ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Case of missing quasar gas clouds now solved
• A curious cold layer in the atmosphere of Venus
• SMOS has a better look at salinity
• Twin Galileo satellites fuelled and ready for launch
• NASA building a better solid rocket booster for Space Launch System rocket
• Sticky paper offers cheap, easy solution for paper-based diagnostics
• New study sheds light on bone marrow stem cell therapy for pancreatic recovery
• Obesity and under-nutrition prevalent in long-term refugees living in camps
• Serious complications in people with type 1 diabetes and ongoing poor blood sugar control
• Differences in overall health of Latino-American subgroups revealed in new studies
• Acoustic cell-sorting chip may lead to cell phone-sized medical labs
• Too little nitrogen may restrain plants' carbon storage capability
• Cardiac medication may help reduce stiffness caused by certain muscle diseases
• Patients with rheumatoid arthritis appear to be at increased risk for blood clots
• Beta-blocker use not associated with lower risk of cardiovascular events
• Vitamin D supplementation does not reduce rate or severity of colds, study suggests
• One glue, two functions: Spider webs stick to the ground and elevated surfaces differently
• State-mandated planning, higher resident wealth linked to more sustainable city transportation
• The science behind those eye-popping northern lights
• 3-D medical scanner: New handheld imaging device to aid doctors on the 'diagnostic front lines'
• Specialty contact lenses may one day help halt the progression of nearsightedness in children
• Superman-strength bacteria produce 24-karat gold
• Solar cell consisting of a single molecule: Individual protein complex generates electric current
• Intelligence is in the genes, but where? Most genes thought to be linked to intelligence probably have no bearing on IQ
• Length matters in gene expression
• Starting antiretroviral therapy improves HIV-infected Africans' nutrition
• Thanks for the transparent memories: Progress in quest for reliable, flexible computer memory for transparent electronics
• Engineers invent new device that could increase Internet download speeds
• 'Let’s-go rumble': For elephants, deciding to leave the watering hole demands conversation
• Ordered atoms in glass materials discovered
• New research model to aid search for degenerative disease cures
• Switching cause and effect in quantum world? A causes B causes A
• Adult stem cells change their epigenome to generate new organs
• Manatees reflect quality of health in marine ecosystems, longterm study finds
• Amazonian tribal warfare sheds light on modern violence, says anthropologist
• Obesity epidemic means bariatric surgery rates continue to rise, reports plastic and reconstructive surgery
• Implant-based breast reconstruction following radiation has high patient satisfaction rate despite complications
• For people exposed to World Trade Center site, lung function improves with time
• Survey sheds light on high victimization rates in Alaska
• The fight against tobacco can reinforce social inequalities in smoking
• Monoclonal antibody fragment treatments for 'wet' macular degeneration keep elderly drivers behind the wheel, study suggests
• Researchers create most detailed, 3-D rendering of key region of mammal lung
• Scientists team with U.S. Coast Guard to explore ice-free Arctic Ocean
• An apple a day lowers level of blood chemical linked to hardening of the arteries, research suggests
• Warning, automatic braking systems on autos will help save lives, researchers predict
• Same-sex households often include children
• A novel function for p27 protein in the control of interneuron migration in the developing cerebral cortex
• New findings on the workings of the inner ear
• Egyptian toe tests show they're likely to be the world's oldest prosthetics
• Children's bicycle helmets effective in impact and crush tests, study suggests
• Concussion spectrum in college athletes wearing helmets: 'Not so simple,' say researchers
• Immune system can boost nerve regrowth, study suggests
• Gene responsible for many spontaneous breast cancers identified
• Female athletes show no difference from males in neurocognitive testing after suffering sports-related concussions
• Great Barrier Reef has lost half of its coral in the last 27 years
• Hospital bedsores linked to patient mortality
• New hope for taming triple-negative breast cancer
• Watching crystals 'heal' themselves: Novel way to remove defects in materials
• 'Superweeds' linked to rising herbicide use in GM crops, study finds
• New analysis of U.S. presidential candidates' health care plans estimates uninsured by 2022

Case of missing quasar gas clouds now solved Posted: 02 Oct 2012 04:04 PM PDT The case of the missing quasar gas clouds has been solved. A new article describes 19 distant quasars whose giant clouds of gas seem to have disappeared in just a few years.

A curious cold layer in the atmosphere of Venus Posted: 02 Oct 2012 03:50 PM PDT Venus Express has spied a surprisingly cold region high in the planet's atmosphere that may be frigid enough for carbon dioxide to freeze out as ice or snow.

SMOS has a better look at salinity Posted: 02 Oct 2012 03:47 PM PDT Earth observation measurements shouldn't be taken with a pinch of salt. The European Space Agency is comparing readings of sea-surface salinity from drifting floats to confirm the SMOS water mission's measurements.

Twin Galileo satellites fuelled and ready for launch Posted: 02 Oct 2012 03:45 PM PDT The twin Galileo satellites are now fully fuelled and mated together atop the upper stage that will haul them most of the way up to their final orbit. The launch is now planned for the evening of Oct. 12.

NASA building a better solid rocket booster for Space Launch System rocket Posted: 02 Oct 2012 03:42 PM PDT The largest and most powerful solid rocket booster ever built for flight is being assembled for NASA's Space Launch System at ATK Space Systems in Brigham City, Utah, incorporating new cost-savings measures. The SLS will launch NASA's Orion spacecraft and other payloads beyond low Earth orbit, and provide an entirely new capability for human exploration.

Sticky paper offers cheap, easy solution for paper-based diagnostics Posted: 02 Oct 2012 03:30 PM PDT Global health researchers are working on cheap systems like a home-based pregnancy test that might work for malaria, diabetes or other diseases. A new chemical technique makes medically interesting molecules stick to regular paper -- a possible route to building such paper-based diagnostics from paper you could buy at an office-supply store.

New study sheds light on bone marrow stem cell therapy for pancreatic recovery Posted: 02 Oct 2012 02:16 PM PDT Researchers have found that a blood vessel-building gene boosts the ability of human bone marrow stem cells to sustain pancreatic recovery in a laboratory mouse model of insulin-dependent diabetes.

Obesity and under-nutrition prevalent in long-term refugees living in camps Posted: 02 Oct 2012 02:16 PM PDT A quarter of households in refugee camps in Algeria are currently suffering from the double burden of excess weight and under-nutrition. According to a new study, obesity is an emerging threat to this community, with one in two women of childbearing age being overweight, whilst nutritional deficiencies such as iron-deficiency anemia and stunted growth remain a persistent problem.

Serious complications in people with type 1 diabetes and ongoing poor blood sugar control Posted: 02 Oct 2012 02:16 PM PDT Strategies implemented in high-income countries to improve blood glucose control in people with type 1 diabetes and so reduce complications, such as heart attacks, strokes, and early death, are working, but there is much need for further improvement, according to a new study.

Differences in overall health of Latino-American subgroups revealed in new studies Posted: 02 Oct 2012 02:11 PM PDT Despite a shared Latino heritage, there are significant differences in the overall health and the use of health-care services among Cuban-Americans, Mexican-Americans and Puerto Rican-Americans -- even between men and women in the same subgroup -- according to new research.

Acoustic cell-sorting chip may lead to cell phone-sized medical labs Posted: 02 Oct 2012 01:19 PM PDT A technique that uses acoustic waves to sort cells on a chip may create miniature medical analytic devices that could make Star Trek's tricorder seem a bit bulky in comparison, according to experts.

Too little nitrogen may restrain plants' carbon storage capability Posted: 02 Oct 2012 01:19 PM PDT Plants' ability to absorb increased levels of carbon dioxide in the air may have been overestimated, a new study shows. According to the study, even though plants absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide and actually can benefit from higher levels of it, they may not get enough of the nutrients they need from typical soils to absorb as much CO2 as scientists had previously estimated.

Cardiac medication may help reduce stiffness caused by certain muscle diseases Posted: 02 Oct 2012 01:17 PM PDT Preliminary research finds that for patients with nondystrophic myotonias (NDMs), rare diseases that affect the skeletal muscle and cause functionally limiting stiffness and pain, use of the anti-arrhythmic medication mexiletine resulted in improvement in patient-reported stiffness.

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis appear to be at increased risk for blood clots Posted: 02 Oct 2012 01:17 PM PDT A study that included more than 45,000 residents of Sweden with rheumatoid arthritis finds that individuals with this disease had an associated higher risk of venous thromboembolism (a blood clot that forms within a vein), and that this elevated risk was stable for 10 years after the time of diagnosis.

Beta-blocker use not associated with lower risk of cardiovascular events Posted: 02 Oct 2012 01:17 PM PDT Among patients with either coronary artery disease (CAD) risk factors only, known prior heart attack, or known CAD without heart attack, the use of beta-blockers was not associated with a lower risk of a composite of cardiovascular events that included cardiovascular death, nonfatal heart attack or nonfatal stroke.

Vitamin D supplementation does not reduce rate or severity of colds, study suggests Posted: 02 Oct 2012 01:17 PM PDT Although some data have suggested a possible inverse association between serum vitamin D levels and the incidence of upper respiratory tract infections (colds), participants in a randomized controlled trial who received a monthly dose of 100,000 IUs of vitamin D3 did not have a significantly reduced incidence or severity of colds.

One glue, two functions: Spider webs stick to the ground and elevated surfaces differently Posted: 02 Oct 2012 12:42 PM PDT Polymer scientists and biologists have discovered that a house spider -- in order to more efficiently capture different types of prey -- performs an uncommon feat. It tailors one glue to demonstrate two adhesive strengths: firm and weak.

State-mandated planning, higher resident wealth linked to more sustainable city transportation Posted: 02 Oct 2012 12:42 PM PDT Transportation practices tend to be more environmentally friendly in wealthier metropolitan areas located within states that mandate comprehensive planning, new research suggests.

The science behind those eye-popping northern lights Posted: 02 Oct 2012 12:41 PM PDT Stormy weather on the sun drives the glistening aurorae in our clear night skies.

3-D medical scanner: New handheld imaging device to aid doctors on the 'diagnostic front lines' Posted: 02 Oct 2012 12:00 PM PDT Engineers have created a new imaging tool for primary care physicians: a handheld scanner that would enable them to image all the sites they commonly examine -- such as inner ears or the health of patients' retinas. The device relies on optical coherence tomography and could offer sooner and better diagnoses for common conditions such as diabetes.

Specialty contact lenses may one day help halt the progression of nearsightedness in children Posted: 02 Oct 2012 12:00 PM PDT Recent experimental work supports the development of a potential cure for nearsightedness, or myopia, by using specialty contact lenses that coax the eye to grow in a way that can correct nearsighted vision while reducing myopia progression.

Superman-strength bacteria produce 24-karat gold Posted: 02 Oct 2012 12:00 PM PDT At a time when the value of gold has reached an all-time high, researchers have discovered a bacterium's ability to withstand incredible amounts of toxicity is key to creating 24-karat gold.

Solar cell consisting of a single molecule: Individual protein complex generates electric current Posted: 02 Oct 2012 12:00 PM PDT Photosynthesis allows plants to convert light into chemical energy. Utilizing this process to produce electrical energy is a research goal worldwide. Scientists have now demonstrated that a photosynthetic protein system can be integrated into artificial photovoltaic device architectures while retaining biomolecular functional properties. The proteins represent light-driven, highly efficient single-molecule electron pumps that can act as current generators in nanoscale electric circuits.

Intelligence is in the genes, but where? Most genes thought to be linked to intelligence probably have no bearing on IQ Posted: 02 Oct 2012 12:00 PM PDT You can thank your parents for your smarts -- or at least some of them. Psychologists have long known that intelligence, like most other traits, is partly genetic. But a new study reveals the surprising fact that most of the specific genes long thought to be linked to intelligence probably have no bearing on one's IQ. And it may be some time before researchers can identify intelligence's specific genetic roots.

Length matters in gene expression Posted: 02 Oct 2012 12:00 PM PDT Scientists have revealed a surprising interplay between the ends of human genes: If a protein-coding gene is too short it becomes inactive. The findings also explain how some short genes have adapted to circumvent this handicap.

Starting antiretroviral therapy improves HIV-infected Africans' nutrition Posted: 02 Oct 2012 11:57 AM PDT "HIV makes people sicker and, as a result, accessing food becomes progressively more difficult. Antiretroviral therapy makes HIV-infected people feel better and makes them stronger physically -- helping them to improve food security -- in part because they are better able to work and to engage in food-generating activities," a researcher said.

Thanks for the transparent memories: Progress in quest for reliable, flexible computer memory for transparent electronics Posted: 02 Oct 2012 11:57 AM PDT Researchers are building transparent, two-terminal, three-dimensional computer memories on flexible sheets that show promise for making transparent electronics and sophisticated heads-up displays.

Engineers invent new device that could increase Internet download speeds Posted: 02 Oct 2012 11:57 AM PDT Scientists and engineers have invented a unique microscale optical device that could greatly increase the speed of downloading information online and reduce the cost of Internet transmission. The device uses the force generated by light to flop a mechanical switch of light on and off at a very high speed. This development could lead to advances in computation and signal processing using light instead of electrical current.

'Let’s-go rumble': For elephants, deciding to leave the watering hole demands conversation Posted: 02 Oct 2012 11:57 AM PDT In the wilds of Africa, when it's time for a family of elephants gathered at a watering hole to leave, the matriarch of the group gives the "let's-go rumble." This behavior shows how this cognitively advanced species uses well-coordinated "conversations" to initiate cooperation within the group.

Ordered atoms in glass materials discovered Posted: 02 Oct 2012 11:57 AM PDT Scientists have discovered the underlying order in metallic glasses, which may hold the key to the ability to create new high-tech alloys with specific properties.

New research model to aid search for degenerative disease cures Posted: 02 Oct 2012 11:57 AM PDT Efforts to treat disorders like Lou Gehrig's disease, Paget's disease, inclusion body myopathy and dementia will receive a considerable boost from a new research model.

Switching cause and effect in quantum world? A causes B causes A Posted: 02 Oct 2012 11:54 AM PDT A deeply rooted concept in everyday life is causality; the idea that events in the present are caused by events in the past and, in turn, act as causes for what happens in the future. Physicists have now shown that in quantum mechanics it is possible to conceive situations in which a single event can be both, a cause and an effect of another one.

Adult stem cells change their epigenome to generate new organs Posted: 02 Oct 2012 11:54 AM PDT Scientists have identified epigenetic changes that occur in adult stem cells to generate different body tissues.

Manatees reflect quality of health in marine ecosystems, longterm study finds Posted: 02 Oct 2012 11:54 AM PDT A longterm study conducted by researchers at George Mason University may be a benchmark in determining health threats to marine mammals. Over ten years of research in Belize was conducted studying the behavioral ecology, life history and health of manatees in an area relatively undisturbed by humankind.

Amazonian tribal warfare sheds light on modern violence, says anthropologist Posted: 02 Oct 2012 11:54 AM PDT In the tribal societies of the Amazon forest, violent conflict accounted for 30 percent of all deaths before contact with Europeans, according to a recent study by anthropologists. Understanding the reasons behind those altercations in the Amazon sheds light on the instinctual motivations that continue to drive human groups to violence, as well as the ways culture influences the intensity and frequency of violence.

Obesity epidemic means bariatric surgery rates continue to rise, reports plastic and reconstructive surgery Posted: 02 Oct 2012 11:34 AM PDT With rising rates of morbid obesity, the number of bariatric surgery procedures is likely to increase as well, reports a new article.

Implant-based breast reconstruction following radiation has high patient satisfaction rate despite complications Posted: 02 Oct 2012 11:34 AM PDT Breast cancer patients who have received radiation therapy after mastectomy have more problems related to the use of implants for breast reconstruction, according to a new review.

For people exposed to World Trade Center site, lung function improves with time Posted: 02 Oct 2012 11:34 AM PDT For at least some residents and workers exposed to dust and fumes after the World Trade Center (WTC) attacks, follow-up tests show gradual improvement in lung function, reports a new study.

Survey sheds light on high victimization rates in Alaska Posted: 02 Oct 2012 11:34 AM PDT Nearly 60 percent of women in Alaska have experienced intimate partner violence, sexual violence or both over the course of their lifetime, according to the Alaska Victimization Survey, an ongoing assessment of violence against women in the state.

The fight against tobacco can reinforce social inequalities in smoking Posted: 02 Oct 2012 11:34 AM PDT Interventions with young people insufficiently address the social factors of smoking.

Monoclonal antibody fragment treatments for 'wet' macular degeneration keep elderly drivers behind the wheel, study suggests Posted: 02 Oct 2012 11:34 AM PDT The advanced neovascular, or "wet," form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), left untreated, is the most common cause of vision loss among the elderly and a leading reason for their loss of driving privileges. But results of a new study suggest that monthly injections of ranibizumab improve eye chart test results required for a driver's license, build driver confidence and keep those with AMD driving longer.

Researchers create most detailed, 3-D rendering of key region of mammal lung Posted: 02 Oct 2012 11:32 AM PDT A research team has created the most detailed, three-dimensional rendering of a key region of a mammal lung. The model is important, because it can help scientists understand where and how lung diseases emerge as well as advance how drugs are delivered through the respiratory system.

Scientists team with U.S. Coast Guard to explore ice-free Arctic Ocean Posted: 02 Oct 2012 11:32 AM PDT With the melting ice in the Arctic, U.S. Coast Guard crews based in Alaska have taken on a new challenge: carefully deploying scientific equipment through cracks in the ice from an airplane hundreds of feet in the air. It's all part of a new partnership that has evolved since disappearing Arctic ice has opened vast new frontiers -- for the Coast Guard and for University of Washington scientists. This year, the lowest ebb of Arctic sea ice covered less area than at any time since scientists began recording it. From 1979 to 2000, the average low point for the year was 7 million square kilometers, or 2.7 million square miles. This year, it's less than half as much -- 3.4 million square kilometers.

An apple a day lowers level of blood chemical linked to hardening of the arteries, research suggests Posted: 02 Oct 2012 11:32 AM PDT Eating an apple a day might in fact help keep the cardiologist away, new research suggests. In a study of healthy, middle-aged adults, consumption of one apple a day for four weeks lowered by 40 percent blood levels of a substance linked to hardening of the arteries.

Warning, automatic braking systems on autos will help save lives, researchers predict Posted: 02 Oct 2012 11:32 AM PDT Researchers extracted 1,396 incidents of rear-end collisions from a national U.S. database and looked at them on a case-by-case basis to determine whether the intelligent vehicle systems being studied would have been called into play and, if so, how they would have helped. The research showed that 7.7 percent of crashes would be prevented by use of all three systems -- warning, assisted braking, and autonomous braking.

Same-sex households often include children Posted: 02 Oct 2012 11:32 AM PDT A new study takes a closer look at same-sex couple households, and finds those households often include children.

A novel function for p27 protein in the control of interneuron migration in the developing cerebral cortex Posted: 02 Oct 2012 08:34 AM PDT These results by GIGA-Neurosciences researchers (University of Liège, Belgium) increase our understanding of the mechanisms that drive neuronal migration in the cerebral cortex. Disruption of neuronal migration is associated with various neurological disorders characterized by mental retardation, epilepsy,  learning disabilities, or autism.

New findings on the workings of the inner ear Posted: 02 Oct 2012 08:34 AM PDT The sensory cells of the inner ear have tiny hairs called stereocilia that play a critical part in hearing. It has long been known that these stereocilia move sideways back and forth in a wave-like motion when stimulated by a sound wave. After having designed a microscope to observe these movements, a research team in Sweden has discovered that the hairs not only move sideways but also change in length.

Egyptian toe tests show they're likely to be the world's oldest prosthetics Posted: 02 Oct 2012 07:15 AM PDT The results of scientific tests using replicas of two ancient Egyptian artificial toes, including one that was found on the foot of a mummy, suggest that they're likely to be the world's first prosthetic body parts.

Children's bicycle helmets effective in impact and crush tests, study suggests Posted: 02 Oct 2012 07:15 AM PDT To determine the effectiveness of bicycle helmet use, scientists tested how well helmets withstood forces of impact and crush tests when covering human cadaver skulls. They found that helmet use can substantially reduce (by up to 87%) the acceleration experienced by the skull during an impact and can aid the skull in resisting forces up to 470 pounds in a crush accident.

Concussion spectrum in college athletes wearing helmets: 'Not so simple,' say researchers Posted: 02 Oct 2012 07:15 AM PDT Much has been written in recent years about the short- and long-term consequences of concussions sustained in sports, combat, and accidents. However, there appear to be no steadfast rules guiding the definition of concussion. Researchers investigated the signs, symptoms, and clinical histories used by athletic trainers to define concussion in individual college athletes engaged in contact sports. The investigators found a heterogeneous collection of acute clinical characteristics -- a "concussion spectrum," which they discuss.

Immune system can boost nerve regrowth, study suggests Posted: 02 Oct 2012 07:11 AM PDT Modulating immune response to injury could accelerate the regeneration of severed peripheral nerves, a new study in an animal model has found. By altering activity of the macrophage cells that respond to injuries, researchers dramatically increased the rate at which nerve processes re-grew.

Gene responsible for many spontaneous breast cancers identified Posted: 02 Oct 2012 07:11 AM PDT New research links NF1, a known oncogene driver in other cancers, with more than 25% of breast cancers.

Female athletes show no difference from males in neurocognitive testing after suffering sports-related concussions Posted: 02 Oct 2012 07:11 AM PDT A new study conducted to review symptoms and neurocognitive findings in male and female high school soccer players, shows no gender-related differences.

Great Barrier Reef has lost half of its coral in the last 27 years Posted: 02 Oct 2012 06:41 AM PDT The Great Barrier Reef has lost half its coral cover in the last 27 years. The loss was due to storm damage (48%), crown of thorns starfish (42%), and bleaching (10%), according to a new study by researchers in Australia.

Hospital bedsores linked to patient mortality Posted: 02 Oct 2012 06:28 AM PDT A new clinical has found a direct correlation between pressure ulcers and patient mortality and increased hospitalization. This is believed to be the first study of its kind to use data directly from medical records to assess hospital acquired pressure ulcers in Medicare patients at the national and state levels.

New hope for taming triple-negative breast cancer Posted: 02 Oct 2012 06:28 AM PDT Researchers have identified molecules called microRNAS that can uniquely sensitize drug-resistant, triple-negative breast cancer to chemotherapy drugs. In preclinical studies, the team found microRNA effectively treated cancer in mice and was safe based on toxicity studies.

Watching crystals 'heal' themselves: Novel way to remove defects in materials Posted: 02 Oct 2012 06:28 AM PDT Physicists have succeeded in creating a defect in the structure of a single-layer crystal by simply inserting an extra particle, and then watching as the crystal "heals" itself.

'Superweeds' linked to rising herbicide use in GM crops, study finds Posted: 02 Oct 2012 06:28 AM PDT The use of herbicides in the production of three genetically modified herbicide-tolerant crops -- cotton, soybeans and corn -- has actually increased, according to a new study. This counterintuitive finding is based on an exhaustive analysis of publicly available data.

New analysis of U.S. presidential candidates' health care plans estimates uninsured by 2022 Posted: 02 Oct 2012 06:28 AM PDT The number of uninsured individuals is estimated to increase in every state and to 72 million nationwide -- with children and low- and middle-income Americans particularly hard hit -- under Governor Mitt Romney's plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act and replace it with block grants to states for Medicaid and new tax incentives, according to a new report.

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