ScienceDaily: Top News

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• World record solar cell with 44.7% efficiency
• Alzheimer's progression tracked prior to dementia
• Enormous catalog of more than 300,000 nearby galaxies
• Spinning CDs to clean sewage water
• Theory and formula to improve 'plastic' semiconductors developed
• Global warming is likely to increase severe thunderstorm conditions in U.S., research finds
• Wind and rain belts to shift north as planet warms: Redistribution of rainfall could make Middle East, Western US and Amazonia drier
• Math explains history: Simulation accurately captures the evolution of ancient complex societies
• The inefficient acquisition: Research gives new reason why some companies overpay for merger targets
• Siberian hamsters show what helps make seasonal clocks tick
• Stretchable, foldable transparent electronic display created
• Headway towards quantum information transfer via nanomechanical coupling
• Whale earwax used to determine contaminant exposure in whales
• Protecting specific area of the brain during radiation therapy substantially reduces memory loss
• Pesticide regulation in California is flawed
• Non-precious metal catalysts outperforming Pt-based one
• Researchers discover a new way that influenza can infect cells
• Fossil record shows crustaceans vulnerable as modern coral reefs decline
• Modifying rice crops to resist herbicide prompts weedy neighbors' growth spurt
• Human brain tumor cells erased in mice
• Preoperative blood typing may not be needed for some pediatric surgeries
• Sibling bullying: What's the big deal?
• Booster dose of new meningitis vaccine may be beneficial
• First look at complete sorghum genome may usher in new uses for food and fuel
• First direct measurement of spinal cord myelin in multiple sclerosis
• More archeological treasures found in Southern Turkey: Statue head of goddess Aphrodite, mosaic temple floor, more evidence of Roman influence
• Putting the spring back in broken hearts
• The fish and the egg: Towards a new strategy for fattening up red drum in Texas
• It takes a(n academic) village to determine an enzyme's function
• How 'bad' cholesterol causes atherosclerosis in humans: Stem cells play a key role
• Explaination for increased asthma severity in children exposed to diesel exhaust from traffic
• A fast fish with a huge impact
• Rising rates of severe and fatal sepsis during labor and delivery
• Eagle vs. deer: Camera trap shows golden eagle capturing sika deer
• Optical properties of a novel kind of magnetism probed
• Chasing the 'black holes' of the ocean
• Research uncovers gene's contribution to asthma susceptibility
• Smartphones, tablets could provide universal access to medical monitoring
• How bacteria integrate autotransporters into their outer membrane
• First steps towards achieving better and cheaper biodiesel
• Walnuts in diet can improve endothelial functions for overweight adults
• Sleep education helps families of children with autism
• Patient heal thyself: Solution to treatment for chronic infections could lie in patient's blood
• Smile! New nanotube surface promises dental implants that heal faster and fight infection
• How aboriginal Australians coped with the last ice age
• Immune system fights infection with performance enhancement
• Hunger pains
• Clinical trial strives to provide optimal care during high-risk pregnancies
• Functional disability high among newly diagnosed older breast cancer patients
• Researchers discover the smallest aquatic bacterium ever described
• Improving salmon's success in the wild and aquaculture
• Magnetic nanowires: Domain walls as new information storage medium
• Hong Kong, Singapore and New Zealand are happiest countries in the world, according to new happiness index
• Most painful days of your life - school desks and chronic back pain
• Mesothelioma: Two groundbreaking trials into treatments for asbestos-related cancer
• Addiction: Can you ever really completely leave it behind?
• Landmark study provides key to improved survival in peritoneal dialysis patients
• Some parts of memory still developing deep into childhood
• Chronic aggressive behaviour in boys: Epigenetic sources?

World record solar cell with 44.7% efficiency Posted: 23 Sep 2013 05:42 PM PDT Researchers in Germany report a new world record for the conversion of sunlight into electricity using a new solar cell structure with four solar subcells. A new record efficiency of 44.7% was measured at a concentration of 297 suns, indicating that 44.7% of the solar spectrum's energy, from ultraviolet through to the infrared, is converted into electrical energy. The achievement is being hailed as a major step towards reducing the costs of solar electricity.

Alzheimer's progression tracked prior to dementia Posted: 23 Sep 2013 05:03 PM PDT Important progress has been made on the challenge of identifying and tracking preclinical Alzheimer's disease. Scientists show that markers for preclinical disease can help predict the start of dementia.

Enormous catalog of more than 300,000 nearby galaxies Posted: 23 Sep 2013 05:03 PM PDT More than 83,000 volunteer citizen scientists. Over 16 million galaxy classifications. Information on more than 300,000 galaxies. This is what you get when you ask the public for help in learning more about our universe.

Spinning CDs to clean sewage water Posted: 23 Sep 2013 02:59 PM PDT Audio CDs, all the rage in the '90s, seem increasingly obsolete in a world of MP3 files and iPods, leaving many music lovers with the question of what to do with their extensive compact disk collections. While you could turn your old disks into a work of avant-garde art, researchers in Taiwan have come up with a more practical application: breaking down sewage.

Theory and formula to improve 'plastic' semiconductors developed Posted: 23 Sep 2013 12:55 PM PDT We could find many uses for bendable electronics, such as e-readers that folded like newspapers or smart phones that curved in our back pockets. Polymer semiconductors could get us there. But their electrical properties are not well understood. In some novel work scientists explain how the structure of polymers affects their electrical properties with an eye toward improving their performance as electronic components.

Global warming is likely to increase severe thunderstorm conditions in U.S., research finds Posted: 23 Sep 2013 12:55 PM PDT Severe thunderstorms, often exhibiting destructive rainfall, hail and tornadoes, are one of the primary causes of catastrophic losses in the United States. New climate models suggest a robust increase in these types of storms across the country.

Wind and rain belts to shift north as planet warms: Redistribution of rainfall could make Middle East, Western US and Amazonia drier Posted: 23 Sep 2013 12:55 PM PDT As humans continue to heat the planet, a northward shift of Earth's wind and rain belts could make a broad swath of regions drier, including the Middle East, American West and Amazonia, while making Monsoon Asia and equatorial Africa wetter, says a new study.

Math explains history: Simulation accurately captures the evolution of ancient complex societies Posted: 23 Sep 2013 12:55 PM PDT The question of how human societies evolve from small groups to the huge, anonymous and complex societies of today has been answered mathematically, accurately matching the historical record on the emergence of complex states in the ancient world.

The inefficient acquisition: Research gives new reason why some companies overpay for merger targets Posted: 23 Sep 2013 12:53 PM PDT Sometimes, companies know they're paying too much for another company, and a researcher says they have a good reason for doing it anyway.

Siberian hamsters show what helps make seasonal clocks tick Posted: 23 Sep 2013 12:53 PM PDT Many animals, including humans, have internal clocks and calendars to help them regulate behavior, physiological functions and biological processes. Although scientists have extensively studied the timekeeping mechanisms that inform daily functions (circadian rhythms), they know very little about the timekeeping mechanisms that inform seasonal functions.

Stretchable, foldable transparent electronic display created Posted: 23 Sep 2013 11:37 AM PDT Imagine an electronic display nearly as clear as a window, or a curtain that illuminates a room, or a smartphone screen that doubles in size, stretching like rubber. Now imagine all of these being made from the same material. Researchers have developed a transparent, elastic organic light-emitting device, or OLED, that could one day make all these possible.

Headway towards quantum information transfer via nanomechanical coupling Posted: 23 Sep 2013 11:37 AM PDT Fiber optics has made communication faster than ever, but the next step involves a quantum leap –– literally. In order to improve the security of the transfer of information, scientists are working on how to translate electrical quantum states to optical quantum states in a way that would enable ultrafast, quantum-encrypted communications.

Whale earwax used to determine contaminant exposure in whales Posted: 23 Sep 2013 11:36 AM PDT A novel technique has been developed for reconstructing contaminant and hormone profiles using whale earplugs to determine, for the first time, lifetime chemical exposures and hormone profiles, from birth to death, for an individual whale. This information has not been previously attainable.

Protecting specific area of the brain during radiation therapy substantially reduces memory loss Posted: 23 Sep 2013 11:36 AM PDT Protecting the stem cells that reside in and around the hippocampus -- a C-shaped area in the temporal lobe on both sides of the brain associated with the ability to form and store memories -- substantially reduces the rate of cancer patients' memory loss during whole-brain radiotherapy without a significant risk of recurrence in that area of the brain, a new study shows.

Pesticide regulation in California is flawed Posted: 23 Sep 2013 11:36 AM PDT In at least one case, the California system for approving a pesticide for use on crops failed by approving a chemical called methyl iodide for use on strawberries. Methyl iodide is a neurotoxicant and is carcinogenic. It is also a developmental toxicant, impairing fetal development and causing fetal death, at low doses.

Non-precious metal catalysts outperforming Pt-based one Posted: 23 Sep 2013 11:36 AM PDT Researchers have discovered a new family of non-precious metal catalysts. These catalysts exhibit better performance than platinum in oxygen-reduction reaction (ORR) only with 10% of the production cost of a platinum catalyst.

Researchers discover a new way that influenza can infect cells Posted: 23 Sep 2013 11:35 AM PDT Scientists have uncovered a new mechanism by which influenza can infect cells – a finding that ultimately may have implications for immunity against the flu.

Fossil record shows crustaceans vulnerable as modern coral reefs decline Posted: 23 Sep 2013 11:35 AM PDT Many ancient crustaceans went extinct following a massive collapse of reefs across the planet, and new research suggests modern species living in rapidly declining reef habitats may now be at risk.

Modifying rice crops to resist herbicide prompts weedy neighbors' growth spurt Posted: 23 Sep 2013 11:35 AM PDT Rice containing an overactive gene that makes it resistant to a common herbicide can pass that genetic trait to weedy rice, prompting powerful growth even without a weed-killer to trigger the modification benefit, new research shows.

Human brain tumor cells erased in mice Posted: 23 Sep 2013 11:35 AM PDT Working with mice, researchers have discovered that weeks of treatment with a repurposed FDA-approved drug halted the growth of -- and ultimately left no detectable trace of -- brain tumor cells taken from adult human patients.

Preoperative blood typing may not be needed for some pediatric surgeries Posted: 23 Sep 2013 11:35 AM PDT Certain pediatric surgeries carry such low risk of serious blood loss that clinicians can safely forgo expensive blood typing and blood stocking before such procedures, suggest the results of a small study.

Sibling bullying: What's the big deal? Posted: 23 Sep 2013 09:40 AM PDT Sibling bullying is a type of violence that is prevalent in the lives of most children, but little is known about it. Researchers say the phenomenon has been overlooked.

Booster dose of new meningitis vaccine may be beneficial Posted: 23 Sep 2013 09:40 AM PDT A study of 4CMenB, a new vaccine to protect against meningitis B bacteria (which can cause potentially fatal bacterial meningitis in children), shows that waning immunity induced by infant vaccination can be overcome by a booster dose at 40 months of age.

First look at complete sorghum genome may usher in new uses for food and fuel Posted: 23 Sep 2013 09:39 AM PDT Although sorghum lines underwent adaptation to be grown in temperate climates decades ago, a researcher said he and his team have completed the first comprehensive genomic analysis of the molecular changes behind that adaptation.

First direct measurement of spinal cord myelin in multiple sclerosis Posted: 23 Sep 2013 09:38 AM PDT Scientists have developed a novel molecular probe detectable by PET imaging. The new molecular marker, MeDAS, offers the first non-invasive visualization of myelin integrity of the entire spinal cord at the same time.

More archeological treasures found in Southern Turkey: Statue head of goddess Aphrodite, mosaic temple floor, more evidence of Roman influence Posted: 23 Sep 2013 09:38 AM PDT Shoveling and sweeping to expose still-hidden portions of a 1,600-square-foot marble mosaic that dates to Roman times, an archeological team this past summer unearthed a new treasure in southern Turkey. Lying face down in more than a millennium of soil was a life-size marble head, the remnant of a sculpture of the goddess Aphrodite – still beautiful, though scarred by chips on its nose and face.

Putting the spring back in broken hearts Posted: 23 Sep 2013 08:42 AM PDT For years, scientists have been trying to engineer cardiac tissue to patch up areas of the heart damaged by heart attacks. Now Tel Aviv University researchers have fabricated fibers shaped like springs that allow engineered cardiac tissue to pump more like the real thing. They say that, once tested in clinical trials, the use of these fibers will improve and prolong the lives of millions of people.

The fish and the egg: Towards a new strategy for fattening up red drum in Texas Posted: 23 Sep 2013 08:41 AM PDT Are red drum fish "capital" or "income" breeders? The answer has significant economic and environmental consequences for how the state of Texas manages its breeding of the popular game fish.

It takes a(n academic) village to determine an enzyme's function Posted: 23 Sep 2013 08:41 AM PDT Scientists have sequenced the genomes of nearly 6,900 organisms, but they know the functions of only about half of the protein-coding genes thus far discovered. Now a multidisciplinary effort involving 15 scientists from three institutions has begun chipping away at this mystery -- in a big way. Their work to identify the function of one bacterial protein and the biochemical pathway in which it operates will also help identify the functions of hundreds of other proteins.

How 'bad' cholesterol causes atherosclerosis in humans: Stem cells play a key role Posted: 23 Sep 2013 08:41 AM PDT Translational researchers are developing a richer understanding of atherosclerosis in humans, revealing a key role for stem cells that promote inflammation.

Explaination for increased asthma severity in children exposed to diesel exhaust from traffic Posted: 23 Sep 2013 08:41 AM PDT A new study shows that exposure to diesel exhaust particles from traffic pollution leads to increased asthma severity in children. Moreover, the study finds that this is due to increased blood levels of IL-17A, a protein associated with several chronic inflammatory diseases, in children with high diesel exposure.

A fast fish with a huge impact Posted: 23 Sep 2013 08:41 AM PDT Globalization is breaking down barriers -- also for plants and animals on the lookout for new homes. Rivers are also changing, in particular through the introduction of non-native species, often brought in by passing ships. In the Danube River, scientists have been observing a fish species conquering a new habitat and creating a totally new ecosystem in the process.

Rising rates of severe and fatal sepsis during labor and delivery Posted: 23 Sep 2013 08:41 AM PDT Rates of severe sepsis and deaths from sepsis among US women hospitalized for delivery have risen sharply over the last decade.

Eagle vs. deer: Camera trap shows golden eagle capturing sika deer Posted: 23 Sep 2013 08:41 AM PDT A camera trap set out for endangered Siberian (Amur) tigers in the Russian Far East photographed something far more rare: a golden eagle capturing a young sika deer.

Optical properties of a novel kind of magnetism probed Posted: 23 Sep 2013 08:41 AM PDT Using low-frequency laser pulses, a team of researchers has carried out the first measurements that reveal the detailed characteristics of a unique kind of magnetism found in a mineral called herbertsmithite. In this material, the magnetic elements constantly fluctuate, leading to an exotic state of fluid magnetism called a "quantum spin liquid." This is in contrast to conventional magnetism, found in materials called ferromagnets -- where all of the magnetic forces align in the same direction, reinforcing each other -- or antiferromagnets, where adjacent magnetic elements align in opposite directions, leading to complete cancellation of the material's overall magnetic field.

Chasing the 'black holes' of the ocean Posted: 23 Sep 2013 08:41 AM PDT Some of the largest ocean eddies on Earth are mathematically equivalent to the mysterious black holes of space. These eddies are so tightly shielded by circular water paths that nothing caught up in them escapes. The mild winters experienced in Northern Europe are thanks to the Gulf Stream, which makes up part of those ocean currents spanning the globe that impact on the climate. However, our climate is also influenced by huge eddies of over 150 kilometres in diameter that rotate and drift across the ocean. Their number is reportedly on the rise in the Southern Ocean, increasing the northward transport of warm and salty water. Intriguingly, this could moderate the negative impact of melting sea ice in a warming climate.

Research uncovers gene's contribution to asthma susceptibility Posted: 23 Sep 2013 07:20 AM PDT New research has uncovered the role gene ORMDL3 plays in the disease asthma. ORMDL3, a gene recently linked to asthma susceptibility, has now been linked to the body's ability to recruit inflammatory cells during an airway allergic reaction.

Smartphones, tablets could provide universal access to medical monitoring Posted: 23 Sep 2013 07:20 AM PDT Do you have a smartphone in your pocket or purse? If so, you may be carrying the future of mobile medical monitoring technology, according to a new report.

How bacteria integrate autotransporters into their outer membrane Posted: 23 Sep 2013 07:20 AM PDT The bacterial outer envelope is densely packed with proteins that form small pores and facilitate the passage of nutrients, toxins and signaling molecules. Researchers now demonstrate how these transporter proteins are integrated into the outer membrane.

First steps towards achieving better and cheaper biodiesel Posted: 23 Sep 2013 07:19 AM PDT Is there any connection between wine and biodiesel? The answer is yes, however surprising it may seem. Acetals are chemical compounds found in many wines, like port, for example, which give it a unique, sweet smell. However if acetals are blended with biodiesel, they improve its properties.

Walnuts in diet can improve endothelial functions for overweight adults Posted: 23 Sep 2013 07:19 AM PDT Medical researchers have found evidence suggestive that adding walnuts to one's diet can protect against diabetes and heart disease in at-risk individuals.

Sleep education helps families of children with autism Posted: 23 Sep 2013 07:15 AM PDT Parent sleep education is beneficial in improving sleep and aspects of daytime behavior and family functioning in children with autism spectrum disorders..

Patient heal thyself: Solution to treatment for chronic infections could lie in patient's blood Posted: 23 Sep 2013 06:31 AM PDT A recent discovery provides hope for a new personalized treatment strategy that could use a patient's own blood to treat infection. This could help treat millions of people living with chronic infections such as HIV, Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C.

Smile! New nanotube surface promises dental implants that heal faster and fight infection Posted: 23 Sep 2013 06:31 AM PDT A surface of TiO2 nanotubes could reduce the failure rate for dental implants, both by encouraging bone growth around the implant and by serving as a drug-delivery system for antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory substances.

How aboriginal Australians coped with the last ice age Posted: 23 Sep 2013 06:31 AM PDT While we grapple with the impact of climate change, archaeologists suggest we spare a thought for Aboriginal Australians who had to cope with the last ice age.

Immune system fights infection with performance enhancement Posted: 23 Sep 2013 06:30 AM PDT Researchers have found that even our immune system is subject to performance enhancement, with our bodies giving immune cells the boost they need to ensure the best team is selected to fight infections.

Hunger pains Posted: 23 Sep 2013 06:30 AM PDT Binge-eating disorder, only recently designated as a diagnosis by the American Psychiatric Association in its official diagnostic manual of mental conditions, is associated with lifelong impairments comparable to those of bulimia nervosa, a long-established eating disorder with more dramatic symptoms.

Clinical trial strives to provide optimal care during high-risk pregnancies Posted: 23 Sep 2013 06:30 AM PDT Researchers are conducting a clinical trial to help determine the best timing of delivery in preterm pregnancies complicated by poor fetal growth. Preliminary results from the trial demonstrate better than expected health outcomes in this high-risk group of fetuses.

Functional disability high among newly diagnosed older breast cancer patients Posted: 23 Sep 2013 06:30 AM PDT Many older women with newly diagnosed breast cancer have difficulty accomplishing daily tasks, and African-Americans seem to be disproportionately affected. Those are the findings of a new study, whose results suggest that many breast cancer patients could benefit from receiving therapy to improve their physical function.

Researchers discover the smallest aquatic bacterium ever described Posted: 23 Sep 2013 06:29 AM PDT Researchers have discovered the smallest aquatic bacterium ever described worldwide.

Improving salmon's success in the wild and aquaculture Posted: 23 Sep 2013 06:29 AM PDT Have you ever been stressed and forgot what you were doing? Chronic mild stress may explain why many salmon don´t return to our rivers and why 20% of salmon production is lost every year.

Magnetic nanowires: Domain walls as new information storage medium Posted: 23 Sep 2013 06:27 AM PDT While searching for ever smaller devices that can be used as data storage systems and novel sensors, physicists have directly observed magnetization dynamics processes in magnetic nanowires and thus paved the way for further research in the field of nanomagnetism. Small magnetic domain wall structures in nanowires can be used to store information and, for example, can be used as angle sensors. Initial applications based on magnetic domain walls have been developed and are already in use in sensor technology.

Hong Kong, Singapore and New Zealand are happiest countries in the world, according to new happiness index Posted: 23 Sep 2013 06:27 AM PDT Spain is the 49th happiest country in the world, according to a new index of happiness based on migratory flows and not on subjective answers to surveys.  Hong Kong, Singapore and New Zealand occupy the first three places.

Most painful days of your life - school desks and chronic back pain Posted: 23 Sep 2013 06:27 AM PDT Undersize school chairs, low desks and overweight backpacks are contributing to chronic back pain in adolescents, according to a study.

Mesothelioma: Two groundbreaking trials into treatments for asbestos-related cancer Posted: 23 Sep 2013 06:27 AM PDT Two major trials are looking into treatments for a type of cancer which affects those exposed to asbestos.

Addiction: Can you ever really completely leave it behind? Posted: 23 Sep 2013 06:27 AM PDT It is often said that once people develop an addiction, they can never completely eliminate their attraction to the abused substance. New findings provide further support for this notion by suggesting that even long-term abstinence from cocaine does not result in a complete normalization of brain circuitry.

Landmark study provides key to improved survival in peritoneal dialysis patients Posted: 23 Sep 2013 06:26 AM PDT

Some parts of memory still developing deep into childhood Posted: 23 Sep 2013 06:23 AM PDT A new study provides evidence that one important part of memory undergoes substantial development even after the age of seven.

Chronic aggressive behaviour in boys: Epigenetic sources? Posted: 23 Sep 2013 06:20 AM PDT Chronic aggressive behaviour exhibited by some boys from disadvantaged families may be due to epigenetic changes during pregnancy and early childhood.

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