ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Discovery demystifies origin of life phenomenon Posted: 11 Mar 2015 03:58 PM PDT Biomolecules, if large enough (several nanometers) and with an electrical charge, will seek their own type with which to form large assemblies. This is essentially 'self-recognition' of left-handed and right-handed molecule pairs.

New material captures carbon at half the energy cost Posted: 11 Mar 2015 03:58 PM PDT Capturing carbon from power plants will likely be necessary in the future to avoid the worst effects of climate change, but current technologies are very expensive. Chemists have now developed a new material, a diamine-appended metal-organic framework, that captures carbon dioxide with much reduced energy costs compared to today's technologies, potentially lowering the cost of capturing and sequestering this greenhouse gas.

When should blood transfusions be given after cardiac surgery? Posted: 11 Mar 2015 03:58 PM PDT New research has shown that patients having heart surgery do not benefit if doctors wait until a patient has become substantially anemic before giving a transfusion.

Green solid electrolyte for electrochemical devices Posted: 11 Mar 2015 03:56 PM PDT Researchers have studied the capability of new polymers derived from potato starch as insulators which do not show any remarkable electro activity.

Perovskites can improve fabrication of ceramic electronics Posted: 11 Mar 2015 03:56 PM PDT Scientists in Japan are finding that perovskites have the potential to improve the fabrication of electrodes and wiring in ceramic-based electronics such as spark plugs.

New species of tapaculo in South America Posted: 11 Mar 2015 01:05 PM PDT After being misidentified and sitting in a museum drawer for more than seventy years, a group of bird specimens collected in Colombia and Venezuela has been determined to represent a previously unknown species, now dubbed the Perijá Tapaculo (Scytalopus perijanus).

Treatment outlook for adults with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy move from grim to good Posted: 11 Mar 2015 01:05 PM PDT Implantable defibrillators, along with other modern treatments, have reduced mortality rates and are helping patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy live longer, a study confirms. This research 'changes our perceptions of HCM from a grim, unrelenting, and largely untreatable condition to a contemporary disease with effective treatment options and a low rate of death,' states the lead researcher.

Loneliness and social isolation are just as much a threat to longevity as obesity Posted: 11 Mar 2015 01:05 PM PDT Loneliness and social isolation are just as much a threat to longevity as obesity. The effect occurs even for people who like to be alone. Lack of relationships is a bigger health risk for people under age 65.

Is US immigration policy 'STEMming' innovation? Posted: 11 Mar 2015 01:04 PM PDT Foreign-born graduate students in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) disciplines who wish to pursue a career in industry or NGOs are much more likely to stay in the US than those who wish to pursue a career in academia or government concludes a new study.

Fossil skull sheds new light on transition from water to land Posted: 11 Mar 2015 01:04 PM PDT The first 3-D reconstruction of the skull of a 360-million-year-old near-ancestor of land vertebrates has been created. The 3-D skull, which differs from earlier 2-D reconstructions, suggests such creatures, which lived their lives primarily in shallow water environments, were more like modern crocodiles than previously thought.

Epoch-defining study pinpoints when humans came to dominate planet Earth Posted: 11 Mar 2015 01:04 PM PDT The human-dominated geological epoch known as the Anthropocene probably began around the year 1610, with an unusual drop in atmospheric carbon dioxide and the irreversible exchange of species between the New and Old Worlds, according to new research.

Did Neandertals make jewelry 130,000 years go? Eagle claws provide clues Posted: 11 Mar 2015 01:04 PM PDT Krapina Neandertals may have manipulated white-tailed eagle talons to make jewelry 130,000 years ago, before the appearance of modern humans in Europe.

Rapid coastal population growth may leave many exposed to sea-level rise Posted: 11 Mar 2015 01:03 PM PDT The number of people potentially exposed to future sea level rise and associated storm surge flooding may be highest in low-elevation coastal zones in Asia and Africa.

Highly evolved bacteria found near hydrothermal vents: Iron-oxidizing bacteria found along Mid-Atlantic Ridge Posted: 11 Mar 2015 01:03 PM PDT Bacteria that live on iron were found for the first time at three well-known vent sites along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. These bacteria likely play an important role in deep-ocean iron cycling, and are dominant members of communities near and adjacent to sulfur-rich hydrothermal vents prevalent along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. This group of iron-oxidizing bacteria, Zetaproteobacteria, appears to be restricted to environments where iron is plentiful, suggesting they are highly evolved to utilize iron for energy.

Mystery of the dancing droplets solved Posted: 11 Mar 2015 01:03 PM PDT A puzzling observation, pursued through hundreds of experiments, has led researchers to a simple yet profound discovery: under certain circumstances, droplets of fluid will move like performers in a dance choreographed by molecular physics. The unexpected findings may prove useful in semiconductor manufacturing and self-cleaning solar panels.

Scientists reconstruct evolutionary history of whale hearing with rare museum collection Posted: 11 Mar 2015 01:03 PM PDT Scientists CT scanned fetal whale specimens from the museum's marine mammal collection to trace the development of fetal ear bones in 56 specimens from 10 different whale families. Their findings confirmed that changes in the development of ear bones in the womb paralleled changes observed throughout whale evolution, providing new insight about how whales made the dramatic evolutionary shift from land to sea and adapted to hearing underwater.

Saharan 'carpet of tools' is earliest known human-made landscape Posted: 11 Mar 2015 01:02 PM PDT A new intensive survey of the Messak Settafet escarpment, a massive outcrop of sandstone in the middle of the Saharan desert, has shown that stone tools occur "ubiquitously" across the entire landscape: averaging 75 artefacts per square meter, or 75 million per square kilometer.

When to keep kids home from school: Expert opinion Posted: 11 Mar 2015 01:02 PM PDT For many reasons, a child being home from school while sick can be stressful. Parents worry about the severity of their child’s illness and about the child missing school, all while trying to shuffle work schedules to be home.

Babies' body mass index may predict childhood obesity Posted: 11 Mar 2015 01:02 PM PDT Body mass index during infancy may help predict if a child will be obese by age 4. A new study suggests that better understanding of infant growth patterns may lead to more effective early obesity prevention.

How genetic changes lead to familial Alzheimer's disease Posted: 11 Mar 2015 11:09 AM PDT Mutations in the presenilin-1 gene are the most common cause of inherited, early-onset forms of Alzheimer's disease. In a new study, scientists replaced the normal mouse presenilin-1 gene with Alzheimer's-causing forms of the human gene to discover how these genetic changes may lead to the disorder. Their surprising results may transform the way scientists design drugs that target these mutations to treat inherited or familial Alzheimer's, a rare form of the disease.

Physics of clouds: Long-held ideas about turbulence disproven Posted: 11 Mar 2015 11:09 AM PDT In 1941, Russian physicist Andrey Kolmogorov developed a theory of turbulence that has served as the basic foundation for our understanding of this important naturally occurring phenomenon. Turbulence occurs when fluid flow is characterized by chaotic physical changes. Kolmogorov's theory has been interpreted to imply that transitions from one state of turbulence to another must be a smooth evolution because very intense fluctuations that are part of the process itself would smooth out anything sharp. Now, however, a new experiment disproves this interpretation of Kolmogorov's theory.

Experience of time is altered in depression, meta-study shows Posted: 11 Mar 2015 11:09 AM PDT Patients suffering from depression appear to experience time differently than healthy individuals. Statements made by patients in a recent study indicate that for them time seems to pass extremely slowly or even stands still. Psychologists have collated relevant studies on the subject to analyze them in a meta-study.

Concurrent chemoradiation treatment at high-volume facilities improves survival for NSCLC Posted: 11 Mar 2015 11:09 AM PDT Patients treated with definitive concurrent chemotherapy and radiation therapy for stage III non-small cell lung cancer have longer overall survival when treated by highly experienced facilities, whether or not they are academic or community cancer centers.

Feasibility of blood-based test for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease Posted: 11 Mar 2015 11:09 AM PDT The first evidence that a simple blood test could be developed to confirm the presence of beta amyloid proteins in the brain, which is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, has been presented by researchers.

Saturn moon's ocean may harbor hydrothermal activity, spacecraft data suggest Posted: 11 Mar 2015 11:08 AM PDT NASA's Cassini spacecraft has provided scientists the first clear evidence that Saturn's moon Enceladus exhibits signs of present-day hydrothermal activity which may resemble that seen in the deep oceans on Earth. The implications of such activity on a world other than our planet open up unprecedented scientific possibilities.

Geologists urge preparation for landslides Posted: 11 Mar 2015 11:06 AM PDT As the anniversary of the most fatal landslide in the history of the continental United States approaches, we are reminded of the importance of evaluating geologic hazards and communicating that information to communities that may be at risk.

Uncovering the effects of cooking, digestion on gluten and wheat allergens in pasta Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:47 AM PDT Researchers trying to understand wheat-related health problems have found new clues to how the grain's proteins, including gluten, change when cooked and digested. They report that boiling pasta releases some of its potential allergens, while other proteins persist throughout cooking and digestion. Their findings lend new insights that could ultimately help Celiac patients and people allergic to wheat.

Gender, race influences when teens start drinking, smoking and doing drugs Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:47 AM PDT Cigarette use among white teenagers is substantially higher than among black and Hispanic teenagers, especially at 18 years old, according to researchers. Alcohol and marijuana use are also higher in white teenagers, and the numbers continue to increase until age 20. Throughout their 20s, blacks and Hispanics are more likely to pick up a cigarette-smoking habit, while the numbers start to decrease for whites.

Graphene: A new tool for fighting cavities and gum disease? Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:47 AM PDT Dental diseases, which are caused by the overgrowth of certain bacteria in the mouth, are among the most common health problems in the world. Now scientists have discovered that a material called graphene oxide is effective at eliminating these bacteria, some of which have developed antibiotic resistance.

'Visual' Turing test developed Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:47 AM PDT Computers are able to recognize objects in in photographs and other images, but how well can they 'understand' the relationships or implied activities between objects? Researchers have devised a 'visual Turing test' to evaluate how well computers perform at that task.

Particle jets reveal the secrets of the most exotic state of matter Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:46 AM PDT Shortly following the Big Bang, the Universe was filled with a chaotic primordial soup of quarks and gluons, particles which are now trapped inside of protons and neutrons. Study of this quark-gluon plasma requires the use of the most advanced theoretical and experimental tools. Physicists have taken one crucial step towards a better understanding of the plasma and its properties.

Promising 'natural' Alzheimer's treatment moves toward clinical trials Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:46 AM PDT A promising new natural treatment for Alzheimer's disease is moving toward clinical trials. This will be a major step forward as there is nothing on the market that slows the progression of Alzheimer's; natural products chemist has patented a botanical compound, withanamides.

Polymers designed for protection Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:46 AM PDT Scientists are investigating a possible solution to help polymers stand up to the kinds of threats Army Soldiers could face in future conflicts. Researchers want to start by unraveling the complex relationship between polymer chemistry, microstructure and energy absorption.

Brain processes ongoing pain more emotionally Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:45 AM PDT A momentary lapse of concentration is all it takes for a finger to become trapped or sprain an ankle -- and it hurts. Pain is the body's protective mechanism and a complex neurological phenomenon. Moreover, ongoing pain in the sense of chronic pain can be a disease, clinicians say. Scientists have now demonstrated that already during a few minutes of ongoing pain, the underlying brain activity changes by shifting from sensory to emotional processes.

Repairing the cerebral cortex: It can be done Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:45 AM PDT An important step in the area of cell therapy has been taken by scientists: repairing the cerebral cortex of the adult mouse using a graft of cortical neurons derived from embryonic stem cells. These results also suggest that damaged circuits can be restored only by using neurons of the same type as the damaged area.

Brain waves predict our risk for insomnia Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:44 AM PDT There may not yet be a cure for insomnia, but researchers are a step closer to predicting who is most likely to suffer from it -- just in time for World Sleep Day on March 13. Researchers note that we should all keep abiding by the habits already acknowledged to promote a good night's sleep: "Avoid sources of stress when going to bed, preserve the bedroom environment for sleep and not for work, and avoid stimulation. Find ways to relax before going to sleep."

Silk could be new 'green' material for next-generation batteries Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:44 AM PDT Lithium-ion batteries have enabled many of today's electronics, from portable gadgets to electric cars. But much to the frustration of consumers, none of these batteries last long without a recharge. Now scientists report the development of a new, 'green' way to boost the performance of these batteries -- with a material derived from silk.

Swine flu outbreak in India raises concern: New strain of H1N1 may carry dangerous mutations Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:44 AM PDT Since December, an outbreak of swine flu in India has killed more than 1,200 people, and a new study suggests that the strain has acquired mutations that make it more dangerous than previously circulating strains of H1N1 influenza.

Even injured kidneys can be used for transplants, study shows Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:44 AM PDT Kidneys from deceased donors that have acute injuries are frequently discarded instead of being used for transplant. However, a study finds that such kidneys may be more viable than previously thought, and should be considered to meet the growing demand for organ transplants.

News coverage of Fukushima disaster minimized health risks to general population Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:42 AM PDT A new analysis finds that U.S. news media coverage of the Fukushima disaster largely minimized health risks to the general population. Researchers analyzed more than 2,000 news articles from four major U.S. outlets.

Drug restores brain function and memory in early Alzheimer’s disease Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:42 AM PDT An existing epilepsy drug reverses a condition in elderly patients who are at high risk for dementia due to Alzheimer's disease.

The corrugated galaxy: Milky Way may be much larger than previously estimated Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:41 AM PDT The Milky Way galaxy is at least 50 percent larger than is commonly estimated, according to new findings that reveal that the galactic disk is contoured into several concentric ripples.

For 80 Years, Ancient Gold Treasure Rested Undisturbed Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:41 AM PDT A collection of ancient Greek and Roman coins includes an incredibly rare aureus of the Roman emperor Otho, who reigned for a mere three months. The Greek coins were struck by some of the most powerful city-states and rulers of the ancient world, such as Athens, Corinth and Alexander the Great.

Face-to-face bullying worse than cyber-attacks, students say Posted: 11 Mar 2015 06:10 AM PDT Face-to-face bullying is more cruel and harsh than online attacks, a survey of school students found. The findings of this study indicate that significantly more victims perceived traditional bullying to be more harsh and cruel than cyberbullying. "It clearly indicates the feelings of the children and the very real threat they have of being physically harmed by another child," the lead investigator said.

Telemedicine enrolls patients remotely into acute stroke trial Posted: 11 Mar 2015 06:10 AM PDT For the first time in the world, researchers were able to enroll patients at other hospitals into an acute stroke clinical trial.

Physicists propose new classification of charge density waves Posted: 11 Mar 2015 06:10 AM PDT Physicists have proposed a new classification of Charge Density Waves. Charge Density Waves, or CDWs, are observed in many solids, especially in low-dimensional systems.

Physicians, patients overestimate risk of death from acute coronary syndrome Posted: 11 Mar 2015 06:10 AM PDT Both physicians and patients overestimate the risk of heart attack or death for possible acute coronary syndrome (ACS) as well as the potential benefit of hospital admission for possible ACS, a survey of patient and physician communication and risk assessment shows.

New moms more satisfied after giving birth in a public hospital Posted: 11 Mar 2015 06:10 AM PDT Women who give birth in a public hospital are more confident parents compared to women who have babies privately, a new Australian study has found. "We found that compared to women in a private hospital, women who birthed in the public sector had six times the odds of being telephoned by a care provider, 34 times the odds of being visited at home and five times the odds of visiting a GP within 10 days of being at home," an author said.

Religion, support for birth control health coverage can mix Posted: 11 Mar 2015 06:10 AM PDT Religious affiliation doesn't necessarily predict a woman’s views on reproductive health care policies like birth control coverage, a study shows. Even when it comes to policies that have sometimes been characterized as going against Christian views -- such as the Affordable Care Act mandate for employer-provided contraception coverage -- religious women's opinions are mixed, finds the American study.

Assessing feedback interactions in a creative setting Posted: 11 Mar 2015 05:19 AM PDT The traditional notion of feedback usually involves a one-way conversation where a manager rates an employee's performance because the destination, so to speak, is known. But what happens in a creative setting, when the endpoint is unknown? New research finds sharing incomplete work and having a healthy-give-and-take is a critical ingredient because the feedback is focused on developing an idea, rather than evaluating it at the end. The lessons could apply in the corporate world.

Alternative way to pay for expensive drugs may be needed, analysis says Posted: 11 Mar 2015 05:19 AM PDT A major challenge facing the world's health care systems is paying for a new breed of expensive breakthrough drugs. One way to address the issue is to approach it the same way as other industries where suppliers encourage investment through approaches such as equipment leases or supplier-financed credit.

A grand extravaganza of new stars Posted: 11 Mar 2015 05:19 AM PDT This dramatic landscape in the southern constellation of Ara (The Altar) is a treasure trove of celestial objects. Star clusters, emission nebulae and active star-forming regions are just some of the riches observed in this region lying some 4000 light-years from Earth. This beautiful new image is the most detailed view of this part of the sky so far, and was taken using the VLT Survey Telescope at ESO's Paranal Observatory in Chile.

Effectiveness of point of care diagnostics for schistosomiasis Posted: 11 Mar 2015 05:17 AM PDT An independent review has been conducted to assess how well point of care tests detect Schistosoma infections in people living in endemic regions Schistosomiasis, also known as bilharzia, is a parasitic disease classified as a neglected tropical diseases (NTD), which is common in tropical and subtropical regions. The traditional means of testing for the disease is microscopy, which is lab based. Point-of-care tests and urine reagent tests are quicker and easier to use than microscopy in the field, and this review aims to estimate how well these tests are able to detect schistosomiasis infections in comparison to traditional lab based microscopy.

Gene linked with early epilepsy discovered Posted: 11 Mar 2015 05:17 AM PDT Certain types of early-onset epilepsy are caused by previously unknown mutations of a potassium channel gene, KCNA2. The mutations disrupt the electrical balance in the brain in two ways. In some patients, the flow of potassium is greatly reduced; while in others, it is raised enormously. Both states can lead to hard-to-treat epileptic seizures. New information may lead to a treatment to help prevent poor brain development in some cases, researchers say.

Slick mobile payments may rebound on retailers Posted: 11 Mar 2015 05:17 AM PDT Developers and marketing experts concentrate on making mobile device payment systems slick and easy but research shows they that approach may rebound on retailers. "The perceived wisdom is that payments via a mobile device should be designed and marketed as being ever faster, simpler and effortless. But the evidence that uses a slightly clunky system is that there is value in the social interactions at the point of sale for both customer and supplier," an investigator notes.

Great conditions: Beneath palm trees, coco de mer performs 'parental care,' modifies habitat Posted: 11 Mar 2015 05:17 AM PDT Tourists are familiar with the Lodoicea maldivica palm, also called coco de mer, mainly because of their bizarrely shaped fruits. Scientists, however, are fascinated by the huge plants – which are abundant on the Seychelles islands of Praslin and Curieuse – for entirely different reasons.

Theoretical physicists design 'holy grail' of materials science Posted: 11 Mar 2015 05:17 AM PDT Graphene is a form of carbon in which the atoms are connected in a honeycomb structure. The possible ‘holy grail’ has this same structure, but is made of nanocrystals of mercury and tellurium. In their paper, theoretical physicists show that this material combines the properties of graphene with the qualities graphene misses. At room temperature, it is a semiconductor instead of a conductor, so that it can be used as a field-effect transistor. And it fulfils the conditions required to realise quantum spintronics, because it may host the quantum spin Hall effect at room temperature.

Going beyond the central dogma of molecular biology: Rather than being a one-way street, DNA-directed RNA transcription may have profound adaptability Posted: 11 Mar 2015 05:17 AM PDT The central dogma of molecular biology describes the flow of genetic information. It was first described by Francis Crick in 1956 as one-way traffic: as: "DNA makes RNA and RNA makes protein." A recent paper, however, suggests that rather than being a one-way street, DNA-directed RNA transcription may have profound adaptability. The authors of the paper showed a conceptually novel relationship between the genotype (DNA) and the phenotype (the products of the transcription of DNA).

CT scanning shows why tilting trees produce better biofuel Posted: 11 Mar 2015 05:17 AM PDT Medical imaging techniques have been used to explore why making willow trees grow at an angle can vastly improve their biofuel yields. Using micro-CT scans, the team showed that the trees respond to being tilted by producing a sugar-rich, gelatinous fibre, which helps them stay upright.

How changes in body weight affect human metabolism Posted: 11 Mar 2015 05:17 AM PDT Until now there have been few molecular epidemiological studies regarding the effects of weight changes on metabolism in the general population. "Through our experimental approach, which involves both metabolomics and transcriptomics data, we have gained insights into the molecular mechanisms that are affected by weight gain," said a researcher in a study with this focus.