ScienceDaily: Top News

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• NASA launches next-generation communications satellite
• Fuel of the future: Cheap hydrogen from water one step closer
• New order found in quantum electronic material: May lead to new materials, magnets and superconductors
• New semiconductor research may extend integrated circuit battery life 10-fold
• Scientists unveil a superbug's secret to antibiotic resistance
• Empathy varies by age and gender: Women in their 50s are tops
• Prostate cancer study tracks long-term urinary, sexual and bowel function side effects
• Gut microbes at root of severe malnutrition in kids
• West Nile virus spreading due to mosquitoes in orchards and vineyards, experts warn
• Bonobos predisposed to show sensitivity to others
• Vultures foraging far and wide face a poisonous future
• Antibiotics cut death rate for malnourished children
• Tapeworm eggs discovered in 270-million-year-old fossil shark feces
• Chimp see, chimp learn: First evidence for chimps improving tool use techniques by watching others
• Leading by the nose: Star-nosed mole reveals how mammals perceive touch, pain
• Rude behavior at work is increasing and affects the bottom line
• Potential therapy target in multiple sclerosis
• U.S. water supply not as threatened as believed, study finds
• Binge drinking increases risk of type 2 diabetes by causing insulin resistance
• Obesity may increase risk of multiple sclerosis in children and teens
• Archaic Native Americans built massive Louisiana mound in less than 90 days
• Setting the stage for a new paradigm in treatment of heart failure
• Sorting out stroking sensations: Biologists find individual neurons in skin that react to massage
• Silibinin, found in milk thistle, protects against UV-induced skin cancer
• Discovery of sexual mating in Candida albicans could provide insights into infections
• Lake Mead aquatic-science research documents substantial improvements in ecosystem
• Peer pressure trumps 'thin' ideals in the media
• Tuberculosis may lurk in bone marrow stem cells of infected patients
• Itching for new help for eczema: Recently identified immune cells possible therapeutic target
• Herschel finds past-prime star may be making planets
• Biofuels blend right in: Researchers show ionic liquids effective for pre-treating mixed blends of biofuel feedstocks
• Reconcilable differences: Study uncovers the common ground of scientific opposites
• How plant communities endure stress
• Chronic kidney disease increases risk of death for both women and men
• Mindfulness meditation heightens a listener's musical engagement
• Researchers develop model for identifying habitable zones around star
• First artificial enzyme created by evolution in a test tube
• Aging cells lose their grip on DNA rogues
• Microchip moves information around in 3-D: From left to right, back to front, and up and down
• New research shows complexity of global warming
• Deforestation triggers carbon collapse of tropical peatlands
• New method of measuring the mass of supermassive black holes
• Alive? You are a bed bug magnet
• Alternate walking and running to save energy, maintain endurance
• Academic gains, improved teacher relationships found among high risk kids in Head Start
• New genre of 'intelligent' micro- and nanomotors
• Mechanism behind wear at atomic scale
• Scientists learn more about how inhibitory brain cells get excited
• How does fibrosis occur in Crohn's disease?
• Vegetarianism can reduce risk of heart disease by up to a third
• Previously unknown mechanism of memory formation discovered
• New drug target identified for multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease
• Toward a better cyanide antidote for terrorist attacks and other mass casualty events
• Electric vehicle: Light yet safe contender for city streets
• Female deer take control during mating season
• Biologists use diag trees to help solve gypsy moth mystery
• New insight into mechanics of arthritis
• New target to stop cancer's spread
• Pathway for membrane building blocks
• Revolutionary cooling system uses lasers

NASA launches next-generation communications satellite Posted: 30 Jan 2013 08:22 PM PST The first of NASA's three next-generation Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS), known as TDRS-K, launched at 8:48 p.m. EST Wednesday (Jan. 30) from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The TDRS system provides tracking, telemetry, command and high-bandwidth data return services for numerous science and human exploration missions orbiting Earth. These include the International Space Station and NASA's Hubble Space Telescope.

Fuel of the future: Cheap hydrogen from water one step closer Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:44 PM PST Scientists have moved a step closer to designing bio-inspired syn­thetic cat­a­lysts to pro­duce hydro­gen from water.

New order found in quantum electronic material: May lead to new materials, magnets and superconductors Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:44 PM PST A new type of order, or symmetry, discovered in an exotic material made with uranium may one day lead to enhanced computer displays and data storage systems and more powerful superconducting magnets for medical imaging and levitating high-speed trains.

New semiconductor research may extend integrated circuit battery life 10-fold Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:44 PM PST New methods and materials for building integrated circuits can reduce power -- extending battery life to 10 times longer for mobile applications compared to conventional transistors.

Scientists unveil a superbug's secret to antibiotic resistance Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:43 PM PST Many strains of the bacterium Staphyloccocus aureus are already resistant to all antibiotics except vancomycin. But as bacteria are becoming resistant to this once powerful antidote, S. aureus has moved one step closer to becoming an unstoppable killer. Now, researchers have not only identified the mechanism by which vancomycin resistance spreads from one bacterium to the next, but have suggested ways to potentially stop the transfer.

Empathy varies by age and gender: Women in their 50s are tops Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:43 PM PST Looking for someone to feel your pain? Talk to a woman in her 50s. According to a new study of more than 75,000 adults, women in that age group are more empathic than men of the same age and than younger or older people.

Prostate cancer study tracks long-term urinary, sexual and bowel function side effects Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:43 PM PST A new study comparing outcomes among prostate cancer patients treated with surgery versus radiotherapy found differences in urinary, bowel and sexual function after short-term follow-up, but those differences were no longer significant 15 years after initial treatment.

Gut microbes at root of severe malnutrition in kids Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:43 PM PST A study of young twins in Malawi, in sub-Saharan Africa, finds that bacteria living in the intestine are an underlying cause of a form of severe acute childhood malnutrition.

West Nile virus spreading due to mosquitoes in orchards and vineyards, experts warn Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:43 PM PST Researchers have linked orchards and vineyards with a greater prevalence of West Nile virus in mosquitoes and the insects' ability to spread the virus to birds, horses and people. The finding is the most finely scaled look at the interplay between land use and with the virus's activity in key hosts.

Bonobos predisposed to show sensitivity to others Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:43 PM PST Comforting a friend or relative in distress may be a more hard-wired behavior than previously thought, according to a new study of bonobos, which are great apes known for their empathy and close relation to humans and chimpanzees. The findings provide evolutionary insights into how critical social skills may develop in human children.

Vultures foraging far and wide face a poisonous future Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:43 PM PST African vultures face an increasing risk of fatal poisoning, according to new research.

Antibiotics cut death rate for malnourished children Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:43 PM PST Severely malnourished children are far more likely to recover and survive when given antibiotics along with a therapeutic peanut-based food than children who are simply treated with the therapeutic food alone, researchers have found.

Tapeworm eggs discovered in 270-million-year-old fossil shark feces Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:42 PM PST A cluster of tapeworm eggs discovered in 270-million-year-old fossilized shark feces suggests that intestinal parasites in vertebrates are much older than previously known.

Chimp see, chimp learn: First evidence for chimps improving tool use techniques by watching others Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:41 PM PST Chimps can learn more efficient ways to use a tool by watching what others do, according to new research. Their study presents the first experimental evidence that chimps, like humans, can watch and learn a group member's invention of a better technique.

Leading by the nose: Star-nosed mole reveals how mammals perceive touch, pain Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:41 PM PST The most sensitive patch of mammalian skin known to us isn't human but on the star-shaped tip of the star-nosed mole's snout. Researchers studying this organ have found that the star has a higher proportion of touch-sensitive nerve endings than pain receptors, according to a new study.

Rude behavior at work is increasing and affects the bottom line Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:40 PM PST Research shows rudeness at work is rampant, and it's on the rise. In 2011, half of the workers surveyed said they were treated rudely at least once a week - up from a quarter in 1998. New research shows the tangible cost of this bad behavior.

Potential therapy target in multiple sclerosis Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:40 PM PST Findings offer a better understanding of the development and progression of multiple sclerosis and potential future therapeutic target.

U.S. water supply not as threatened as believed, study finds Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:40 PM PST A research study adds a new twist to previous studies of the nation's water supplies. The study finds that when infrastructure is included in the mix (reservoirs, dams, etc.), water vulnerability is less of a threat than previously believed.

Binge drinking increases risk of type 2 diabetes by causing insulin resistance Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:40 PM PST Binge drinking causes insulin resistance, which increases the risk of Type 2 diabetes, according to the results of an animal study. The authors further discovered that alcohol disrupts insulin-receptor signaling by causing inflammation in the hypothalamus area of the brain.

Obesity may increase risk of multiple sclerosis in children and teens Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:36 PM PST Being obese may increase the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) in children and teenage girls, according to new research.

Archaic Native Americans built massive Louisiana mound in less than 90 days Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:36 PM PST A massive earthen mound constructed about 3,200 years ago by Native Americans in northeastern Louisiana was built in less than 90 days, and perhaps as quickly as 30 days, according to new research. The site was recently nominated for a place on the UNESCO list of Word Heritage sites.

Setting the stage for a new paradigm in treatment of heart failure Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:36 PM PST New evidence shows the root of heart failure lies in misfolded proteins in the heart's cells. The finding may pave the way for dramatically new treatment approaches.

Sorting out stroking sensations: Biologists find individual neurons in skin that react to massage Posted: 30 Jan 2013 12:29 PM PST The skin is a human being's largest sensory organ, helping to distinguish between a pleasant contact, like a caress, and a negative sensation, like a pinch or a burn. Previous studies have shown that these sensations are carried to the brain by different types of sensory neurons that have nerve endings in the skin. Now biologists have identified in mice a specific class of skin sensory neurons that reacts to an apparently pleasurable stimulus.

Silibinin, found in milk thistle, protects against UV-induced skin cancer Posted: 30 Jan 2013 11:36 AM PST Milk thistle extract, silibinin, kills skin cells mutated by UVA radiation and protects against damage by UVB radiation -- thus protecting against UV-induced skin cancer and photo-aging, according to new research.

Discovery of sexual mating in Candida albicans could provide insights into infections Posted: 30 Jan 2013 11:36 AM PST Like many fungi and one-celled organisms, Candida albicans, a normally harmless microbe that can turn deadly, has long been thought to reproduce without sexual mating. But a new study shows that C. albicans is capable of sexual reproduction. The finding represents an important breakthrough in understanding how this pathogen has been shaped by evolution.

Lake Mead aquatic-science research documents substantial improvements in ecosystem Posted: 30 Jan 2013 11:36 AM PST Lake Mead National Recreation Area's water quality is good, the sport fish populations are sufficient, and the lakes provide important habitat for an increasing number of birds. This positive trend is documented in a new report that leads to a better understanding of the natural resources of Lake Mead and Lake Mohave, and the issues that may affect natural resource management of Lake Mead NRA.

Peer pressure trumps 'thin' ideals in the media Posted: 30 Jan 2013 11:36 AM PST Peers exert a greater influence on teenage girls' dissatisfaction with their bodies than do thin ideals in television or social media use, according to new research.

Tuberculosis may lurk in bone marrow stem cells of infected patients Posted: 30 Jan 2013 11:36 AM PST Tuberculosis is a devastating disease that kills nearly 2 million people worldwide each year. Now, in a classic case of bench-to-bedside research, scientists have discovered a possible reason for the disease's resistance: The ability of the tuberculosis bacteria to infiltrate and settle down in a particular class of stem cell in the bone marrow. By doing so, the bacteria take advantage of the body's own mechanisms of self-renewal.

Itching for new help for eczema: Recently identified immune cells possible therapeutic target Posted: 30 Jan 2013 11:36 AM PST Researchers have identified a previously unknown critical role for a recently identified immune cell population in the progression of atopic dermatitis. The team found an accumulation of innate lymphoid cells in the active lesions of patients with atopic dermatitis, and in mice, they showed that ILCs contribute to disease progression. These studies suggest innate lymphoid cells may be a new therapeutic target in treating the development and severity of atopic dermatitis.

Herschel finds past-prime star may be making planets Posted: 30 Jan 2013 10:59 AM PST A star thought to have passed the age at which it can form planets may, in fact, be creating new worlds. The disk of material surrounding the surprising star called TW Hydrae may be massive enough to make even more planets than we have in our own solar system.

Biofuels blend right in: Researchers show ionic liquids effective for pre-treating mixed blends of biofuel feedstocks Posted: 30 Jan 2013 10:24 AM PST Blending different feedstocks and milling the mixture into flour or pellets has significant potential for helping to make biofuels a cost-competitive transportation fuel technology.

Reconcilable differences: Study uncovers the common ground of scientific opposites Posted: 30 Jan 2013 10:24 AM PST Researchers have developed a mathematical framework that strips away the differences between scientific laws and theories to reveal how the ideas are compatible. They have explained how the mathematical model finds common ground between the famously at-odds physics equations that govern classical and quantum mechanics.

How plant communities endure stress Posted: 30 Jan 2013 10:24 AM PST The Stress Gradient Hypothesis holds that as stress increases in an ecosystem, mutually supportive interactions become more significant and negative interactions, such as competition, become less so. The idea has been hotly debated but is now backed by a review of hundreds of studies co-authored in Ecology Letters by Mark Bertness, professor of biology at Brown, who first formally proposed the hypothesis in 1994. The time has come, he said, to test its application and predictive value.

Chronic kidney disease increases risk of death for both women and men Posted: 30 Jan 2013 10:24 AM PST A new study found that in general chronic kidney disease is associated with a higher risk of death and end stage renal disease for both women and men.

Mindfulness meditation heightens a listener's musical engagement Posted: 30 Jan 2013 10:24 AM PST When De'Anthony Thomas returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown in the 2013 Fiesta Bowl, says a researcher, Thomas put Ducks fans into a heightened zone of engagement for watching the game, not unlike what was experienced by music students who were first exposed to a brief session of mindfulness meditation before hearing an opera passage.

Researchers develop model for identifying habitable zones around star Posted: 30 Jan 2013 10:24 AM PST Researchers searching the galaxy for planets that could pass the litmus test of sustaining water-based life must find whether those planets fall in a habitable zone, where they could be capable of having liquid water and sustaining life. New work will help scientists in that search.

First artificial enzyme created by evolution in a test tube Posted: 30 Jan 2013 10:24 AM PST A wobbly new biochemical structure in one scientist's lab may resemble what enzymes looked like billions of years ago, when life on Earth began to evolve -- long before they became ingredients for new and improved products, from detergents to foods and fuels.

Aging cells lose their grip on DNA rogues Posted: 30 Jan 2013 10:24 AM PST Transposable elements are mobile strands of DNA that insert themselves into chromosomes with mostly harmful consequences. Cells try to keep them locked down, but in a new study, researchers report that aging cells lose their ability to maintain this control. The result may be a further decline in the health of senescent cells and of the aging bodies they compose.

Microchip moves information around in 3-D: From left to right, back to front, and up and down Posted: 30 Jan 2013 10:24 AM PST Scientists have created, for the first time, a new type of microchip which allows information to travel in three dimensions. Currently, microchips can only pass digital information in a very limited way -- from either left to right or front to back.

New research shows complexity of global warming Posted: 30 Jan 2013 10:24 AM PST Global warming from greenhouse gases affects rainfall patterns in the world differently than that from solar heating, according to a new study.

Deforestation triggers carbon collapse of tropical peatlands Posted: 30 Jan 2013 10:23 AM PST Deforested tropical peatlands are haemorrhaging carbon from deep within their peat soils, with consequences for the release of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, according to new research.

New method of measuring the mass of supermassive black holes Posted: 30 Jan 2013 10:23 AM PST Astronomers report the exciting discovery of a new way to measure the mass of supermassive black holes in galaxies. By measuring the speed with which carbon monoxide molecules orbit around such black holes, this new research opens the possibility of making these measurements in many more galaxies than ever before.

Alive? You are a bed bug magnet Posted: 30 Jan 2013 10:23 AM PST Bed bugs are infiltrating the world and cities like Chicago are imposing $1,000 fines. Infection control specialists offer ten tips on identifying bed bugs.

Alternate walking and running to save energy, maintain endurance Posted: 30 Jan 2013 10:22 AM PST Forget "slow and steady wins the race." A new study shows that, at least sometimes, the best way to conserve energy and reach your destination on time is to alternate between walking and running —- whether your goal is the bus stop or a marathon finish line.

Academic gains, improved teacher relationships found among high risk kids in Head Start Posted: 30 Jan 2013 09:16 AM PST A new study finds that Head Start can make a positive impact in the lives of some of its highest risk children, both academically and behaviorally.

New genre of 'intelligent' micro- and nanomotors Posted: 30 Jan 2013 09:16 AM PST Enzymes, workhorse molecules of life that underpin almost every biological process, may have a new role as "intelligent" micro- and nanomotors with applications in medicine, engineering and other fields. Single molecules of common enzymes can generate enough force to cause movement in specific directions, new research shows.

Mechanism behind wear at atomic scale Posted: 30 Jan 2013 09:16 AM PST As surfaces rub against one another, they break down and lose their original shape. With less material to start with and functionality that often depends critically on shape and surface structure, wear affects nanoscale objects more strongly than it does their macroscale counterparts. Now, researchers have experimentally demonstrated one of the mechanisms behind wear at the smallest scale: the transfer of material, atom by atom, from one surface to another.

Scientists learn more about how inhibitory brain cells get excited Posted: 30 Jan 2013 09:16 AM PST Scientists have found an early step in how the brain's inhibitory cells get excited.

How does fibrosis occur in Crohn's disease? Posted: 30 Jan 2013 09:16 AM PST New research has shown that a protein, known as IL-13, could be the key to the development of fibrosis in Crohn's disease.

Vegetarianism can reduce risk of heart disease by up to a third Posted: 30 Jan 2013 09:16 AM PST The risk of hospitalization or death from heart disease is 32 percent lower in vegetarians than people who eat meat and fish, according to a new study. Heart disease is the single largest cause of death in developed countries, and is responsible for 65,000 deaths each year in the UK alone. The new findings suggest that a vegetarian diet could significantly reduce people's risk of heart disease.

Previously unknown mechanism of memory formation discovered Posted: 30 Jan 2013 09:15 AM PST It takes a lot to make a memory. New proteins have to be synthesized, neuron structures altered. While some of these memory-building mechanisms are known, many are not. Some recent studies have indicated that a unique group of molecules called microRNAs, known to control production of proteins in cells, may play a far more important role in memory formation than previously thought.

New drug target identified for multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease Posted: 30 Jan 2013 08:20 AM PST Researchers report that the protein Klotho plays an important role in the health of myelin, the insulating material allowing for the rapid communication between nerve cells. These findings may lead to new therapies for multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease, in which white matter abnormalities are also common but have been largely ignored.

Toward a better cyanide antidote for terrorist attacks and other mass casualty events Posted: 30 Jan 2013 08:20 AM PST In an advance toward closing a major gap in defenses against terrorist attacks and other mass casualty events, scientists are reporting discovery of a promising substance that could be the basis for development of a better antidote for cyanide poisoning. Their report describes a potential antidote that could be self-administered, much like the medication delivered by allergy injection pens.

Electric vehicle: Light yet safe contender for city streets Posted: 30 Jan 2013 08:19 AM PST Can an electric vehicle be extremely light and safe at the same time? Researchers aim to show that the answer is yes. Engineers have chosen a sturdy monocoque body, state-of-the-art carbon fiber materials and a lightweight engine and transmission system.

Female deer take control during mating season Posted: 30 Jan 2013 08:19 AM PST A new study provides the first evidence of polyandry – when females choose to mate with more than one male – in female fallow deer.

Biologists use diag trees to help solve gypsy moth mystery Posted: 30 Jan 2013 08:17 AM PST Working beneath towering oaks and maples, researchers have helped explain an observation that had puzzled insect ecologists who study voracious leaf-munching gypsy moth caterpillars.

New insight into mechanics of arthritis Posted: 30 Jan 2013 07:19 AM PST A new, noninvasive, and low-cost method for the early detection and monitoring of osteoarthritis (arthritis caused by wear and tear) may be on its way, thanks to new research.

New target to stop cancer's spread Posted: 30 Jan 2013 07:19 AM PST Disrupting a key interaction between two types of proteins in cells inhibits the spread of cancerous cells, providing researchers with a new pathway toward developing cancer-fighting drugs, according to new findings.

Pathway for membrane building blocks Posted: 30 Jan 2013 07:19 AM PST Biomembranes consist of a mosaic of individual, densely packed lipid molecules. These molecules are formed inside the cells. But how do these building blocks move to the correct part of the membrane? Researchers have discovered a mechanism to show how this is done.

Revolutionary cooling system uses lasers Posted: 30 Jan 2013 07:19 AM PST Bulky and noisy air-conditioning compressors and refrigerators may soon be a thing of the past. Current cooling systems which uses refrigerant harmful to the ozone layer could be replaced by a revolutionary cooling system using lasers.

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