ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Novel genetic patterns may make us rethink biology and individuality
• Bacterial toxin sets the course for infection
• Solar activity playing a minimal role in global warming, research suggests
• Climate may play a role in the distribution and prevalence of trachoma
• Artificial heart to pump human waste into future robots
• Creating accountable anonymity online: Systems that currently allow users complete anonymity are being abused
• New species of shark: Carolina hammerhead
• How body clock affects inflammation: Discovery could accelerate body's response to infection, autoimmune disorders
• White-lipped peccary trails lead to archeological discovery in Brazil: 4,000- to 10,000-year-old cave drawings
• Exploring public perceptions of future wearable computing
• Plan to address hypoxia in Gulf of Mexico urged by experts
• Wireless device converts 'lost' energy into electric power: Metamaterial cells provide electric power as efficiently as solar panels
• Babies named for fathers, not mothers, reflect US cultural ideologies
• Plant cell architecture: Growth toward a light source
• Preparing for hell and high water: Researchers advocate for climate adaptation science
• Children born prematurely face up to 19 times greater risk of retinal detachment
• Tobacco myths persist 50 years after US Surgeon General warned Americans of smoking dangers
• Small RNA molecule in blood could help diagnose pancreatic cancer
• New method predicts time from Alzheimer’s onset to nursing home, death
• Hope builds for drug that might shut down variety of cancers
• Unique sighting of lava solves mystery
• The Tao of pee: The science behind urination
• Most nations lack means to assess biodiversity, key ecosystem services and their value
• For obese teen girls, aerobic exercise may trump resistance training in health benefits
• Crown of Venezuelan paramos: A new species from the daisy family, Coespeletia palustris
• Blocking the active site of thiolase
• Obesity may limit overall function two years after shoulder replacement surgery
• Inkblots improve security of online passwords
• 'Freakish' asteroid discovered, resembles rotating lawn sprinkler
• Amazon deforestation could mean droughts for western U.S.
• When is a comet not a comet?
• One worm, two mouths
• Researchers regrow hair, cartilage, bone, soft tissues: Enhancing cell metabolism was an unexpected key to tissue repair
• Muscle built in diseased mice: Human muscle cells created in a dish
• Why stem cells need to stick with their friends
• Did inefficient cellular machinery evolve to fight viruses and jumping genes?
• Social symptoms in autistic children may be caused by hyper-connected neurons
• Fountain-of-youth gene repairs tissue damage in adults
• Graphene: Wonder material for electronics, computers and beyond…
• DNA software identifies people by testing relatives' DNA
• Online course improves physicians skill level for detecting skin cancer
• Researchers discover new driver of breast cancer
• Scientists identify clue to regrowing nerve cells
• Clotting protein hardens aging hearts
• Getting to grips with seizure prediction
• Changes to fisheries legislation have removed habitat protection for most fish species in Canada
• Calcium, vitamin D improve bone density in patients taking antiepileptic drugs
• Hearing through sight: Brain plasticity and why cochlear implants work better for some people than others
• Novel radar technology developed
• Special camera detects tumors
• Ants, like humans, can change their priorities
• Popular 'door-in-the-face' persuasion strategy can sometimes backfire
• Cybersecurity algorithms, techniques being developed through anthropology methods
• Bio patch that can regrow bone
• New test can diagnose emerging strains of canine parvovirus
• BPA in dialysis machine components may be toxic to patients' cells
• Saddling up against the threat to our National Parks
• Natural products discovery group asks for public's help with citizen science program
• New light on dark energy, cosmic speed-up: Big Bang afterglow shows Earth has no special place in expanding universe
• More secure app-store for Android

Novel genetic patterns may make us rethink biology and individuality Posted: 07 Nov 2013 05:42 PM PST Scientists have made two novel discoveries: 1) a person can have several DNA mutations in parts of their body, with their original DNA in the rest -- resulting in several different genotypes in one individual -- and 2) some of the same genetic mutations occur in unrelated people. We think of each person's DNA as unique, but if a person can have more than one genotype, this may have broad implications.

Bacterial toxin sets the course for infection Posted: 07 Nov 2013 05:42 PM PST Every year gastro-intestinal diseases have lethal consequences for more than five million individuals. Scientists have now discovered what makes a specific strain of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis so dangerous: the bacteria produce a molecule called CNFy that facilitates the infection process for them. It changes the host cells in a manner that enables the injection apparatus of Yersinia, which injects toxins into the cells, to work more efficiently. This strengthens the gastrointestinal infection and leads to inflammation of the tissue.

Solar activity playing a minimal role in global warming, research suggests Posted: 07 Nov 2013 05:42 PM PST Changes in solar activity have contributed no more than 10 per cent to global warming in the twentieth century, a new study has found.

Climate may play a role in the distribution and prevalence of trachoma Posted: 07 Nov 2013 05:42 PM PST High temperatures and low rainfall are important factors which influence the occurrence and severity of the active stages of trachoma -- the most common cause of infectious blindness -- according to a new study.

Artificial heart to pump human waste into future robots Posted: 07 Nov 2013 05:42 PM PST A new device capable of pumping human waste into the "engine room" of a self-sustaining robot has been created by a group of researchers.

Creating accountable anonymity online: Systems that currently allow users complete anonymity are being abused Posted: 07 Nov 2013 04:18 PM PST Researchers are working to add some accountability to online anonymity. They've developed a technology that offers anonymity for honest users and accountability for dishonest users.

New species of shark: Carolina hammerhead Posted: 07 Nov 2013 02:09 PM PST A research team has recently described a new species of hammerhead shark. This discovery is the result of years of study of the rivers and coastal waters of South Carolina.

How body clock affects inflammation: Discovery could accelerate body's response to infection, autoimmune disorders Posted: 07 Nov 2013 02:06 PM PST Researchers report that disrupting the light-dark cycle of mice increased their susceptibility to inflammatory disease, indicating that the production of a key immune cell is controlled by the body's circadian clock.

White-lipped peccary trails lead to archeological discovery in Brazil: 4,000- to 10,000-year-old cave drawings Posted: 07 Nov 2013 01:23 PM PST While tracking white-lipped peccaries and gathering environmental data in forests that link Brazil's Pantanal and Cerrado biomes, researchers discovered ancient cave drawings made by hunter-gatherer societies thousands of years ago.

Exploring public perceptions of future wearable computing Posted: 07 Nov 2013 01:21 PM PST As scientists develop the next wave of smartwatches and other wearable computing, they might want to continue focusing their attention on the arms and the wrists. According to a recent study, portable electronic devices placed on the collar, torso, waist or pants may cause awkwardness, embarrassment or strange looks.

Plan to address hypoxia in Gulf of Mexico urged by experts Posted: 07 Nov 2013 12:48 PM PST Despite a 12-year action plan calling for reducing the hypoxia zone in the Gulf of Mexico, little progress has been made, and there is no evidence that nutrient loading to the Gulf has decreased during this period. Researchers have identified some of the biophysical and social barriers to progress and propose a way forward.

Wireless device converts 'lost' energy into electric power: Metamaterial cells provide electric power as efficiently as solar panels Posted: 07 Nov 2013 12:48 PM PST Using inexpensive materials configured and tuned to capture microwave signals, researchers have designed a power-harvesting device with efficiency similar to that of modern solar panels.

Babies named for fathers, not mothers, reflect US cultural ideologies Posted: 07 Nov 2013 11:25 AM PST From Cal Ripkin, Jr., to Robert Downey, Jr., finding men named after their fathers -- with so-called patronyms -- is easy. But what about matronymns -- names for a mother or grandmother? New research shows that matronymns are rare and that family naming trends follow a regional pattern in the United States: people in states that place higher emphasis on honor are more likely to use patronyms, especially in the face of a terrorist threat.

Plant cell architecture: Growth toward a light source Posted: 07 Nov 2013 11:25 AM PST Inside every plant cell, a cytoskeleton provides an interior scaffolding to direct construction of the cell's walls, and thus the growth of the organism as a whole. Environmental and hormonal signals that modulate cell growth cause reorganization of this scaffolding. New research provides surprising evidence as to how this reorganization process works, with important evidence as to how the direction of a light source influences a plant's growth pattern.

Preparing for hell and high water: Researchers advocate for climate adaptation science Posted: 07 Nov 2013 11:25 AM PST As climate changes get more pronounced, people everywhere will have to adjust. In this week's issue of the journal Science, an international group of researchers urge the development of science needed to manage climate risks and capitalize on unexpected opportunities.

Children born prematurely face up to 19 times greater risk of retinal detachment Posted: 07 Nov 2013 11:24 AM PST Children born extremely prematurely have up to a 19 times greater risk of retinal detachment later in life than peers born at term, according to a Swedish study.

Tobacco myths persist 50 years after US Surgeon General warned Americans of smoking dangers Posted: 07 Nov 2013 11:24 AM PST Tobacco misconceptions prevail in the United States despite the dramatic drop in smoking rates since the release of the first Surgeon General's Report on smoking and health in January 1964. Cancer experts dispel common myths and share new educational resources to address this persistent challenge.

Small RNA molecule in blood could help diagnose pancreatic cancer Posted: 07 Nov 2013 11:24 AM PST A cancer researcher has demonstrated that a particular molecule is present in the blood of most pancreatic cancer patients, suggesting it could someday be a diagnostic marker for the disease.

New method predicts time from Alzheimer’s onset to nursing home, death Posted: 07 Nov 2013 11:24 AM PST A research team has clinically validated a new method for predicting time to nursing home residence or death for patients with Alzheimer's. The method uses data from a single patient visit, and is based on a complex model of Alzheimer's progression developed by consecutively following two sets of Alzheimer's patients for 10 years each.

Hope builds for drug that might shut down variety of cancers Posted: 07 Nov 2013 10:28 AM PST The most frequently mutated gene across all types of cancers is a gene called p53. Unfortunately it has been difficult to directly target this gene with drugs. Now a multi-institutional research team has identified a family of enzymes they say is crucial for the growth of cancers that have genetic aberrations in p53.

Unique sighting of lava solves mystery Posted: 07 Nov 2013 10:27 AM PST Scientists have made the first ever observations of how a rare type of lava continues moving almost a year after a volcanic eruption.

The Tao of pee: The science behind urination Posted: 07 Nov 2013 10:26 AM PST Although we don't often think about it, fluid dynamics touches almost every aspect of our lives, from a billowing breeze that buffets a flag, to swirling river currents that shape canyons to the surging blood that sustains our lives. One of the basest of bodily functions -- urination -- is governed primarily by the equations of fluid motion.

Most nations lack means to assess biodiversity, key ecosystem services and their value Posted: 07 Nov 2013 09:33 AM PST Most of the world's nations -- unanimously committed to protecting biodiversity -- nevertheless cannot measure and assess their genetic and biological resources, nor the value of key ecosystem services nature provides to them, international experts from 72 countries warned today.

For obese teen girls, aerobic exercise may trump resistance training in health benefits Posted: 07 Nov 2013 09:32 AM PST New findings suggest that for teen girls, aerobic exercise might be superior to resistance exercise for cutting health risks associated with obesity.

Crown of Venezuelan paramos: A new species from the daisy family, Coespeletia palustris Posted: 07 Nov 2013 09:32 AM PST An exciting new species from the daisy family has just been discovered. Two expeditions in the paramos high up in the Venezuelan Andes were crowned by the discovery of the beautiful and extraordinary, Coespeletia palustris.

Blocking the active site of thiolase Posted: 07 Nov 2013 09:32 AM PST Scientists have shown the way to new directions in drug development against African sleeping sickness and other tropical parasitic infections.

Obesity may limit overall function two years after shoulder replacement surgery Posted: 07 Nov 2013 09:32 AM PST Patients with obesity undergo a disproportionately higher number of elective orthopaedic surgeries in the US. Obesity has been linked to higher costs, complications, infections and revisions in total knee and total hip replacement surgeries.

Inkblots improve security of online passwords Posted: 07 Nov 2013 09:32 AM PST Computer scientists have developed a new password system that incorporates inkblots to provide an extra measure of protection when, as so often occurs, lists of passwords get stolen from websites. This new type of password, dubbed a GOTCHA (Generating panOptic Turing Tests to Tell Computers and Humans Apart), would be suitable for protecting high-value accounts, such as bank accounts, medical records and other sensitive information.

'Freakish' asteroid discovered, resembles rotating lawn sprinkler Posted: 07 Nov 2013 09:31 AM PST Astronomers report the discovery of a never-before-seen "weird and freakish object" in the asteroid belt that resembles a rotating lawn sprinkler.

Amazon deforestation could mean droughts for western U.S. Posted: 07 Nov 2013 09:31 AM PST Total deforestation of the Amazon could mean 20 percent less rain for the coastal Northwest and a 50 percent reduction in the Sierra Nevada snowpack, resulting in water and food shortages, and a greater risk of forest fires, new research shows.

When is a comet not a comet? Posted: 07 Nov 2013 09:31 AM PST Astronomers using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have observed a unique and baffling object in the asteroid belt that looks like a rotating lawn sprinkler or badminton shuttlecock. While this object is on an asteroid-like orbit, it looks like a comet, and is sending out tails of dust into space.

One worm, two mouths Posted: 07 Nov 2013 09:31 AM PST Depending on the environment in which the worm grows, the larva of the roundworm Pristionchus pacificus develops into either a wide-mouthed predator or a narrow-mouthed bacteria eater. A team of researchers has now discovered a developmental biological switch that determines the worm's mouth form.

Researchers regrow hair, cartilage, bone, soft tissues: Enhancing cell metabolism was an unexpected key to tissue repair Posted: 07 Nov 2013 09:31 AM PST Young animals are known to repair their tissues effortlessly, but can this capacity be recaptured in adults? A new study suggests that it can. By reactivating a dormant gene called Lin28a, which is active in embryonic stem cells, researchers were able to regrow hair and repair cartilage, bone, skin and other soft tissues in a mouse model.

Muscle built in diseased mice: Human muscle cells created in a dish Posted: 07 Nov 2013 09:31 AM PST Skeletal muscle has proved to be very difficult to grow in patients with muscular dystrophy and other disorders that degrade and weaken muscle. Researchers now report boosting muscle mass and reversing disease in a mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, using a "cocktail" of three compounds identified through a new rapid culture system. Adding the same compounds to stem cells derived from patients' skin cells, they then successfully grew human muscle cells in a dish.

Why stem cells need to stick with their friends Posted: 07 Nov 2013 09:31 AM PST Scientists have identified a core set of functionally relevant factors that regulates embryonic stem cells' ability for self-renewal.

Did inefficient cellular machinery evolve to fight viruses and jumping genes? Posted: 07 Nov 2013 09:30 AM PST It might seem obvious that humans are elegant and sophisticated beings in comparison to lowly bacteria, but when it comes to genes, a scientist wants to turn conventional wisdom about human and bacterial evolution on its head.

Social symptoms in autistic children may be caused by hyper-connected neurons Posted: 07 Nov 2013 09:30 AM PST The brains of children with autism show more connections than the brains of typically developing children do. What's more, the brains of individuals with the most severe social symptoms are also the most hyper-connected. The findings reported in two independent studies are challenge the prevailing notion in the field that autistic brains are lacking in neural connections.

Fountain-of-youth gene repairs tissue damage in adults Posted: 07 Nov 2013 09:30 AM PST Young animals recover from tissue damage better than adults, and from Charles Darwin's time until now, scientists have puzzled over why this is the case. A study has revealed that an evolutionarily conserved gene called Lin28a, which is very active in embryos but not in adults, enhances tissue repair after injury when reactivated in adult mice. The findings open up new avenues for the treatment of injuries and degenerative diseases in adult humans.

Graphene: Wonder material for electronics, computers and beyond… Posted: 07 Nov 2013 09:29 AM PST You might think that such a new 'wonder material' would lie outside your everyday experience, but graphene is the exception. When you write or draw with a pencil, the graphite (the 'lead' of the pencil) slides off in thin layers to leave a trail - the line on the paper. Carbon's ability to form a thin layer of molecules is what makes graphene special - and scientists are starting to explore the possibilities for electronics and computing of carbon grids that are just one molecule thick.

DNA software identifies people by testing relatives' DNA Posted: 07 Nov 2013 09:29 AM PST New software is able to identify people from their relatives' DNA. The software has already been used to identify the victims – the majority of whom were Dutch – of the 2010 Tripoli airplane crash, and in 2012 to find out who had murdered a young Dutch woman, Marianne Vaatstra, in 1999.

Online course improves physicians skill level for detecting skin cancer Posted: 07 Nov 2013 09:28 AM PST Primary care physicians who took an online training course about skin cancer detection significantly improved their skill to properly diagnose and manage benign and malignant lesions, according to an American national study. The physicians' enhanced skill level also led to a reduction in unnecessary referrals to dermatology specialists.

Researchers discover new driver of breast cancer Posted: 07 Nov 2013 09:27 AM PST A team of researchers has found that as cholesterol is metabolized, a potent stimulant of breast cancer is created – one that fuels estrogen-receptor positive breast cancers, and that may also defeat a common treatment strategy for those cancers.

Scientists identify clue to regrowing nerve cells Posted: 07 Nov 2013 09:27 AM PST Researchers have identified a chain reaction that triggers the regrowth of some damaged nerve cell branches, a discovery that one day may help improve treatments for nerve injuries that can cause loss of sensation or paralysis.

Clotting protein hardens aging hearts Posted: 07 Nov 2013 07:38 AM PST A researcher has found through studies of pigs' heart valves that age plays a critical role in the valves' progressive hardening, and the problem may be due to the infiltration of a protein known as von Willebrand factor. Tissues from pig valves are commonly used to make human heart-valve replacements.

Getting to grips with seizure prediction Posted: 07 Nov 2013 07:37 AM PST A device that could predict when a person with epilepsy might next have a seizure is one step closer to reality thanks to the development of software by researchers in the USA.

Changes to fisheries legislation have removed habitat protection for most fish species in Canada Posted: 07 Nov 2013 07:37 AM PST Federal government changes to Canada's fisheries legislation "have eviscerated" the ability to protect habitat for most of the country's fish species, scientists say in a new study.

Calcium, vitamin D improve bone density in patients taking antiepileptic drugs Posted: 07 Nov 2013 07:35 AM PST A recent prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial reports that calcium and vitamin D supplementation improves bone density in a group of male veterans with epilepsy who were treated chronically with antiepileptic drugs. These results suggest that risedronate, a bisphosphonate, may help to prevent new vertebral fractures when taken with calcium and vitamin D supplementation.

Hearing through sight: Brain plasticity and why cochlear implants work better for some people than others Posted: 07 Nov 2013 07:35 AM PST Cochlear implants allow adults who have become profoundly deaf to recover the ability to understand speech. However, recovery differs between individuals. Activating the visual regions of the brain has proved essential to the satisfactory recovery of hearing, according to a new study.

Novel radar technology developed Posted: 07 Nov 2013 07:35 AM PST Mine clearing, monitoring of vital signs and robot vision are among the many potential applications for Novelda's innovative radar technology. The company's tiny, unique processor chips are at the core of it all.

Special camera detects tumors Posted: 07 Nov 2013 07:35 AM PST Cancer patients have the highest probability of recovering if tumors are completely removed. However, tiny clusters of cancer cells are often difficult for surgeons to recognize and remove. A camera makes hidden tumors visible during an operation.

Ants, like humans, can change their priorities Posted: 07 Nov 2013 07:34 AM PST For the first time, researchers have discovered that at least in ants, animals can change their decision-making strategies based on experience. They can also use that experience to weigh different options.

Popular 'door-in-the-face' persuasion strategy can sometimes backfire Posted: 07 Nov 2013 07:34 AM PST Personality research shows outright requests, rather than the door-in-the-face strategy may be more effective for fundraisers.

Cybersecurity algorithms, techniques being developed through anthropology methods Posted: 07 Nov 2013 07:34 AM PST Experts in anthropology and cybersecurity are examining the unspoken knowledge shared by cybersecurity analysts as a way to develop new automated tools that help analysts strengthen their cyber defenses.

Bio patch that can regrow bone Posted: 07 Nov 2013 07:34 AM PST Researchers have created an implantable bio patch that regrows bone in a living body, using existing cells. The team created a scaffold seeded with plasmids containing the genetic information for producing bone. The plasmids are absorbed by bone cells already in the body, spurring new growth. Potential applications extend to dentistry.

New test can diagnose emerging strains of canine parvovirus Posted: 07 Nov 2013 07:34 AM PST Veterinary scientists have developed a diagnostic test that can detect emerging strains of canine parvovirus, a severe --- and potentially fatal -- virus that affects dogs.

BPA in dialysis machine components may be toxic to patients' cells Posted: 07 Nov 2013 07:33 AM PST Research has found that viability, necrosis, and death of immune cells are influenced by BPA concentrations in components of dialysis machines. Alternative polymers for dialysis machine components may reduce cells' exposure to BPA during dialysis.

Saddling up against the threat to our National Parks Posted: 07 Nov 2013 06:47 AM PST An Australian research team has investigated the threat horse riding poses to the ecology of national parks around the world. And it seems there's a growing problem in horse dung.

Natural products discovery group asks for public's help with citizen science program Posted: 07 Nov 2013 06:46 AM PST A research group has taken an unconventional approach to finding new compounds with therapeutic relevance by launching a crowdsourcing initiative with citizen scientists from around the country. Researchers team with the public to sample soils from all across the United States for the purpose of identifying new microorganisms that produce drug-like compounds.

New light on dark energy, cosmic speed-up: Big Bang afterglow shows Earth has no special place in expanding universe Posted: 07 Nov 2013 06:46 AM PST Astronomers have ruled out a controversial theory that the accelerating expansion of the universe is an illusion. While the findings don't explain the cosmic speed-up, they eliminate one provocative possibility that our planet, solar system and galaxy are at the center of the universe and that there is no dark energy.

More secure app-store for Android Posted: 07 Nov 2013 06:44 AM PST Apps often read the data from mobile user devices unnoticed by users. This represents a large security risk, especially for companies. A new App-Store filters out problematic Android applications automatically with the help of detection software.

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