ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Electrons behaving like a particle and a wave: Feynman's double-slit experiment brought to life
• Computer models predict how patients will respond to HIV drugs without the need for resistance testing
• Shock treatment can kill: Clinical trial shows how 'standard' procedure results in children's deaths
• Increase in heavy rainfalls over past 60 years in upper Midwest, US
• Life in the universe: Foundations of carbon-based life leave little room for error
• U.S. lifespans lags other high-income countries, tied to mortality rates under age 50
• Novel chemical that controls cell behavior: First-in-class chemical compound might control metastases
• Dwelling on stressful events can increase inflammation in the body, study finds
• Tobacco industry appears to have evaded FDA ban on 'light' cigarette descriptors
• Implementing HPV vaccinations at a young age is significant for vaccine effectiveness
• Bottlenose dolphin leaders more likely to lead relatives than unrelated individuals
• Goats' milk with antimicrobial lysozyme speeds recovery from diarrhea
• No attention-boosting drugs for healthy kids, doctors urge
• Drug treatment corrects autism symptoms in mouse model
• Sex at zero gravity: Changes in gravity affect the reproductive process in plants
• Symbols, such as traffic lights, on menus effective in educating diners
• Bat disease: More accurate, sensitive DNA test allows early identification of fungus causing white nose syndrome
• New monoclonal antibody developed that can target proteins inside cancer cells
• Mechanism that regulates production of energy-burning brown fat discovered
• Molecule's structure reveals new therapeutic opportunities for rare diabetes
• 'Monster' starburst galaxies discovered in early universe
• New MRI method fingerprints tissues and diseases: Aims for fast and affordable scans, early and quick diagnoses
• Mechanical micro-drum used as quantum memory
• Strange spaghetti-shaped creature is missing link: Discovery pushes fossil record back 200 million years
• Protein may alter inevitability of osteoarthritis
• Monarch butterflies numbers down again
• Tapeworm DNA contains drug weak spots: Existing drugs could be effective in treating this damaging parasite, the first full tapeworm genomes reveal
• Immune cells cluster and communicate 'like bees,' researcher says
• How children can meet recommended activity goals
• Normal prion protein regulates iron metabolism
• Ancient Chinese coin found on Kenyan island
• Scientists find age-related changes in how autism affects the brain
• Polo takes the bait: A better 'mousetrap' discovered in fruit flies might stop a human cancer-driving kinase in its tracks
• New hope in fight against leading infectious cause of congenital birth defects
• Punishment can enhance performance, academics find
• Using hansfree kit or sending texts behind the wheel is as dangerous as being twice over legal alcohol limit, study suggests
• Local chemotherapy has a stronger effect on reducing tumor growth, research suggests
• Whole genome sequencing of wild rice reveals the mechanisms underlying oryza genome evolution
• Surprising control over photoelectrons from a topological insulator
• Paraffin encapsulated in beach sand material as a new way to store heat from the sun
• Paving the way for greater use of ancient medical knowledge
• New approaches for controlling pesticide exposure in children
• Doing business with a parrot: Self-control observed in cockatoos
• It's all in the way we move: Bone form and locomotor behavior in bipedal and quadrupedal marsupials
• Breakthrough in battle against leukemia
• Uncertainty regarding energy prices is hampering investment in energy efficiency
• Making fuel from bacteria
• Gorillas caught in the crossfire in the Democratic Republic of Congo
• Biochemical engineering: Waste not, want not
• Plasmonics: Model makes light work of nanocircuits
• Information technology: Improving the health of machines
• Signal processing: Look-up tables to shoulder the processing load
• High-resolution endoscope as thin as a human hair
• Current HIV screening guidelines are too conservative
• Recovery in motion: Post-discharge activity level linked to risk of hospital readmission in elderly
• New technique creates stronger, lightweight magnesium alloys
• Polycystic ovary syndrome puts glucose control in double jeopardy
• Neuron loss in schizophrenia and depression could be prevented, study suggests
• Extreme water in Earth's interior
• Open software platform to bring down energy costs

Electrons behaving like a particle and a wave: Feynman's double-slit experiment brought to life Posted: 13 Mar 2013 06:40 PM PDT The precise methodology of Richard Feynman's famous double-slit thought-experiment -- a cornerstone of quantum mechanics that showed how electrons behave as both a particle and a wave -- has been followed in full for the very first time.

Computer models predict how patients will respond to HIV drugs without the need for resistance testing Posted: 13 Mar 2013 06:40 PM PDT Computer models can predict how HIV patients whose drug therapy is failing will respond to a new treatment. Crucially for patients in poorer countries, the models do not require the results of expensive drug resistance tests to make their predictions. The study also showed that the models were able to identify alternative drug combinations that were predicted to work in cases where the treatment used in the clinic had failed, suggesting that their use could avoid treatment failure.

Shock treatment can kill: Clinical trial shows how 'standard' procedure results in children's deaths Posted: 13 Mar 2013 06:40 PM PDT Children who are given fluid to treat shock have an increased risk of death due to cardiovascular collapse at 48 hours, according to new research.

Increase in heavy rainfalls over past 60 years in upper Midwest, US Posted: 13 Mar 2013 03:23 PM PDT Heavy rains have become more frequent in the upper Midwest over the past 60 years, according to a new stud. The trend appears to hold true even with the current drought plaguing the region, the study's main author says.

Life in the universe: Foundations of carbon-based life leave little room for error Posted: 13 Mar 2013 03:23 PM PDT Life as we know it is based upon the elements of carbon and oxygen. Now a team of physicists is looking at the conditions necessary to the formation of those two elements in the universe. They've found that when it comes to supporting life, the universe leaves very little margin for error.

U.S. lifespans lags other high-income countries, tied to mortality rates under age 50 Posted: 13 Mar 2013 03:22 PM PDT A new study suggests higher mortality rates among Americans younger than 50 are responsible for much of why life expectancy is lower in the United States than most of the world's most developed nations. Most of the excess mortality of those younger than 50 was caused by noncommunicable diseases, including perinatal conditions, such as pregnancy complications and birth trauma, and homicide and unintentional injuries including drug overdose.

Novel chemical that controls cell behavior: First-in-class chemical compound might control metastases Posted: 13 Mar 2013 03:22 PM PDT It's the spread of the original cancer tumor that kills most people. That's why cancer researchers vigorously search for drugs that can prevent metastases, the spread of cancer. Scientist have found a chemical compound that controls cell migration and adhesion, two important characteristics of metastatic cancer cells. The team recently published an article describing how the first-in-class compound acts on various cells.

Dwelling on stressful events can increase inflammation in the body, study finds Posted: 13 Mar 2013 03:22 PM PDT Dwelling on negative events can increase levels of inflammation in the body, a new study finds. Researchers discovered that when study participants were asked to ruminate on a stressful incident, their levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of tissue inflammation, rose.

Tobacco industry appears to have evaded FDA ban on 'light' cigarette descriptors Posted: 13 Mar 2013 03:22 PM PDT New research shows one year after the U.S. government passed a law banning such descriptors as "light," "mild," and "low" on cigarette packages, smokers can identify their brands because of color-coding that tobacco companies added to "light" packs after the ban. These findings suggest the companies have been able to evade the ban on misleading wording and still convey false and deceptive message that lights are safer than "regular" cigarettes.

Implementing HPV vaccinations at a young age is significant for vaccine effectiveness Posted: 13 Mar 2013 03:21 PM PDT Initial vaccinations for human papillomavirus (HPV) at a young age is important for maximizing quadrivalent HPV vaccine effectiveness according to a Swedish study.

Bottlenose dolphin leaders more likely to lead relatives than unrelated individuals Posted: 13 Mar 2013 03:21 PM PDT Traveling into uncharted territory in search of food can be a dangerous undertaking, but some bottlenose dolphins may benefit by moving through their habitat with relatives who may be more experienced or knowledgeable. It turns out that leaders in bottlenose dolphin groups in the Florida Keys are more likely to be related to the dolphins that follow them.

Goats' milk with antimicrobial lysozyme speeds recovery from diarrhea Posted: 13 Mar 2013 03:21 PM PDT Milk from goats that were genetically modified to produce higher levels of lysozyme, a human antimicrobial protein, has proved effective in treating diarrhea in young pigs and may one day be used to help prevent human diarrheal diseases that each year claim the lives of 1.8 million children around the world.

No attention-boosting drugs for healthy kids, doctors urge Posted: 13 Mar 2013 03:20 PM PDT The practice of prescribing drugs to boost cognitive function, or memory and thinking abilities, in healthy children and teens is misguided, according to a new statement by the American Academy of Neurology.

Drug treatment corrects autism symptoms in mouse model Posted: 13 Mar 2013 03:20 PM PDT Autism results from abnormal cell communication. Testing a new theory, researchers have used a newly discovered function of an old drug to restore cell communications in a mouse model of autism, reversing symptoms of the devastating disorder.

Sex at zero gravity: Changes in gravity affect the reproductive process in plants Posted: 13 Mar 2013 03:20 PM PDT Researchers found that changes in gravity affect the reproductive process in plants. Gravity modulates traffic on the intracellular "highways" that ensure the growth and functionality of the male reproductive organ in plants, the pollen tube.

Symbols, such as traffic lights, on menus effective in educating diners Posted: 13 Mar 2013 01:09 PM PDT The combination of a symbol and a numeric calorie count on a menu is the most effective way to influence patrons to select lower-calorie items.

Bat disease: More accurate, sensitive DNA test allows early identification of fungus causing white nose syndrome Posted: 13 Mar 2013 01:09 PM PDT Scientists are identifying additional species of Geomyces and describing development of a highly sensitive DNA-based technique for early identification of Geomyces destructans on bats as well as in soils and on cave walls.

New monoclonal antibody developed that can target proteins inside cancer cells Posted: 13 Mar 2013 01:07 PM PDT Scientists have created a unique monoclonal antibody that can effectively reach inside a cancer cell.

Mechanism that regulates production of energy-burning brown fat discovered Posted: 13 Mar 2013 01:07 PM PDT Scientists have discovered a mechanism that regulates the production of brown fat, a type of fat which plays an important role in heat production and energy metabolism. The findings may lead to new therapies that increase BAT formation to treat obesity.

Molecule's structure reveals new therapeutic opportunities for rare diabetes Posted: 13 Mar 2013 11:26 AM PDT Researchers have determined the 3-D structure of a protein called HNF-4±. People with mature onset diabetes of the young (MODY1) have inherited mutations in the HNF-4± protein. This first-ever look at HNF-4±'s full structure uncovers new information about how it functions. The study also reveals new pockets in the protein that could be targeted with therapeutic drugs aimed at alleviating MODY1.

'Monster' starburst galaxies discovered in early universe Posted: 13 Mar 2013 11:25 AM PDT Astronomers have discovered starburst galaxies earlier in the Universe's history than they were previously thought to have existed. These newly discovered galaxies represent what today's most massive galaxies looked like in their energetic, star-forming youth.

New MRI method fingerprints tissues and diseases: Aims for fast and affordable scans, early and quick diagnoses Posted: 13 Mar 2013 11:25 AM PDT A new method of magnetic resonance imaging could routinely spot specific cancers, multiple sclerosis, heart disease and other maladies early, when they're most treatable, researchers say. Each body tissue and disease has a unique fingerprint that can be used to quickly diagnose problems, the scientists say.

Mechanical micro-drum used as quantum memory Posted: 13 Mar 2013 11:25 AM PDT Researchers have demonstrated that information encoded as a specific point in a traveling microwave signal -- the vertical and horizontal positions of a wave pattern at a certain time -- can be transferred to the mechanical beat of a micro-drum and later retrieved with 65 percent efficiency.

Strange spaghetti-shaped creature is missing link: Discovery pushes fossil record back 200 million years Posted: 13 Mar 2013 11:25 AM PDT Canada's 505 million year-old Burgess Shale fossil beds, located in Yoho National Park, have yielded yet another major scientific discovery -- this time with the unearthing of a strange phallus-shaped creature.

Protein may alter inevitability of osteoarthritis Posted: 13 Mar 2013 11:25 AM PDT Few things in life are inevitable - death, taxes, and, if you live long enough, osteoarthritis. Researchers have now unraveled the effects of a naturally occurring protein called lubricin, or Proteoglycans 4, that appears to protect against aging as well as helping with post-injury related changes.

Monarch butterflies numbers down again Posted: 13 Mar 2013 11:24 AM PDT Bad news again for the Monarch butterfly: Drought conditions and historic wildfires the past few years continue to decrease their numbers as they wing across Texas this spring. Worse news: milkweed plants – the only kind they need to survive – are also not in plentiful supply.

Tapeworm DNA contains drug weak spots: Existing drugs could be effective in treating this damaging parasite, the first full tapeworm genomes reveal Posted: 13 Mar 2013 11:14 AM PDT Tapeworms cause devastating disease around the world and new treatments are urgently needed. A new study describes possible targets on which currently licensed drugs could act, identified by genome sequencing. Re-using existing therapies will help to develop treatments more rapidly.

Immune cells cluster and communicate 'like bees,' researcher says Posted: 13 Mar 2013 10:19 AM PDT The immune system's T cells, while coordinating responses to diseases and vaccines, act like honey bees sharing information about the best honey sources, according to a new study.

How children can meet recommended activity goals Posted: 13 Mar 2013 10:19 AM PDT Despite overwhelming evidence about the benefits of physical activity for children, most American youngsters are not meeting the federal recommendation of 60 minutes a day. A new study has identified specific ways -- and estimated minutes for each approach -- that can help children achieve the recommended daily physical activity goal.

Normal prion protein regulates iron metabolism Posted: 13 Mar 2013 10:19 AM PDT An iron imbalance caused by prion proteins collecting in the brain is a likely cause of cell death in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, researchers have found. The breakthrough follows discoveries that certain proteins found in the brains of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's patients also regulate iron.

Ancient Chinese coin found on Kenyan island Posted: 13 Mar 2013 10:19 AM PDT Scientists have unearthed a 600-year-old Chinese coin on the Kenyan island of Manda that shows trade existed between China and east Africa decades before European explorers set sail and changed the map of the world.

Scientists find age-related changes in how autism affects the brain Posted: 13 Mar 2013 09:35 AM PDT Autism spectrum disorders affect the brain activity of children and adults differently, according to new research.

Polo takes the bait: A better 'mousetrap' discovered in fruit flies might stop a human cancer-driving kinase in its tracks Posted: 13 Mar 2013 09:35 AM PDT A seemingly obscure gene in the female fruit fly that is only active in cells that will become eggs has led researchers to the discovery of a atypical protein that lures, traps, and inactivates the powerful Polo kinase, widely considered the master regulator of cell division. Its human homolog, Polo-like kinase-1 (Plk1), is misregulated in many types of cancer.

New hope in fight against leading infectious cause of congenital birth defects Posted: 13 Mar 2013 09:35 AM PDT A virus most people probably have never heard of, but that the majority of us carry, is the No. 1 infectious cause of congenital birth defects in the U.S. today. Because of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, 1 in 750 children are born with or develop permanent disabilities. But efforts to develop a CMV vaccine are gaining ground. Researchers have discovered a cellular mechanism that could prove critical in creating a CMV vaccine.

Punishment can enhance performance, academics find Posted: 13 Mar 2013 09:33 AM PDT The stick can work just as well as the carrot in improving our performance, a team of academics has found.

Using hansfree kit or sending texts behind the wheel is as dangerous as being twice over legal alcohol limit, study suggests Posted: 13 Mar 2013 09:33 AM PDT Scientists have compared the effects of mobile phone use while driving with the effects of alcohol using a simulation. Their experiment demonstrates that using a handsfree kit or sending text messages is the same as being above the legal alcohol limit.

Local chemotherapy has a stronger effect on reducing tumor growth, research suggests Posted: 13 Mar 2013 09:33 AM PDT Reducing the growth of a tumor by localized delivery of cancer medication can be achieved by using a combination of ultrasound, temperature-sensitive nanoparticles and MRI, new research suggests.

Whole genome sequencing of wild rice reveals the mechanisms underlying oryza genome evolution Posted: 13 Mar 2013 08:25 AM PDT Whole genome sequencing of wild rice reveals the mechanisms underlying oryza genome evolution.

Surprising control over photoelectrons from a topological insulator Posted: 13 Mar 2013 08:24 AM PDT Electrons flowing swiftly across the surface of topological insulators (TIs) are "spin polarized," their spin and momentum locked. The potential to control electron distribution in spintronic devices makes TIs a hot topic in materials science. Now scientists have discovered another useful surprise. Scientists have discovered how a photon beam can flip the spin polarization of electrons emitted from an exciting new material.

Paraffin encapsulated in beach sand material as a new way to store heat from the sun Posted: 13 Mar 2013 08:24 AM PDT The search for sustainable new materials to store heat captured from the sun for release during the night has led scientists to a high-tech combination of paraffin wax and sand. They have now reported on the heat-storing capability of this microencapsulated sand.

Paving the way for greater use of ancient medical knowledge Posted: 13 Mar 2013 08:24 AM PDT Scientists are reporting an advance toward overcoming a major barrier to tapping the potential of traditional Chinese medicine and India's Ayurvedic medicine in developing new and more effective modern drugs.

New approaches for controlling pesticide exposure in children Posted: 13 Mar 2013 08:24 AM PDT New research on household pesticide contamination emphasizes the need for less reliance on pesticides and more emphasis on neatness, blocking cracks where insects can enter and other so-called "integrated pest management" (IPM) measures, scientists have concluded.

Doing business with a parrot: Self-control observed in cockatoos Posted: 13 Mar 2013 08:24 AM PDT Scientists have for the first time succeeded in observing self-control in cockatoos.

It's all in the way we move: Bone form and locomotor behavior in bipedal and quadrupedal marsupials Posted: 13 Mar 2013 08:24 AM PDT A new study examined the connections between bone form and locomotor behavior in bipedal and quadrupedal marsupials.

Breakthrough in battle against leukemia Posted: 13 Mar 2013 08:24 AM PDT Scientists have discovered a critical weakness in leukemic cells, which may pave the way to new treatments.

Uncertainty regarding energy prices is hampering investment in energy efficiency Posted: 13 Mar 2013 08:22 AM PDT According to the model developed by BC3 and UPV/EHU researchers, energy price uncertainty is having a negative effect on investment in energy efficiency. Furthermore, they conclude that higher prices of energy and CO2 emission allowances would encourage such investments.

Making fuel from bacteria Posted: 13 Mar 2013 08:22 AM PDT In the search for the fuels of tomorrow, Swedish researchers are finding inspiration in the sea. Not in offshore oil wells, but in the water where blue-green algae thrive.

Gorillas caught in the crossfire in the Democratic Republic of Congo Posted: 13 Mar 2013 08:19 AM PDT The world's leading conservation organizations have joined together to fight for the survival of the Endangered Grauer's or eastern lowland gorilla (Gorilla beringei graueri).

Biochemical engineering: Waste not, want not Posted: 13 Mar 2013 08:17 AM PDT A simple fermentation treatment can convert a by-product of biofuel production into a valuable chemical feedstock for a wide range of biomedical products.

Plasmonics: Model makes light work of nanocircuits Posted: 13 Mar 2013 08:17 AM PDT A numerical simulation predicts the behavior of a component that controls light for faster computing.

Information technology: Improving the health of machines Posted: 13 Mar 2013 08:17 AM PDT Electronic engineers have developed and successfully tested a management system that increases the efficiency of wireless sensor networks for monitoring machine health.

Signal processing: Look-up tables to shoulder the processing load Posted: 13 Mar 2013 08:16 AM PDT Computing tasks for signal processing could be performed more quickly with less power by using look-up tables.

High-resolution endoscope as thin as a human hair Posted: 13 Mar 2013 07:04 AM PDT Engineers have developed a prototype single-fiber endoscope that improves the resolution of these much-sought-after instruments fourfold over existing designs. The advance could lead to an era of needle-thin, minimally invasive endoscopes able to view features out of reach of today's instruments.

Current HIV screening guidelines are too conservative Posted: 13 Mar 2013 07:04 AM PDT Researchers report that the CDC's current HIV screening guidelines are too conservative and that more frequent testing would be cost-effective in the long run for both high- and low-risk groups. The researchers performed a mathematical modeling study to assess "optimal testing frequencies" for HIV screening in different risk groups. They concluded screening should be done up to every three months for the highest-risk individuals and low-risk groups should be tested every three years.

Recovery in motion: Post-discharge activity level linked to risk of hospital readmission in elderly Posted: 13 Mar 2013 07:04 AM PDT A new study has found a link between the activity levels of elderly people who have just been released from the hospital and the risk that they will require readmission within 30 days.

New technique creates stronger, lightweight magnesium alloys Posted: 13 Mar 2013 07:04 AM PDT Researchers have developed a new technique for creating stronger, lightweight magnesium alloys that have potential structural applications in the automobile and aerospace industries.

Polycystic ovary syndrome puts glucose control in double jeopardy Posted: 13 Mar 2013 07:04 AM PDT Polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition affecting about 10 percent of women and characterized by excess male hormone and increased risk of diabetes and heart disease, appears to cause a sort of double jeopardy for those struggling the hardest to control blood sugar levels, researchers report.

Neuron loss in schizophrenia and depression could be prevented, study suggests Posted: 13 Mar 2013 06:55 AM PDT Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) deficits have been implicated in schizophrenia and depression. In schizophrenia, deficits have been particularly well-described for a subtype of GABA neuron, the parvalbumin fast-spiking interneurons. The activity of these neurons is critical for proper cognitive and emotional functioning. It now appears that parvalbumin neurons are particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress, a factor that may emerge commonly in development, particularly in the context of psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, where compromised mitochondrial function plays a role.

Extreme water in Earth's interior Posted: 13 Mar 2013 06:54 AM PDT Earth is the only known planet that holds water in massive quantities and in all three of the main phase states. But the earthly, omnipresent compound water has very unusual properties that become particularly evident when subjected to high pressure and high temperatures.

Open software platform to bring down energy costs Posted: 13 Mar 2013 06:54 AM PDT Energy is getting more and more expensive, and experts are predicting record electricity and heating prices. A software platform promises to lighten the load for households and businesses by making it easier for consumers to put renewables to good effect.

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