowly leak out, heating the water above until it suddenly boils from the top down.

Use of neuroscience in law may face political resistance Posted: 24 Feb 2015 11:31 AM PST Republicans and Independents disapprove of neuroscience-informed criminal justice reforms when the reforms are seen as being too lenient with criminal defendants. When framed differently, however, there is stronger support for neurolaw.

Dendrite eraser: New electrolyte rids batteries of short-circuiting fibers Posted: 24 Feb 2015 11:31 AM PST A new electrolyte allows rechargeable batteries to operate well without growing dendrites, tiny pin-like fibers that short-circuit rechargeable batteries.

World's protected natural areas receive eight billion visits a year Posted: 24 Feb 2015 11:29 AM PST Researchers say that the first study to attempt to gauge global visitation figures for protected areas reveals nature-based tourism has an economic value of hundreds of billions of dollars annually, and call for much greater investment in the conservation of protected areas in line with the values they sustain – both economically and ecologically.

Teen girls from rural areas more likely to have undiagnosed asthma, be depressed Posted: 24 Feb 2015 10:13 AM PST Teen girls who live in rural areas are more likely than their male counterparts to have undiagnosed asthma, and they often are at a higher risk of depression, according to researchers. "There's a lot of speculation about why females are more likely to be undiagnosed," says the lead researcher. "Maybe it's because boys are more likely to get a sports physical for athletics and they catch it then. Or maybe it's because girls attribute asthma symptoms to something else, like anxiety. That needs further study."

Novel pretreatment could cut biofuel costs by 30 percent or more Posted: 24 Feb 2015 10:13 AM PST Researchers have invented a novel pretreatment technology that could cut the cost of biofuels production by about 30 percent or more by dramatically reducing the amount of enzymes needed to breakdown the raw materials that form biofuels.

Together, nanotechnology, genetic interference may tackle 'untreatable/ brain tumors Posted: 24 Feb 2015 10:13 AM PST There are no effective available treatments for sufferers of Glioblastoma multiforme, the most aggressive and devastating form of brain tumor. Now a study may offer hope to the tens of thousands diagnosed with gliomas every year, using a nanomedical treatment first engineered to tackle ovarian cancer tumors.

Marine oil supplement has positive effects on post-exercise muscle damage Posted: 24 Feb 2015 10:12 AM PST There may be a greater connection between mussels and muscles than previously thought. A new study has found that taking a pre-exercise supplement of the omega-3 PCSO-524, a marine oil lipid derived from the New Zealand green-lipped mussel, has significant positive effects on post-exercise muscle damage.

Climate-change clues from turtles of tropical Wyoming Posted: 24 Feb 2015 10:12 AM PST Tropical turtle fossils discovered in Wyoming reveal that when Earth got warmer, prehistoric turtles headed north. But if today's turtles try the same technique to cope with warming habitats, they might run into trouble.

In triple-negative breast cancer, even low-androgen tumors respond to anti-androgen therapy Posted: 24 Feb 2015 10:12 AM PST Clinical trials are underway of anti-androgen drugs against high-androgen triple-negative breast cancers, and new work shows the threshold for benefit from anti-androgen therapies may be much lower than previously thought: even breast cancers with few androgen receptors benefit from anti-androgen therapy.

Unique emotion recognition treatment leads to significant improvement in children with high-functioning autism Posted: 24 Feb 2015 10:11 AM PST A unique emotion recognition treatment has been found highly effective for children with high-functioning autism. Children in the treatment group demonstrated significantly improved emotion-recognition skills and lower parent ratings of autism symptoms.

New research provides first glimpse of weight gain guidance for pregnant women with obesity Posted: 24 Feb 2015 10:11 AM PST New research provides the first glimpse of weight-gain guidance for pregnant women with various classes of obesity based on body mass index (BMI), and suggests that they not gain any weight until mid-pregnancy or later.

Intelligent tree inventory detector Posted: 24 Feb 2015 09:09 AM PST Planning and managing vegetation in urban area is complex, yet it can be seamlessly done using computerized tree inventory and Geographic Information System (GIS).

Unexpected outcomes for elderly couples who stop driving Posted: 24 Feb 2015 09:09 AM PST Even if just one member of a couple stops driving, negative consequences result for both the driver and non-driver, a study concludes. The researcher recommends that the elderly and their adult children carefully discuss and plan for the transition to driving cessation.

Coral disease linked to a warming Atlantic Posted: 24 Feb 2015 09:09 AM PST Over the last four decades, the iconic elkhorn and staghorn corals that dominated Caribbean reefs for millions of years have all but disappeared. According to a new study, ocean warming has played a significant role in this dramatic decline.

Inherited gene variation leaves young leukemia patients at risk for peripheral neuropathy Posted: 24 Feb 2015 09:09 AM PST Researchers have identified the first genetic variation that is associated with increased risk and severity of peripheral neuropathy following treatment with a widely used anti-cancer drug. Investigators also found evidence of how it may be possible to protect young leukemia patients without jeopardizing cures.

Ocean circulation change: Sea level spiked for two years along Northeastern North America Posted: 24 Feb 2015 08:37 AM PST Sea levels from New York to Newfoundland jumped up about four inches in 2009 and 2010 because ocean circulation changed. The unusual spike in sea level caused flooding along the northeast coast of North America and was independent of any hurricanes or winter storms. A new article documents that the extreme increase in sea level rise lasted two years, not just a few months.

Kenyan fossils show evolution of hippos Posted: 24 Feb 2015 08:34 AM PST A French-Kenyan research team has just described a new fossil ancestor of today's hippo family. This discovery bridges a gap in the fossil record separating these animals from their closest modern-day cousins, the cetaceans. It also shows that some 35 million years ago, the ancestors of hippos were among the first large mammals to colonize the African continent, long before those of any of the large carnivores, giraffes or bovines.

Ultra-thin nanowires can trap electron 'twisters' that disrupt superconductors Posted: 24 Feb 2015 08:34 AM PST Superconductor materials are prized for their ability to carry an electric current without resistance, a valuable trait crippled or lost when electrons swirl into tiny tornado-like formations called vortices. To keep supercurrents flowing at top speed, scientists have figured out how to constrain troublesome vortices by trapping them within extremely short, ultra-thin nanowires.

Decline in smoking rates may increase lung cancer mortality due to inadequate screening guidelines Posted: 24 Feb 2015 08:29 AM PST A decline in smoking rates may mean that many people who could have benefited from early detection of lung cancer are dying because they don’t qualify for low-dose CT scans, according to a group of researchers.

Using 'fuzzy logic' to optimize hybrid solar/battery systems Posted: 24 Feb 2015 08:29 AM PST A group of researchers in Tunisia and Algeria show how fuzzy logic has helped them create an ideal photovoltaic system that obeys the supply-and-demand principle and its delicate balance. They have now described this new sizing system of a solar array and a battery in a standalone photovoltaic system.

Optical nanoantennas set the stage for a NEMS lab-on-a-chip revolution Posted: 24 Feb 2015 08:29 AM PST Newly developed tiny antennas, likened to spotlights on the nanoscale, offer the potential to measure food safety, identify pollutants in the air and even quickly diagnose and treat cancer, according to the scientists who created them.

Findings may help with the management of anticoagulant-related bleeding within the brain Posted: 24 Feb 2015 08:29 AM PST Among patients with oral anticoagulation-associated intracerebral hemorrhage (bleeding within the brain), reversal of international normalized ratio below a certain level within 4 hours and systolic blood pressure less than 160 mm Hg at 4 hours were associated with lower rates of hematoma (a localized swelling filled with blood) enlargement, and resumption of anticoagulant therapy was associated with a lower risk of ischemic events without increased bleeding complications, according to a study.

Need for more sensitive lung cancer screening criteria, study suggests Posted: 24 Feb 2015 08:29 AM PST An analysis of lung cancer incidence and screening found a decline in the proportion of patients with lung cancer meeting high-risk screening criteria, suggesting that an increasing number of patients with lung cancer would not have been candidates for screening, according to a study.

Gene variant, risk, severity of nerve disorder linked to cancer drug Posted: 24 Feb 2015 08:29 AM PST Children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia who had a certain gene variant experienced a higher incidence and severity of peripheral neuropathy after receiving treatment with the cancer drug vincristine, according to a study.

Taking NSAIDs with anti-clotting medications, risk of bleeding, cv events Posted: 24 Feb 2015 08:29 AM PST Among patients receiving antithrombotic therapy (to prevent the formation of blood clots) after a heart attack, the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) was associated with an increased risk of bleeding and events such as heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death, even after short-term treatment, according to a study.

Do genes play a role in peanut allergies? New study suggests yes Posted: 24 Feb 2015 08:29 AM PST Researchers have pinpointed a region in the human genome associated with peanut allergy in U.S. children, offering strong evidence that genes can play a role in the development of food allergies.

Why a latte is less likely to spill than a coffee Posted: 24 Feb 2015 08:29 AM PST Carrying a cup of coffee can be precarious for a sleepy-eyed caffeine addict who might accidentally send a wave of java sloshing over the rim, but add some foam and the trip becomes easier. New research shows that just a few layers of bubbles can significantly dampen the sloshing motion of liquid, and it may have applications far beyond breakfast beverages, including the safer transport of liquefied gas in trucks and propellants in rocket engines.

Great Barrier Reef corals eat plastic Posted: 24 Feb 2015 07:41 AM PST Researchers in Australia have found that corals commonly found on the Great Barrier Reef will eat micro-plastic pollution. Microplastics are tiny fragments of plastic in the environment and are a widespread contaminant in marine ecosystems, particularly in inshore coral reefs.

Scientists find cancer weak spots for new targeted drugs Posted: 24 Feb 2015 07:41 AM PST Scientists have identified weak spots in cancer cells that could be targeted and attacked by new precision drugs.

Massive amounts of Saharan dust fertilize the Amazon rainforest Posted: 24 Feb 2015 07:28 AM PST Every year, millions of tons of nutrient-rich Saharan dust cross the Atlantic Ocean, bringing vital phosphorus and other fertilizers to depleted Amazon soils. For the first time, scientists have an accurate estimate of how much phosphorus makes this trans-Atlantic journey.

Detecting defects at the nanoscale will profit solar panel production Posted: 24 Feb 2015 07:28 AM PST New research may lead to major efficiency gains and cost savings in the manufacture of flexible solar panels. The goal is to develop new technologies for the detection, cleaning and repair of micro and nanoscale defects in thin films that are vital in products such as printed electronics and solar panels.

Cross-cultural communication: Much more than just a linguistic stretch Posted: 24 Feb 2015 07:28 AM PST Mandarin-speakers' rely more on tone of voice rather than on facial cues to understand emotion compared to English-language speakers. This may be due to the limited eye contact and more restrained facial expressions common in East Asian cultures.

International team of scientists launches fossil database Posted: 24 Feb 2015 07:28 AM PST Have you ever wondered exactly when a certain group of plants or animals first evolved? A new resource for scientists is designed to help answer just those kinds of questions. The Fossil Calibration Database, a free, open-access resource that stores carefully vetted fossil data, is the result of years of work from a worldwide team of scientists.

New acoustic insulation material that incorporates fibers from orange tree pruning Posted: 24 Feb 2015 07:26 AM PST Scientists are using the fibers from orange tree pruning as an acoustic insulator. Researchers have developed boards that, compared with the conventional gypsum boards, provide a 150% improvement in the acoustic insulation.

Mapping lizard venom makes it possible to develop new drugs Posted: 24 Feb 2015 06:18 AM PST Lizards and other reptiles are not normally considered venomous, but a number of lizard species actually do produce and use venom. The most classic venomous lizard is no doubt the gila monster -- a heavy-bodied lizard. As the first in the world, a group of researchers has made a comprehensive description of the proteins in the venom which can prove to be relevant in connection with developing new types of drugs.

Crude oil production: Asphaltene analysis takes a giant step Posted: 24 Feb 2015 06:18 AM PST Scientists develop a method to improve the detection of asphaltene that precipitates in crude oil and clogs production lines.

Previously unknown effect of vitamin A identified Posted: 24 Feb 2015 06:17 AM PST A previously unknown effect of vitamin A in human embryonic development has been identified by researchers, indicating that vitamin A affects the formation of blood cells.

24 hour news amnesia: How swiftly the public forgets murderers and their victims Posted: 24 Feb 2015 06:17 AM PST Almost eight out of ten people cannot recall the names of the UK’s most notorious serial killers, paedophiles or their victims, despite the wall-to-wall media coverage of these cases over the past decade.

Investigational drug can reduce asthma flareups Posted: 24 Feb 2015 06:17 AM PST An investigational drug appears to cut the risk of severe asthma attacks in half for patients who have difficulty controlling the disorder with standard medications, according to results from two multicenter clinical trials.

Androgen receptor abnormality may not be associated with primary resistance to taxane chemotherapy Posted: 24 Feb 2015 06:17 AM PST Findings from a small prospective study suggest that androgen receptor V7 (or AR-V7) status does not significantly affect response to taxane chemotherapy in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Treatment outcomes were largely similar for the 17 patients with AR-V7-positive prostate cancer and the 20 patients with AR-V7-negative disease included in this analysis.

Men who have had testicular cancer are more likely to develop prostate cancer, although overall risk of developing aggressive disease is low Posted: 24 Feb 2015 06:17 AM PST A case-control study of close to 180,000 men suggests that the incidence of prostate cancer is higher among men with a history of testicular cancer (12.6 percent) than among those without a history of testicular cancer (2.8 percent). Men who have had testicular cancer were also more likely to develop intermediate- or high-risk prostate cancers.

Active Surveillance of Intermediate-Risk Prostate Cancer Associated With Decreased Survival Posted: 24 Feb 2015 06:17 AM PST An analysis of data on 945 patients with prostate cancer that is managed with active surveillance shows differences in outcomes depending on whether the patient was low or intermediate risk at diagnosis. Compared to patients with low-risk disease, those with intermediate-risk cancer (PSA >10ng/ml or Gleason score 7 or clinical stage T2b/2c) had a nearly four-fold higher chance of dying from prostate cancer within 15 years.

Adjuvant sorafenib and sunitinib do not improve outcomes in locally advanced kidney cancer Posted: 24 Feb 2015 06:17 AM PST Findings from a federally funded study suggest that patients with locally advanced kidney cancer should not be treated with either adjuvant (post-surgery) sorafenib or sunitinib. The average period to disease recurrence was similar between those who received sorafenib or sunitinib after surgery (5.6 years) and those treated with placebo (5.7 years).

Early evidence of increase in higher-risk prostate cancers from 2011-2013 Posted: 24 Feb 2015 06:17 AM PST An analysis of data on roughly 87,500 men treated for prostate cancer since 2005 finds a notable increase in higher-risk cases of the disease between 2011 and 2013.

Cyberbystanders: Most don't try to stop online bullies Posted: 24 Feb 2015 06:17 AM PST In a new study, 221 college students participated in an online chat room in which they watched a fellow student get “bullied” right before their eyes. Only 10 percent of the students who noticed the abuse directly intervened, either by confronting the bully online or helping the victim.

Preventing diabetic heart condition in mice by amplifying effect of exercise: Potential for benefits of exercise in a pill? Posted: 24 Feb 2015 06:17 AM PST Magnifying a benefit of exercise in mice provided a "profound" protection from diabetic cardiomyopathy, a potentially deadly heart condition that affects many people with diabetes. The discovery demonstrates the power of exercise to prevent chronic health conditions and suggests that one day some benefits of exercise may come in a pill or bottle.

Disparities in breast cancer care linked to net worth Posted: 24 Feb 2015 05:38 AM PST Household net worth is a major and overlooked factor in adherence to hormonal therapy among breast cancer patients and partially explains racial disparities in quality of care. Several studies have shown that disparities in income contribute to disparities in health care between racial and ethnic groups, but no one had specifically analyzed the effect of household net worth on quality of care in breast cancer patients until now.

Keep calm, anger can trigger a heart attack! Posted: 24 Feb 2015 05:38 AM PST The risk of a heart attack is 8.5 times higher in the two hours following a burst of intense anger, researchers have found after investigating the link between acute emotional triggers and high risk of severe cardiac episodes. High levels of anxiety were associated with a 9.5 fold increased risk of triggering a heart attack in the two hours after an anxiety episode.

Peanut consumption in infancy prevents peanut allergy, study finds Posted: 24 Feb 2015 05:38 AM PST Introduction of peanut products into the diets of infants at high risk of developing peanut allergy was safe and led to an 81 percent reduction in the subsequent development of the allergy, a clinical trial has found. "Food allergies are a growing concern, not just in the United States but around the world," said an expert. "For a study to show a benefit of this magnitude in the prevention of peanut allergy is without precedent. The results have the potential to transform how we approach food allergy prevention."