ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• New explanation for star formation: Computer simulations to provide physical explanation for Larson’s Laws
• Hitchhiking virus confirms saga of ancient human migration
• Atomically thin device promises new class of electronics: Tunable electrical behavior not previously realized in conventional devices
• Researchers demonstrate efficient method for converting fat cells to liver cells
• Small changes in agricultural practices could reduce produce-borne illness
• Contact lens discomfort: What is it, why does it occur, how can it be treated?
• New testing for common core state standards impacts classroom practices fo math teachers
• Low vitamin D levels raise anemia risk in children
• New report focuses on interface of digital humanitarian groups, government
• Anthropologist studies the evolutionary benefit of human personality traits
• Grazers, pollinators shape plant evolution
• New drug reduces negative memory
• A natural boost for MRI scans
• Risk of Amazon rainforest dieback is higher than IPCC projects, study suggests
• No known hominin is common ancestor of Neanderthals and modern humans, study suggests
• Breast milk protein may be key to protecting babies from HIV
• Major Alzheimer's risk factor linked to red wine target
• Endoscopic ultrasound-guided drainage of pancreatic pseudocysts
• Economic assessment of mountain pine beetle timber salvage
• Poorly camouflaged insects can kick off a cascade of ecological impacts
• Parental perceptions are preventing HPV vaccination success
• Staurosporine safely delivered in liposomes
• Health news stories on local television news broadcasts are too short
• Nano-cone textures generate extremely 'robust' water-repellent surfaces
• Drug developed based on zebrafish studies passes Phase I clinical trial
• Bugs not gay, just confused
• Cheap metals can be used to make products from petroleum
• Targeted culling of deer controls disease with little effect on hunting
• Traffic-related air pollution substantial public health concern
• Tuberculosis and the social lives of badgers
• West African bats: No safe haven for malaria parasites
• New native shrubs show promise for landscape, nursery industries
• Controlling triggers of age-related inflammation could extend 'healthspan'
• Vetch cover crop, fertilizer practices recommended for organic zucchini
• Research examines how white-collar criminals adjust to prison life
• Turfgrass tested in shallow green roof substrates
• New research informs California strawberry production practices
• Largest trial worldwide: Psychotherapy treats anorexia effectively
• 'Chimera' protein could lead to drug treatments for chronic pain
• Keeping an eye on component cleanliness
• 0.3% of GPD would protect East Asia from climate change
• Yangtze finless porpoise: Highly endangered mammal trying to cope with constant shipping, dredging and underwater construction
• Changing the common rule to increase minority voices in research
• Hair regeneration method is first to induce new human hair growth
• Rings, dark side of Saturn glow in new Cassini image
• Footwear recycling gets a kick-start
• Parents want e-mail consults with doctors, but don’t want to pay for them
• Topological light: Living on the edge
• A giant misalignment in a multiple planet system
• Asteroid 2013 TV135: A reality check
• Managing the deluge of 'Big Data' from space
• Shining the soothing light to reduce canker sores in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
• Physical cues help mature cells revert into embryonic-like stem cells
• Role of uncertainty in infectious disease modelling
• Cleaner and greener cities with integrated transparent solar cells
• In Nepal, villagers' land uses help people and tigers
• Nanodiamonds made under ambient conditions
• Learning new skills keeps an aging mind sharp
• Personal, social concerns motivate organic food buyers
• Fatal cholesterol disease overlooked, untreated

New explanation for star formation: Computer simulations to provide physical explanation for Larson’s Laws Posted: 21 Oct 2013 01:27 PM PDT Astrophysics researchers for the first time provides an explanation for the origin of three observed correlations between various properties of molecular clouds in the Milky Way galaxy known as Larson's Laws.

Hitchhiking virus confirms saga of ancient human migration Posted: 21 Oct 2013 01:26 PM PDT A study of the full genetic code of a common human virus offers a dramatic confirmation of the "out-of-Africa" pattern of human migration, which had previously been documented by anthropologists and studies of the human genome.

Atomically thin device promises new class of electronics: Tunable electrical behavior not previously realized in conventional devices Posted: 21 Oct 2013 01:26 PM PDT As electronics approach the atomic scale, researchers are increasingly successful at developing atomically thin, virtually two-dimensional materials that could usher in the next generation of computing. Integrating these materials to create necessary circuits, however, has remained a challenge. Researchers have now taken a significant step toward fabricating complex nanoscale electronics: the creation of a p-n heterojunction diode, a fundamental building block of modern electronics.

Researchers demonstrate efficient method for converting fat cells to liver cells Posted: 21 Oct 2013 01:26 PM PDT In a feat of modern-day alchemy with huge potential for regenerative medicine, Sscientists have developed a fast, efficient way to turn cells extracted from routine liposuction into liver cells.

Small changes in agricultural practices could reduce produce-borne illness Posted: 21 Oct 2013 12:58 PM PDT Researchers have identified some agricultural management practices in the field that can either boost or reduce the risk of contamination in produce from two major foodborne pathogens: salmonella, the biggest single killer among the foodborne microbes, and Listeria monocytogenes.

Contact lens discomfort: What is it, why does it occur, how can it be treated? Posted: 21 Oct 2013 12:58 PM PDT Contact lens discomfort may be the leading cause of patient dissatisfaction with, and discontinuation of, contact lens wear throughout the world -- but there is little agreement among vision researchers and eye care professionals about how to define and manage its causes.

New testing for common core state standards impacts classroom practices fo math teachers Posted: 21 Oct 2013 12:56 PM PDT States across the country have started to implement the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM). But, according to a study, a large majority of middle school math teachers point to the new high-stakes tests and teacher evaluations associated with the CCSSM as challenges for implementing the new standards. Most teachers reported that the content of these new state assessments and the teacher evaluation systems aligned with the CCSSM will ultimately drive their classroom practices.

Low vitamin D levels raise anemia risk in children Posted: 21 Oct 2013 12:56 PM PDT Low levels of the "sunshine" vitamin D appear to increase a child's risk of anemia, according to new research. The study is believed to be the first one to extensively explore the link between the two conditions in children.

New report focuses on interface of digital humanitarian groups, government Posted: 21 Oct 2013 12:32 PM PDT A new report examines how government agencies can quickly make sense of data from the emerging technologies that are now overloading disaster responders, including social media, satellite imagery, and community-curated maps.

Anthropologist studies the evolutionary benefit of human personality traits Posted: 21 Oct 2013 12:32 PM PDT Bold and outgoing or shy and retiring -- while many people can shift from one to the other as circumstances warrant, in general they lean toward one disposition or the other. And that inclination changes little over the course of their lives.

Grazers, pollinators shape plant evolution Posted: 21 Oct 2013 12:32 PM PDT It has long been known that the characteristics of many plants with wide ranges can vary geographically, depending on differences in climate. But changes in grazing pressure and pollination can also affect the genetic composition of natural plant populations, according to a new study.

New drug reduces negative memory Posted: 21 Oct 2013 12:32 PM PDT Through analysis of the human genome, scientists have identified molecules and compounds that are related to human memory. In a subsequent pharmacological study with one of the identified compounds, the scientists found a drug-induced reduction of aversive memory. This could have implications for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder, which is characterized by intrusive traumatic memories.

A natural boost for MRI scans Posted: 21 Oct 2013 12:32 PM PDT Using an innocuous agent that is already naturally produced in the body, researchers have developed a breakthrough method that can make contrast-enhanced MRI safer and cheaper.

Risk of Amazon rainforest dieback is higher than IPCC projects, study suggests Posted: 21 Oct 2013 12:32 PM PDT A new study suggests the southern portion of the Amazon rainforest is at a much higher risk of dieback due to stronger seasonal drying than projections made by the climate models used in the latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

No known hominin is common ancestor of Neanderthals and modern humans, study suggests Posted: 21 Oct 2013 12:32 PM PDT The search for a common ancestor linking modern humans with the Neanderthals who lived in Europe thousands of years ago has been a compelling subject for research. But a new study suggests the quest isn't nearly complete. The researchers, using quantitative methods focused on the shape of dental fossils, find that none of the usual suspects fits the expected profile of an ancestor of Neanderthals and modern humans.

Breast milk protein may be key to protecting babies from HIV Posted: 21 Oct 2013 12:32 PM PDT A substance in breast milk that neutralizes HIV and may protect babies from acquiring HIV from their infected mothers has been identified for the first time by researchers.

Major Alzheimer's risk factor linked to red wine target Posted: 21 Oct 2013 12:31 PM PDT The major genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), present in about two-thirds of people who develop the disease, is ApoE4, the cholesterol-carrying protein that about a quarter of us are born with. But one of the unsolved mysteries of AD is how ApoE4 causes the risk for the disease. Researchers have found a link between ApoE4 and SirT1, an "anti-aging protein" that is targeted by resveratrol, present in red wine.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided drainage of pancreatic pseudocysts Posted: 21 Oct 2013 11:33 AM PDT Researchers report that in patients with pseudocysts with viscous debris-laden fluid, endoscopic ultrasound-guided drainage by using a combination of a nasocystic drain and transmural stents improves clinical outcomes and lowers the stent occlusion rate compared with those who underwent drainage via stents alone.

Economic assessment of mountain pine beetle timber salvage Posted: 21 Oct 2013 11:33 AM PDT A recently published study shows that while positive net revenues could be produced in West Coast and Northern Rockies states with active timber markets, the central Rocky Mountain states of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming -- which have the largest volume of standing dead timber -- would not generate positive net revenues by salvaging beetle-killed timber.

Poorly camouflaged insects can kick off a cascade of ecological impacts Posted: 21 Oct 2013 11:33 AM PDT A California walking stick insect that has evolved to produce individuals with two distinct appearances -- an all-green form that camouflages well with broader leaves and a form with a white stripe running down its back that blends better with needle-like leaves -- can markedly affect its broader ecological community when the appearance of the bug is mismatched with the plant it's living on.

Parental perceptions are preventing HPV vaccination success Posted: 21 Oct 2013 11:33 AM PDT Experts in pediatrics say that parental perceptions pose a major barrier to acceptance of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination — and that many of those perceptions are wrong.

Staurosporine safely delivered in liposomes Posted: 21 Oct 2013 11:33 AM PDT Researchers have discovered a way to effectively deliver staurosporine (STS), a powerful anti-cancer compound that has vexed researchers for more than 30 years due to its instability in the blood and toxic nature in both healthy and cancerous cells.

Health news stories on local television news broadcasts are too short Posted: 21 Oct 2013 10:11 AM PDT Researchers have found that while local television news is the most common source of health news for Americans, most health news stories on local news broadcasts are only 30 seconds or less in length.

Nano-cone textures generate extremely 'robust' water-repellent surfaces Posted: 21 Oct 2013 10:11 AM PDT Scientists create surfaces with differently shaped nanoscale textures that may yield improved materials for applications in transportation, energy, and diagnostics.

Drug developed based on zebrafish studies passes Phase I clinical trial Posted: 21 Oct 2013 10:10 AM PDT Zebrafish research achieved a significant milestone when the first drug developed through studies utilizing the tiny animal and then put into clinical trials passed a Phase 1 trial aimed at establishing its safety. The drug has already advanced to Phase II studies designed to determine its efficacy.

Bugs not gay, just confused Posted: 21 Oct 2013 10:10 AM PDT Researchers have found that homosexual behavior in bugs is probably accidental in most cases. In the rush to produce offspring, bugs do not take much time to inspect their mates' gender, potentially leading to same-sex mating.

Cheap metals can be used to make products from petroleum Posted: 21 Oct 2013 10:10 AM PDT A new process suggests that base metals may be worth more than their weight in gold -- as catalysts in the manufacture of countless products made from petroleum-based raw materials.

Targeted culling of deer controls disease with little effect on hunting Posted: 21 Oct 2013 10:10 AM PDT Chronic wasting disease, the deer-equivalent of mad cow disease, has crept across the US landscape from west to east, and was first detected in the Midwest in 2002. Little is known about its potential to infect humans. Now researchers offer a first look at the long-term effectiveness of the practice of culling deer in areas affected by CWD to keep the disease in check.

Traffic-related air pollution substantial public health concern Posted: 21 Oct 2013 10:10 AM PDT Traffic-related air pollution is increasingly shown to have negative health effects according to a growing body of epidemiologic evidence and is a substantial public health concern in Canada.

Tuberculosis and the social lives of badgers Posted: 21 Oct 2013 10:10 AM PDT Badgers are an important wildlife reservoir for tuberculosis infection, a disease that leads thousands of cattle to slaughter each year. Now, researchers have found that the spread of the disease is influenced in surprising ways by infected badgers, and especially by the details of their social lives.

West African bats: No safe haven for malaria parasites Posted: 21 Oct 2013 10:07 AM PDT In Europe, bats are normally discussed in the context of endangered species threatened by loss of their habitats. However, in recent years, bats have caught the eye of infection biologists. The animals are namely hosts to a surprising number of pathogens, many of which could be dangerous to humans. Scientists have been able to identify in West African bats four genera of parasites that are closely related to the malaria pathogen.

New native shrubs show promise for landscape, nursery industries Posted: 21 Oct 2013 08:57 AM PDT Scientists studied softwood stem cutting propagation of four underused shrub species native to the northeastern United States. The results indicated that two of these could be propagated for consideration as commercial crops for wholesale nurseries looking for new native shrubs, and that all four of the species have the potential to be viable commercial crops for nurseries that specialize in native plants.

Controlling triggers of age-related inflammation could extend 'healthspan' Posted: 21 Oct 2013 08:57 AM PDT Inflammation is the common denominator of many chronic age-related diseases such as arthritis, gout, Alzheimer's, and diabetes. But according to a study, even in the absence of a disease, inflammation can lead to serious loss of function throughout the body, reducing healthspan -- that portion of our lives spent relatively free of serious illness and disability.

Vetch cover crop, fertilizer practices recommended for organic zucchini Posted: 21 Oct 2013 08:57 AM PDT Researchers tested the effects of vetch residue management strategies incorporating green manure using a roller-crimper and different organic fertilizers on organic zucchini yield and quality. When averaged over 2 years of the experiment, marketable zucchini yield increased by 15.2 percent and 38 percent with the roller-crimper, mulch, and green manure plow-down, respectively.

Research examines how white-collar criminals adjust to prison life Posted: 21 Oct 2013 08:57 AM PDT Chances are that Bernie Madoff and other "celebrity" white-collar criminals are adjusting to prison life. That's because, according to new research, white-collar criminals report no greater level of difficulty adjusting to prison than do other prison populations. In fact, in some instances, white-collar criminals have fewer adjustment challenges.

Turfgrass tested in shallow green roof substrates Posted: 21 Oct 2013 08:57 AM PDT Researchers studied the drought tolerance of Manilagrass grown under green roof conditions and two irrigation regimes. They found that substrate depth was the most significant factor that improved growth and drought resistance, and that a deeper substrate improved drought tolerance compared with a shallow substrate.

New research informs California strawberry production practices Posted: 21 Oct 2013 08:57 AM PDT Scientists monitored fertilization and irrigation management practices in 26 fall-planted annual strawberry fields in California. Controlled-release fertilizer rate trials indicated that routine use of high CRF rates was not an efficient practice; the researchers suggested that reducing CRF rates, particularly in heavier textured soils that are less easily leached, could substantially improve nitrogen use efficiency.

Largest trial worldwide: Psychotherapy treats anorexia effectively Posted: 21 Oct 2013 08:57 AM PDT A large-scale study has now shown that adult women with anorexia whose disorder is not too severe can be treated successfully on an out-patient basis. Even after conclusion of therapy, they continue to make significant weight gains. Two new psychotherapeutic methods offer improved opportunities for successful therapy.

'Chimera' protein could lead to drug treatments for chronic pain Posted: 21 Oct 2013 08:55 AM PDT Scientists have manufactured a new bio-therapeutic molecule that could be used to treat neurological disorders such as chronic pain and epilepsy.

Keeping an eye on component cleanliness Posted: 21 Oct 2013 08:55 AM PDT There are exceedingly strict cleanliness guidelines for components in sectors such as the automobile industry. And yet monitoring of the process for parts purification has been inadequate to date. Researchers have now developed a sensor-based measurement system that is integrated directly in the cleaning system, where it registers and analyzes particles caught up in the cleansing fluid.

0.3% of GPD would protect East Asia from climate change Posted: 21 Oct 2013 08:54 AM PDT About 12 million people in 23 East Asian cities are at risk from rising sea levels, severe storms, and more intense drought caused by climate change that could jeopardize $864 billion in assets, a new report warns.

Yangtze finless porpoise: Highly endangered mammal trying to cope with constant shipping, dredging and underwater construction Posted: 21 Oct 2013 07:42 AM PDT The Yangtze finless porpoise, which inhabits the high-traffic waters near the Three Gorges Dam in China, is highly endangered, with only about 1,000 animals alive today. Scientists are using medical technology to shed new light on this species' critical sense of hearing in a waterway punctuated by constant shipping, dredging, and underwater construction.

Changing the common rule to increase minority voices in research Posted: 21 Oct 2013 07:42 AM PDT Researchers recommend changing the U.S. federal regulations that govern oversight of human subjects research ("the Common Rule") to address continued underrepresentation of minorities in research studies.

Hair regeneration method is first to induce new human hair growth Posted: 21 Oct 2013 07:42 AM PDT Researchers have devised a hair restoration method that can generate new human hair growth, rather than simply redistribute hair from one part of the scalp to another. The approach could significantly expand the use of hair transplantation to women with hair loss, who tend to have insufficient donor hair, as well as to men in early stages of baldness.

Rings, dark side of Saturn glow in new Cassini image Posted: 21 Oct 2013 07:38 AM PDT The gauzy rings of Saturn and the dark side of the planet glow in newly released infrared images obtained by NASA's Cassini spacecraft.

Footwear recycling gets a kick-start Posted: 21 Oct 2013 07:37 AM PDT A newly developed recycling process could make landfill sites filled with old shoes a thing of the past.

Parents want e-mail consults with doctors, but don’t want to pay for them Posted: 21 Oct 2013 07:37 AM PDT Most parents would love to get an e-mail response from their kids' health care provider for a minor illness rather than making an office visit, but about half say that online consultation should be free.

Topological light: Living on the edge Posted: 21 Oct 2013 07:37 AM PDT Scientists report the first observation of topological effects for light in two dimensions, analogous to the quantum Hall effect for electrons. To accomplish this, they built a structure to guide infrared light over the surface of a room temperature, silicon-on-insulator chip.

A giant misalignment in a multiple planet system Posted: 21 Oct 2013 07:34 AM PDT A long-standing puzzle in the study of exoplanets is the formation of hot Jupiters, gas giant planets that snuggly orbit their host star. To explain their short orbital periods, theory suggests that hot Jupiters form in long orbits and then quiescently migrate through the protoplanetary disc, the flat ring of dust and debris that circles a newly fashioned star and coalesces to form the planets. This theory was challenged when the orbital plane of hot Jupiters were discovered to be frequently misaligned with the equator of their host stars.

Asteroid 2013 TV135: A reality check Posted: 21 Oct 2013 07:31 AM PDT Newly discovered asteroid 2013 TV135 made a close approach to Earth on Sept. 16, when it came within about 4.2 million miles (6.7 million kilometers). The asteroid is initially estimated to be about 1,300 feet (400 meters) in size and its orbit carries it as far out as about three quarters of the distance to Jupiter's orbit and as close to the sun as Earth's orbit. It was discovered on Oct. 8, 2013, by astronomers working at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory in Ukraine. As of Oct. 14, asteroid 2013 TV135 is one of 10,332 near-Earth objects that have been discovered.

Managing the deluge of 'Big Data' from space Posted: 21 Oct 2013 07:28 AM PDT For NASA and its dozens of missions, data pour in every day like rushing rivers. Spacecraft monitor everything from our home planet to faraway galaxies, beaming back images and information to Earth. All those digital records need to be stored, indexed and processed so that spacecraft engineers, scientists and people across the globe can use the data to understand Earth and the universe beyond.

Shining the soothing light to reduce canker sores in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma Posted: 21 Oct 2013 06:52 AM PDT Low-level laser therapy reduces the occurrence of oral mucositis, known as the common canker sore, and improves quality of life in head and neck squamous cell cancer patients.

Physical cues help mature cells revert into embryonic-like stem cells Posted: 21 Oct 2013 06:52 AM PDT Bioengineers have shown that physical cues can help reprogram mature cells back into pluripotent stem cells. The study demonstrates for the first time that biomaterials can help regulate the memory of a cell's identity.

Role of uncertainty in infectious disease modelling Posted: 21 Oct 2013 06:52 AM PDT Research by scientists has found that greater consideration of the limitations and uncertainties present in every infectious disease model would improve its usefulness and value.

Cleaner and greener cities with integrated transparent solar cells Posted: 21 Oct 2013 06:51 AM PDT Imagine buildings in which the windows allow the sun's light to enter, and at the same time capture the energy from the sun needed to meet all their energy needs. In this seemingly futuristic scenario, the windows become productive solar cells that help us decrease our reliance on fossil fuels and advance towards a greener and cleaner environment. Researchers have now fabricated an optimal organic solar cell with a high level of transparency and a high power conversion efficiency, a promising step forward towards affordable, clean, more widely utilized and urban integrated renewable energies.

In Nepal, villagers' land uses help people and tigers Posted: 21 Oct 2013 06:51 AM PDT Hopeful signs that humans and critically endangered tigers can coexist are emerging in rural Nepal, where a new study shows that when Nepalese villagers are empowered to make local land management decisions, the results benefit both people and tigers.

Nanodiamonds made under ambient conditions Posted: 21 Oct 2013 06:50 AM PDT Researchers have developed a way to cheaply make nanodiamonds on a lab bench at atmospheric pressure and near room temperature. The nanodiamonds are formed directly from a gas and require no surface to grow on.

Learning new skills keeps an aging mind sharp Posted: 21 Oct 2013 06:50 AM PDT Older adults are often encouraged to stay active and engaged to keep their minds sharp, that they have to "use it or lose it." But new research indicates that only certain activities -- learning a mentally demanding skill like photography, for instance -- are likely to improve cognitive functioning. These findings reveal that less demanding activities, such as listening to classical music or completing word puzzles, probably won't bring noticeable benefits to an aging mind.

Personal, social concerns motivate organic food buyers Posted: 21 Oct 2013 06:50 AM PDT Predicting whether consumers will purchase organic or conventional food is a multimillion dollar gamble within the food sector. Researchers can now help advertisers more effectively target the fast-growing organic food market.

Fatal cholesterol disease overlooked, untreated Posted: 21 Oct 2013 06:50 AM PDT Hereditary high blood cholesterol leads to premature heart disease. It is overlooked and untreated virtually worldwide. This is a major problem as the disease is dangerous for health. However, this disease is easy to diagnose and treat, according to the conclusion of a consensus report.

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