ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Baby wash does not damage baby's skin barrier function, study finds
• Caffeine linked to low birth weight babies
• A solution to sinusitis from the sea
• Meerkats use subordinate animals as guinea pigs when approaching novel threats
• Thigh fat may be to blame for older adults who slow down
• Could an old antidepressant treat sickle cell disease?
• Bone marrow cells used in bladder regeneration
• Could a computer on the police beat prevent violence?
• Ancient fossilized sea creatures yield oldest biomolecules isolated directly from a fossil
• New study on hepatitis C drug treatment in vivo and in vitro
• Shedding new light on infant brain development
• Pollution doesn't change the rate of droplet formation
• Reduced Lung Function in Infancy Associated with Wheeze Later
• Women have higher risk of hip implant failure
• Exploring supercapacitors to improve their structure
• National screening benchmarks for finding polyps during a colonoscopy might be too low
• Office workers beware: Sitting time associated with increased risk of chronic diseases
• Water on the moon: It's been there all along
• Hunt for distant planets intensifies
• Stem cell-based bioartificial tissues and organs
• International space station plays host to innovative infectious disease research
• Memory appears susceptible to eradication of fear responses
• Pathway controlling cell growth revealed
• Excessive TV in childhood linked to long-term antisocial behavior, New Zealand study shows
• Gut bacteria linked to cholesterol metabolism
• Molecules generated that can halt metastasis of colon cancer
• Paving the way for better sleep in Alzheimer's
• Cushion plants help other plants survive
• Reduced sea ice disturbs balance of greenhouse gases
• Genetic key to preventing spine tumors
• Blood is thicker than water – and blood plasma is, too
• Living organisms need antifreeze to survive in the cold
• Key to cleaner environment may be right beneath our feet
• Microbes team up to boost plants' stress tolerance
• Dopants dramatically alter electronic structure of superconductor
• Forging a new periodic table using nanostructures: Artificial atoms and bonds provide a new set of building blocks for future materials
• 'Snooze button' on biological clocks improves cell adaptability
• Diamond sheds light on basic building blocks of life
• Organic electronics: How to make contact between carbon compounds and metal
• 'Activating' RNA takes DNA on a loop through time and space
• Genetically modified crops are overregulated, food science expert says
• In the blink of an eye: X-ray imaging on the attosecond timescale
• Heart condition: Arrhythmia culprit caught in action
• Fighting disease deep inside the brain
• The quest for a better bionic hand: Implantable interfaces connect a hand prosthesis to the nerves
• Extreme weather and Resilience of coastal communities in United States
• Links between ozone levels and cardiac arrest analyzed
• Ancient teeth bacteria record disease evolution
• Decoys could blunt spread of ash-killing beetles
• Losing hope of a good night's sleep is risk factor for suicide
• Slithering towards extinction: Reptiles in trouble
• Novel herbal compound offers potential to prevent and treat Alzheimer's disease
• Possible link between diabetes and increased risk of heart attack death
• New enzyme that acts as innate immunity sensor discovered

Baby wash does not damage baby's skin barrier function, study finds Posted: 18 Feb 2013 05:15 PM PST New research has found washing newborn babies in a specific baby wash is just as safe as using water alone in terms of maintaining healthy skin.

Caffeine linked to low birth weight babies Posted: 18 Feb 2013 05:15 PM PST Maternal nutrition is important to a developing embryo and to the health of the child later in life. Supplementing the diet with specific vitamins is known to increase health of the fetus for example folic acid (vitamin B9) reduces the risk of spina bifida. However not everything an adult might consume is beneficial to a developing baby. New research shows that caffeine is linked to low birth weight babies and that caffeine from coffee in linked to increasing length of pregnancy.

A solution to sinusitis from the sea Posted: 18 Feb 2013 02:33 PM PST Scientists and surgeons are developing a new nasal spray from a marine microbe originally being investigated to clear the hulls of ships in order to help clear chronic sinusitis.

Meerkats use subordinate animals as guinea pigs when approaching novel threats Posted: 18 Feb 2013 02:32 PM PST In their environment, wild animals are exposed to countless threats, be they predators, diseases or natural obstacles to get over, such as gorges or rivers. In recent times, numerous human-made threats have been added to the naturally-existing ones, such as dangerous roads to cross. Scientists have worked to understand how animals cope with novel human-made threats by studying groups of wild meerkats, a species of socially-living mongooses.

Thigh fat may be to blame for older adults who slow down Posted: 18 Feb 2013 02:32 PM PST A new study shows that an increase in fat throughout the thigh is predictive of mobility loss in otherwise healthy older adults.

Could an old antidepressant treat sickle cell disease? Posted: 18 Feb 2013 02:32 PM PST An antidepressant drug used since the 1960s may also hold promise for treating sickle cell disease, according to a surprising new finding made in mice and human red blood cells by a team has spent more than three decades studying the basic biology of the condition.

Bone marrow cells used in bladder regeneration Posted: 18 Feb 2013 01:42 PM PST A new approach to bladder regeneration uses bone marrow cells to recreate the organ's smooth muscle, vasculature and nerve tissue.

Could a computer on the police beat prevent violence? Posted: 18 Feb 2013 01:41 PM PST As cities work to reduce violence in tight budget times, new research shows how they might be able to target their efforts and police attention on areas prone to violence – with the help of high-powered computers and loads of data on crime, alcohol availability and drug markets.

Ancient fossilized sea creatures yield oldest biomolecules isolated directly from a fossil Posted: 18 Feb 2013 01:41 PM PST Though scientists have long believed that complex organic molecules couldn't survive fossilization, some 350-million-year-old remains of aquatic sea creatures uncovered in Ohio, Indiana, and Iowa have challenged that assumption.

New study on hepatitis C drug treatment in vivo and in vitro Posted: 18 Feb 2013 01:41 PM PST Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection affects 4 million in the US and is the prirmary cause of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. New research shows that daclatasvir, an ant - HCV drug, has two modes of action and provides a more accurate estimate of the HCV half-life.

Shedding new light on infant brain development Posted: 18 Feb 2013 01:41 PM PST A new study finds that the infant brain does not control its blood flow the same way as the adult brain, that the control of brain blood flow develops with age. These findings could change the way researchers study brain development in infants and children.

Pollution doesn't change the rate of droplet formation Posted: 18 Feb 2013 01:41 PM PST When it comes to forming the droplets that make up clouds, a little oily and viscous organic material apparently doesn't matter that much. And that's good news for reducing the uncertainty of climate model predictions.

Reduced Lung Function in Infancy Associated with Wheeze Later Posted: 18 Feb 2013 01:41 PM PST A study in Australia suggests that reduced lung function in infancy was associated with wheezing beyond childhood at 18 years of age, according to a new report.

Women have higher risk of hip implant failure Posted: 18 Feb 2013 01:41 PM PST Women appear to have a higher risk of implant failure than men following total hip replacement after considering patient-, surgery-, surgeon-, volume- and implant-specific risk factors, according to a new report.

Exploring supercapacitors to improve their structure Posted: 18 Feb 2013 10:24 AM PST No matter how intimidating their name, supercapacitors are part of our daily lives. Take buses for example: supercapacitors are charged during braking and supply electricity to open the doors when the vehicle stops! Yet the molecular organization and functioning of these electricity storage devices had never previously been observed. For the first time, researchers have explored the molecular rearrangements at play in commercially available supercapacitors while in operation.

National screening benchmarks for finding polyps during a colonoscopy might be too low Posted: 18 Feb 2013 10:23 AM PST Current national guidelines provide benchmarks regarding the number of polyps physicians should detect, on average, during a colonoscopy. Recent studies suggest these benchmarks may be too low.

Office workers beware: Sitting time associated with increased risk of chronic diseases Posted: 18 Feb 2013 10:23 AM PST Those who sat for more than four hours per day were significantly more likely to report having a chronic disease such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.

Water on the moon: It's been there all along Posted: 18 Feb 2013 10:23 AM PST Traces of water have been detected within the crystalline structure of mineral samples from the lunar highland upper crust obtained during the Apollo missions, according to scientists.

Hunt for distant planets intensifies Posted: 18 Feb 2013 10:23 AM PST Armed with new tools, astronomers search for worlds like Earth.

Stem cell-based bioartificial tissues and organs Posted: 18 Feb 2013 07:30 AM PST Surgeons have successfully transplanting bioengineered stem cell-based trachea, composed of both artificial and biological material. Now they plan to use the technique to recreate more complex tissues, such as the esophagus and diaphragm or organs such as the heart and lungs. Researchers have also made an experimental attempt to regenerate brain tissue in mice and rats.

International space station plays host to innovative infectious disease research Posted: 18 Feb 2013 07:30 AM PST A microbiologist is using the ISS platform to pursue new research into the effects of microgravity on disease-causing organisms.

Memory appears susceptible to eradication of fear responses Posted: 18 Feb 2013 07:29 AM PST Fear responses can only be erased when people learn something new while retrieving the fear memory. This is the conclusion of a new study.

Pathway controlling cell growth revealed Posted: 18 Feb 2013 06:27 AM PST Scientists have discovered a genetic defect that can halt cell growth and force cells into a death-evading survival state.

Excessive TV in childhood linked to long-term antisocial behavior, New Zealand study shows Posted: 18 Feb 2013 06:27 AM PST Children and adolescents who watch a lot of television are more likely to manifest antisocial and criminal behavior when they become adults, according to a new study.

Gut bacteria linked to cholesterol metabolism Posted: 18 Feb 2013 06:25 AM PST Researchers have shown that cholesterol metabolism is regulated by bacteria in the small intestine. These findings may be important for the development of new drugs for cardiovascular disease.

Molecules generated that can halt metastasis of colon cancer Posted: 18 Feb 2013 06:25 AM PST Medical researchers have managed to halt the progress of colon cancer and its metastasis in the liver in an experimental model with mice. This advance, that may open a new path for the future treatment of such pathologies, has been achieved by creating molecules which interfere with the adhesion of tumor cells to other cells of the organism. In this way, the molecules halt both the growth of the tumor and the dissemination of the tumor to and its proliferation in other organs.

Paving the way for better sleep in Alzheimer's Posted: 18 Feb 2013 06:25 AM PST A new sleep pattern monitoring system has been developed by UK researchers to help spot sleep disturbance in people diagnosed with early dementia. The system, known as PAViS, could be used remotely by healthcare workers to view sleep profiles and analyze sleep patterns based on sensory data gathered at the patient's home.

Cushion plants help other plants survive Posted: 18 Feb 2013 06:25 AM PST Alpine cushion plants help other plants in harsh mountain environments to survive.

Reduced sea ice disturbs balance of greenhouse gases Posted: 18 Feb 2013 06:25 AM PST The widespread reduction in Arctic sea ice is causing significant changes to the balance of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Genetic key to preventing spine tumors Posted: 18 Feb 2013 06:25 AM PST Genetic medicine experts have identified a new gene responsible for causing an inherited form of tumor, known as spinal meningioma. Meningiomas are the commonest form of tumor affecting the brain and spine.

Blood is thicker than water – and blood plasma is, too Posted: 18 Feb 2013 06:25 AM PST Blood flows differently than water. Anyone who has ever cut themselves knows that blood flows viscously and rather erratically. The similarity between blood and ketchup is something not only filmmakers are aware of. Experts refer to these materials as "non-Newtonian fluids," of which ketchup and blood are prime examples. These fluids have flow properties that change depending on conditions, with some becoming more viscous, while others become less viscous.

Living organisms need antifreeze to survive in the cold Posted: 18 Feb 2013 06:25 AM PST If you thought antifreeze was only something that was necessary to keep your car from freezing up in the winter, think again.  Plants and animals living in cold climates have natural antifreeze proteins (AFPs) which prevent ice growth and crystallization of organic fluid matter. Without such antifreeze, living matter would suffer from frost damage and even death.

Key to cleaner environment may be right beneath our feet Posted: 17 Feb 2013 10:43 AM PST While many people recognize that clean water and air are signs of a healthy ecosystem, most do not realize that a critical part of the environment is right beneath their feet, according to a hydrologist.

Microbes team up to boost plants' stress tolerance Posted: 17 Feb 2013 10:43 AM PST While most farmers consider viruses and fungi potential threats to their crops, these microbes can help wild plants adapt to extreme conditions, according to a virologist.

Dopants dramatically alter electronic structure of superconductor Posted: 17 Feb 2013 10:42 AM PST Doping dramatically alters the atomic-scale electronic structure of the parent of a high-temperature superconductor, with important consequences for the behavior of the current-carrying electrons, according to new research. The findings could potentially point to new ways to design superconductors with improved properties.

Forging a new periodic table using nanostructures: Artificial atoms and bonds provide a new set of building blocks for future materials Posted: 17 Feb 2013 10:42 AM PST Scientists have developed a new set of building blocks based on nanoparticles and DNA. Using these tools, scientists will be able to build -- from the bottom up, just as nature does -- new and useful structures. The research team has already built more than 200 different crystal structures with 17 different particle arrangements. Some of the lattice types can be found in nature, but many are new structures that have no naturally occurring mineral counterpart.

'Snooze button' on biological clocks improves cell adaptability Posted: 17 Feb 2013 10:42 AM PST The circadian clocks that control and influence dozens of basic biological processes have an unexpected 'snooze button' that helps cells adapt to changes in their environment.

Diamond sheds light on basic building blocks of life Posted: 17 Feb 2013 10:42 AM PST The UK's national synchrotron facility, Diamond Light Source, is now the first and only place in Europe where pathogens requiring Containment Level 3 – including serious viruses such as those responsible for AIDS, Hepatitis and some types of flu – can be analyzed at atomic and molecular level using synchrotron light. Studying pathogens in this way has the potential to open up new paths for the development of therapeutic treatments and vaccines.

Organic electronics: How to make contact between carbon compounds and metal Posted: 17 Feb 2013 10:42 AM PST Organic electronics has already hit the market in smart-phone displays and holds great promise for future applications like flexible electroluminescent foils (a potential replacement for conventional light bulbs) or solar cells that convert sunlight to electricity. A reoccurring problem in this technology is to establish good electrical contact between the active organic layer and metal electrodes. Organic molecules are frequently used also for this purpose.

'Activating' RNA takes DNA on a loop through time and space Posted: 17 Feb 2013 10:42 AM PST Long segments of RNA -- encoded in our DNA but not translated into protein -- are key to physically manipulating DNA in order to activate certain genes, say researchers. These non-coding RNA-activator molecules help create a loop of DNA to open up genes for transcription. They have a crucial role in turning genes on and off during early embryonic development, and have also been connected with genetic diseases, such as FG syndrome, and cancer.

Genetically modified crops are overregulated, food science expert says Posted: 17 Feb 2013 10:42 AM PST Scientists argue that genetically modified foods are safe for consumption and overregulated.

In the blink of an eye: X-ray imaging on the attosecond timescale Posted: 17 Feb 2013 10:42 AM PST Scientists have been using powerful laboratory-scale lasers to test whether multidimensional nonlinear x-ray spectroscopy on the attosecond timescale is practical for the light sources of the future -- and just what combination of beam characteristics is needed to define them.

Heart condition: Arrhythmia culprit caught in action Posted: 17 Feb 2013 10:42 AM PST Using powerful X-rays, researchers have reconstructed a crime scene too small for any microscope to observe -- and caught the culprit of arrhythmia in action.

Fighting disease deep inside the brain Posted: 17 Feb 2013 10:42 AM PST Mini, ultra-flexible electrodes could improve treatment of Parkinson's and other health issues.

The quest for a better bionic hand: Implantable interfaces connect a hand prosthesis to the nerves Posted: 17 Feb 2013 10:42 AM PST New implantable interfaces connect a hand prosthesis to the nerves, making for smarter prosthetics that feel and function more like the real thing.

Extreme weather and Resilience of coastal communities in United States Posted: 17 Feb 2013 10:42 AM PST Hurricane Sandy was a fearsome reminder that coastal communities are highly vulnerable to extreme weather events and environmental variability, and that vulnerability is only expected to increase with climate change.

Links between ozone levels and cardiac arrest analyzed Posted: 17 Feb 2013 10:42 AM PST Researchers working with a massive data set unique to Houston, have found a direct correlation between out-of-hospital heart attacks and levels of air pollution and ozone.

Ancient teeth bacteria record disease evolution Posted: 17 Feb 2013 10:41 AM PST DNA preserved in calcified bacteria on the teeth of ancient human skeletons has shed light on the health consequences of the evolving diet and behavior from the Stone Age to the modern day.

Decoys could blunt spread of ash-killing beetles Posted: 17 Feb 2013 05:53 AM PST As the emerald ash borer ravages North American ash trees, threatening the trees' very survival, a team of entomologists and engineers may have found a way to prevent the spread of the pests.

Losing hope of a good night's sleep is risk factor for suicide Posted: 17 Feb 2013 05:53 AM PST When people lose hope that they will ever get another good night's sleep, they become at high risk for suicide, researchers report.

Slithering towards extinction: Reptiles in trouble Posted: 17 Feb 2013 05:53 AM PST Nineteen percent of the world's reptiles are estimated to be threatened with extinction, according to new research. The study is the first of its kind summarising the global conservation status of reptiles. More than 200 world renowned experts assessed the extinction risk of 1,500 randomly selected reptiles from across the globe.

Novel herbal compound offers potential to prevent and treat Alzheimer's disease Posted: 17 Feb 2013 05:53 AM PST Administration of the active compound tetrahydroxystilbene glucoside derived from the Chinese herbal medicine Polygonum multiflorum Thunb, reversed both overexpression of ±-synuclein, a small protein found in the brain, and its accumulation using a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. These results may shed light on the neuropathology of AD and open up new avenues of treatment.

Possible link between diabetes and increased risk of heart attack death Posted: 17 Feb 2013 05:52 AM PST Having diabetes doubles a person's risk of dying after a heart attack, but the reason for the increased risk is not clear. A new study suggests the link may lie in the over-activation of an important heart enzyme, which leads to death of pacemaker cells, abnormal heart rhythm, and increased risk of sudden death in diabetic mice following a heart attack.

New enzyme that acts as innate immunity sensor discovered Posted: 17 Feb 2013 05:50 AM PST Two studies could lead to new treatments for lupus and other autoimmune diseases and strengthen current therapies for viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections.

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