ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• New microfluidic approach for the directed assembly of functional materials
• Building a better fish trap: Reducing fish bycatch with escape gaps in Africa
• Methane seeps of the deep sea: A bacteria feast for lithodid crabs
• Meals for more seniors could save some states money
• Making Martian clouds on Earth: Cloud-chamber experiments show that clouds on Mars form in much more humid conditions than clouds on Earth
• Wedded bliss or blues? Scientists link DNA to marital satisfaction
• Delayed aging is better investment than cancer, heart disease
• Better robot vision: Neglected statistical tool could help robots better understand the objects in the world around them
• Researchers test biofeedback device in lowering grandmothers' stress
• Some video games promote unhealthy foods for kids
• Legislation may cause data deficit for researchers, small businesses
• Study shows how neurons enable us to know smells we like and dislike, whether to approach or retreat
• Cells prefer nanodiscs over nanorods
• Unlocking biology with math
• How JC Polyomavirus invades cells
• Lance Armstrong failed social media, too, study suggests
• Infanticide linked to wet-nursing in meerkats
• Numerically identifying pollen grains improves on conventional ID method
• Plastic waste is a hazard for subalpine lakes, too
• Hurricane Sandy's impact on New Jersey coastal wetlands, one year later
• What makes triathletes so tough?
• 'White graphene' halts rust in high temps: Nano-thin films of hexagonal boron nitride protect materials from oxidizing
• Vaccination campaign doubles HBV mutations
• For liberals and conservatives, 'belief superiority' is bipartisan: People with extreme views feel most superior about their beliefs
• Video game technology: Motion tracking technology is extremely precise, inexpensive with minimal lag
• Novel algorithm detects early signals of Alzheimer's in motion behavior
• Bile salts: Sea lampreys' newest scent of seduction
• UltraHaptics: It's magic in the air
• Dog's mood offers insight into owner's health
• Minute traits and DNA link grass species from Old and New Worlds
• 2013 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine: Discoveries of machinery regulating vesicle traffic in cells
• The root of the matter: The role of nitric oxide in root branching
• Extrusive volcanism formed the Hawaiian Islands
• Stress a key factor in causing bee colonies to fail
• Genetically modified sweet corn can reduce insecticide use
• Air pollution and psychological distress during pregnancy
• Advance in the diagnosis and control of childhood asthma
• Stroking could stress out your cat
• Proof of human migration from Sweden to Poland during the Early Bronze Age
• Work seems life threatening to people suffering from stress
• Air pollution increases heart attacks
• Plant diversity may affect climate–vegetation interaction
• Terahertz sensor aiming for Jupiter's moons
• Exceptional fossil fish reveals new evolutionary mechanism for body elongation
• Possible biomarker for Parkinson's disease
• New drug candidate found for deadly fungal lung infections
• Stress steroid mediated withdrawal anxiety in methamphetamine dependent rats: Reversible by Flumazenil
• 6 new Sjögren's syndrome genes found by international team
• Neuroscientists identify class of cortical inhibitory neurons specializing in disinhibition
• Protein triggers inflammatory responses in hemorrhage, sepsis
• Glutamatergic agents show promise for mood, anxiety disorders
• Epigenetic markers show promise in Alzheimer's disease
• Enzymatic pathway common to drugs of abuse could lead to new treatments

New microfluidic approach for the directed assembly of functional materials Posted: 07 Oct 2013 04:08 PM PDT Researchers have developed a new approach with applications in materials development for energy capture and storage and for optoelectronic materials. The research shows that peptide precursor materials can be aligned and oriented during their assembly into polypeptides using tailored flows in microfluidic devices.

Building a better fish trap: Reducing fish bycatch with escape gaps in Africa Posted: 07 Oct 2013 04:08 PM PDT Scientists have achieved a milestone in Africa: they've helped build a better fish trap, one that keeps valuable fish in while letting undersized juvenile fish and non-target species out.

Methane seeps of the deep sea: A bacteria feast for lithodid crabs Posted: 07 Oct 2013 04:08 PM PDT Cold seeps are the basis for a surprising diversity in the desert-like deep sea. Off the coast of Costa Rica, an international team of scientists documented lithodid crabs of the genus Paralomis sp. grazing bacterial mats at a methane seep. The analysis show that not only sessile organisms benefit from the productivity around the cold seeps.

Meals for more seniors could save some states money Posted: 07 Oct 2013 01:25 PM PDT Expanding programs like Meals on Wheels, because they help some Medicaid-receiving seniors stay out of nursing homes, would save 26 of 48 states money, in addition to allowing more seniors to stay in their own homes, according to a new study.

Making Martian clouds on Earth: Cloud-chamber experiments show that clouds on Mars form in much more humid conditions than clouds on Earth Posted: 07 Oct 2013 01:24 PM PDT Cloud-chamber experiments show that clouds on Mars form in much more humid conditions than clouds on Earth.

Wedded bliss or blues? Scientists link DNA to marital satisfaction Posted: 07 Oct 2013 01:24 PM PDT What makes some people more prone to wedded bliss or sorrow than others? Researchers have found a major clue in our DNA. A gene involved in the regulation of serotonin can predict how much our emotions affect our relationships, according to a new study that may be the first to link genetics, emotions, and marital satisfaction.

Delayed aging is better investment than cancer, heart disease Posted: 07 Oct 2013 01:23 PM PDT Research to delay aging and the infirmities of old age would have better population health and economic returns than advances in individual fatal diseases such as cancer or heart disease, reveals a new study.

Better robot vision: Neglected statistical tool could help robots better understand the objects in the world around them Posted: 07 Oct 2013 12:18 PM PDT A researcher finds that a neglected statistical tool could help robots better understand the objects in the world around them.

Researchers test biofeedback device in lowering grandmothers' stress Posted: 07 Oct 2013 12:18 PM PDT In a pilot study, 20 grandmothers were able to lower their stress levels with a biofeedback device that tracks breathing patterns.

Some video games promote unhealthy foods for kids Posted: 07 Oct 2013 12:17 PM PDT Not only do some online video games promote a less-than-active lifestyle for children, the content of some of these games also may be contributing to unhealthy diets. A team of researchers took a closer look at what are called advergames and found they have a tendency to promote foods that are chock full of fat, sugar and sodium.

Legislation may cause data deficit for researchers, small businesses Posted: 07 Oct 2013 12:17 PM PDT Small farms and businesses may be the unintended victims of legislation aimed at cutting the federal budget by eliminating certain sets of local and county-based economic data, according to a group of economists.

Study shows how neurons enable us to know smells we like and dislike, whether to approach or retreat Posted: 07 Oct 2013 12:17 PM PDT What underlying biological mechanisms account for our seemingly instant, almost unconscious ability to determine how attractive (or repulsive) a particular smell is? New research reveals a set of cells in the fruit fly brain that respond specifically to food odors. The degree to which these neurons respond when the fly is presented different food odors predicts "incredibly well how much the flies will 'like' a given odor."

Cells prefer nanodiscs over nanorods Posted: 07 Oct 2013 12:16 PM PDT For years scientists have been working to fundamentally understand how nanoparticles move throughout the human body. One big unanswered question is how the shape of nanoparticles affects their entry into cells. Now researchers have discovered that under typical culture conditions, mammalian cells prefer disc-shaped nanoparticles over those shaped like rods.

Unlocking biology with math Posted: 07 Oct 2013 10:22 AM PDT Scientists have created a mathematical model that explains and predicts the biological process that creates antibody diversity -- the phenomenon that keeps us healthy by generating robust immune systems through hypermutation.

How JC Polyomavirus invades cells Posted: 07 Oct 2013 09:26 AM PDT A new study identifies the means by which the JC Polyomavirus enters host cells. It's a particular subset of serotonin receptors.

Lance Armstrong failed social media, too, study suggests Posted: 07 Oct 2013 09:26 AM PDT Lance Armstrong used Twitter to employ image-repair strategies in a way that cultivated followers and countered media reports. However, he neglected to enact any image-repair tweets following his admission to using performance-enhancing drugs in a nationally staged interview with Oprah Winfrey, researchers say.

Infanticide linked to wet-nursing in meerkats Posted: 07 Oct 2013 09:25 AM PDT Mothers who lose their pups to infanticide by the dominant female in a meerkat group often then provide the dominant female with a wet-nurse service, say researchers who have carried out the most comprehensive study of wet-nursing in a single species to date.

Numerically identifying pollen grains improves on conventional ID method Posted: 07 Oct 2013 09:25 AM PDT Researchers have developed a new quantitative -- rather than qualitative -- method of identifying pollen grains that is certainly nothing to sneeze at.

Plastic waste is a hazard for subalpine lakes, too Posted: 07 Oct 2013 09:25 AM PDT Many subalpine lakes may look beautiful and even pristine, but new evidence suggests they may also be contaminated with potentially hazardous plastics. Researchers say those tiny microplastics are likely finding their way into the food web through a wide range of freshwater invertebrates too. The findings, based on studies of Italy's Lake Garda and reported on October 7th in Current Biology, suggest that the problem of plastic pollution isn't limited to the ocean.

Hurricane Sandy's impact on New Jersey coastal wetlands, one year later Posted: 07 Oct 2013 09:24 AM PDT In a stroke of good luck, scientists captured detailed measurements of water level and salinity at a range of coastal wetland sites, even as they were overtaken by Hurricane Sandy. After the storm, she began working on an intensive year-long project to evaluate ecosystem processes in New Jersey's salt marshes before, during, and for a year following Hurricane Sandy.

What makes triathletes so tough? Posted: 07 Oct 2013 08:21 AM PDT Why do triathletes have such remarkable endurance and exceptional athletic abilities? Researchers have found they may feel less pain than casual exercisers -- and this finding may lead to new therapies for chronic pain in others.

'White graphene' halts rust in high temps: Nano-thin films of hexagonal boron nitride protect materials from oxidizing Posted: 07 Oct 2013 08:21 AM PDT Films of hexagonal boron nitride a few nanometers thick protect materials from oxidizing at high temperatures.

Vaccination campaign doubles HBV mutations Posted: 07 Oct 2013 08:21 AM PDT A universal infant vaccination campaign in China has led the hepatitis B virus to more than double its rate of "breakout" mutations. These mutations may enable the virus to elude the vaccine, necessitating new vaccination strategies.

For liberals and conservatives, 'belief superiority' is bipartisan: People with extreme views feel most superior about their beliefs Posted: 07 Oct 2013 08:21 AM PDT As the budget crisis drags on, at least conservatives and liberals have something in common: Both believe their views on certain issues are not only correct but all other views are inferior. A new study examined whether one end of the American political spectrum believes more strongly than the other in the superiority of its principles and positions. It found both sides have elements of "belief superiority," depending on the issue.

Video game technology: Motion tracking technology is extremely precise, inexpensive with minimal lag Posted: 07 Oct 2013 08:21 AM PDT Researchers have devised a motion tracking technology that could eliminate much of the annoying lag that occurs in existing video game systems that use motion tracking, while also being extremely precise and highly affordable.

Novel algorithm detects early signals of Alzheimer's in motion behavior Posted: 07 Oct 2013 07:51 AM PDT Abnormal motion behavior and degeneration of the sleep-waking cycle are among the most severe behavioral symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. An early detection and even a prediction of these behaviors would allow a timely onset of interventions that aim to delay the manifestation or exacerbation of symptoms and reduce the need of institutionalized care.

Bile salts: Sea lampreys' newest scent of seduction Posted: 07 Oct 2013 07:51 AM PDT Bile salts scream seduction -- for sea lampreys, that is. New research shows that bile salts, secreted from the liver and traditionally associated with digestive functions, are being used as pheromones by sea lampreys. The interesting twist, though, is that this scent has evolved as the invasive species' cologne of choice.

UltraHaptics: It's magic in the air Posted: 07 Oct 2013 07:49 AM PDT A system that allows users to experience multi-point haptic feedback above an interactive surface without having to touch or hold any device will be unveiled at a conference for innovations in human-computer interfaces.

Dog's mood offers insight into owner's health Posted: 07 Oct 2013 07:47 AM PDT Researchers have demonstrated how remote-monitoring of a dog's behavior can be used to alert family and carers that an elderly relative is struggling to cope.

Minute traits and DNA link grass species from Old and New Worlds Posted: 07 Oct 2013 07:46 AM PDT It's not always the big and flashy traits that solve taxonomic puzzles. On the basis of minute and easily overlooked morphological characteristics and DNA analysis researchers link four grass species in a genus called Disakisperma for the first time.

2013 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine: Discoveries of machinery regulating vesicle traffic in cells Posted: 07 Oct 2013 07:26 AM PDT The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet has decided to award The 2013 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine jointly to James E. Rothman, Randy W. Schekman and Thomas C. Südhof for their discoveries of machinery regulating vesicle traffic, a major transport system in our cells.

The root of the matter: The role of nitric oxide in root branching Posted: 07 Oct 2013 06:46 AM PDT A new study re-evaluates the effect of nitric oxide (NO) on lateral root formation, focusing on the process of lateral root initiation and utilizing a new parameter for measuring lateral root density. By treating Arabidopsis thaliana with an NO donor (sodium nitroprusside) and examining the resulting root system formation, researchers determined that NO can have the opposite effect as previously found and actually inhibit root branching.

Extrusive volcanism formed the Hawaiian Islands Posted: 07 Oct 2013 06:45 AM PDT A recent study changes the understanding of how the Hawaiian Islands formed. Scientists have determined that it is the eruptions of lava on the surface, extrusion, which grow Hawaiian volcanoes, rather than internal emplacement of magma, as was previously thought.

Stress a key factor in causing bee colonies to fail Posted: 07 Oct 2013 06:45 AM PDT Extended periods of stress can cause bee colony failures, according to new research.

Genetically modified sweet corn can reduce insecticide use Posted: 07 Oct 2013 06:45 AM PDT A new study suggests that genetically modified sweet corn is better for the environment because it requires fewer pesticide applications than conventional corn.

Air pollution and psychological distress during pregnancy Posted: 07 Oct 2013 06:45 AM PDT Maternal psychological distress combined with exposure to air pollution during pregnancy have an adverse impact on children's behavioral development. The study shows that maternal demoralization, a measure of psychological distress that can affect a mother's ability to cope with stressful situations, was linked with several behavioral problems, including anxiety, depression, and attention problems. Effects of demoralization were greatest among children with higher levels of prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in air pollution.

Advance in the diagnosis and control of childhood asthma Posted: 07 Oct 2013 06:43 AM PDT A researcher has produced a PhD thesis addressing the link between asthma and exhaled nitric oxide.

Stroking could stress out your cat Posted: 07 Oct 2013 06:43 AM PDT Animal behavior specialists suggests that cats who reluctantly allow their owners to stroke them could be more stressed out than kitties who carefully avoid being petted.

Proof of human migration from Sweden to Poland during the Early Bronze Age Posted: 07 Oct 2013 06:42 AM PDT During the Early Bronze Age there was a very high level of territorial mobility of the Unetice culture in Silesia, a large community inhabiting the south western territories of Poland approximately 4,000 years ago. This research confirms the first case of human long-distance overseas journey to Silesia from Scandinavia, probably from southern Sweden.

Work seems life threatening to people suffering from stress Posted: 07 Oct 2013 06:42 AM PDT Stress causes more cases of prolonged absence from work due to sickness. Work and identity are more closely knit together than ever before, and therefore work becomes a matter of life and death to the person suffering from stress. A new study questions modern quick fixes for those faced with stress, based on research into stress by prominent experts in the field.

Air pollution increases heart attacks Posted: 07 Oct 2013 06:42 AM PDT Air pollution increases heart attacks, according to research. Of particular note is that the study also found that older people (>65 years) and men were particularly susceptible to having arrhythmias, atrial fibrillation or acute coronary syndromes at increasing levels of air pollution.

Plant diversity may affect climate–vegetation interaction Posted: 07 Oct 2013 06:40 AM PDT Biologists have analyzed to what extent plant diversity influences the stability of climate–vegetation interaction.

Terahertz sensor aiming for Jupiter's moons Posted: 07 Oct 2013 06:40 AM PDT A high performance terahertz receiver aiming for space missions such as ESA's  "Jupiter icy moons explorer"  has now been developed.

Exceptional fossil fish reveals new evolutionary mechanism for body elongation Posted: 07 Oct 2013 06:40 AM PDT Snake and eel bodies are elongated, slender and flexible in all three dimensions. This striking body plan has evolved many times independently in the more than 500 million years of vertebrate animals history. Based on the current state of knowledge, the extreme elongation of the body axis occurred in one of two ways: either through the elongation of the individual vertebrae of the vertebral column, which thus became longer, or through the development of additional vertebrae and associated muscle segments.

Possible biomarker for Parkinson's disease Posted: 07 Oct 2013 06:37 AM PDT A study finds that elevated levels of the alpha-synuclein protein can be detected in the skin of Parkinson's disease patients at an early stage.

New drug candidate found for deadly fungal lung infections Posted: 07 Oct 2013 06:37 AM PDT On a molecular level, you have more in common with shower curtain mold or the mushrooms on your pizza than you might think. Humans and fungi share similar proteins, a biological bond that makes curing fungal infections difficult and expensive. Now for the first time in 20 years, researchers have discovered a new compound that could be developed as an antifungal drug to treat histoplasmosis and cryptococcosis, two types of fungal infections that are naturally drug-resistant.

Stress steroid mediated withdrawal anxiety in methamphetamine dependent rats: Reversible by Flumazenil Posted: 07 Oct 2013 06:37 AM PDT New findings demonstrate a reproducible pathology that may help shed light on anxiety and mood volatility in methamphetamine dependence.

6 new Sjögren's syndrome genes found by international team Posted: 06 Oct 2013 11:24 AM PDT Six new Sjögren's syndrome-related genes have been discovered by an international group of researchers in a genome-wide association study. Previously, only one Sjögren's gene was known.

Neuroscientists identify class of cortical inhibitory neurons specializing in disinhibition Posted: 06 Oct 2013 11:24 AM PDT New research reveals that one class of inhibitory neurons -- called VIP interneurons -- specializes in inhibiting other inhibitory neurons in multiple regions of cortex, and does so under specific behavioral conditions. The new research finds that VIP interneurons, when activated, release principal cells from inhibition, thus boosting their responses. This provides an additional layer of control over cortical processing, much like a dimmer switch can fine-tune light levels.

Protein triggers inflammatory responses in hemorrhage, sepsis Posted: 06 Oct 2013 11:24 AM PDT Investigators have discovered a protein in the human body that can trigger and mediate inflammation in patients suffering from hemorrhage and sepsis.

Glutamatergic agents show promise for mood, anxiety disorders Posted: 06 Oct 2013 11:23 AM PDT Glutamergic agents may one day be used as a novel treatment for mood and anxiety disorders.

Epigenetic markers show promise in Alzheimer's disease Posted: 06 Oct 2013 11:23 AM PDT New evidence links epigenetic regulation with Alzheimer's disease, which may one day lead to new early diagnostic tests and even novel treatment options for the most common form of dementia.

Enzymatic pathway common to drugs of abuse could lead to new treatments Posted: 06 Oct 2013 11:23 AM PDT The extracellular-signal regulated kinase (ERK) pathway plays a role in multiple drug addictions and appears to modulate neuronal plasticity through epigenetic mechanisms.

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