ScienceDaily: Top Technology News

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• Regenerating plastic grows back after damage
• Fueling aviation with hardwoods
• 'Electrosmog' disrupts orientation in migratory birds, scientists show
• GaitTrack app makes cellphone a medical monitor for heart, lung patients
• Exploring the magnetism of a single atom
• Pink prosthetic arm 'printed' for teen girl by university students
• Scientists find solution to two long-standing mysteries of cuprate high-temperature superconductivity
• New insight into star cluster formation: Stars on the outskirts actually are the oldest
• New microscope sees what others can't
• New technology using fluorescent proteins tracks cancer cells circulating in blood
• Sockeye salmon vs. Pebble Mine: Protecting a fragile ecosystem in Alaska from destruction
• Radiotherapy: Novel lung cancer treatment meets with success
• Eurovision voting patterns analyzed
• Luminescent nanocrystal tags enable rapid detection of multiple pathogens in a single test
• Hybrid SPECT-CT greatly improves localization of gastrointestinal bleeding
• Does Facebook affect our self-esteem, sense of belonging?
• Light waves allow preferred bond breaking in symmetric molecules
• New network protocol for emergency and rescues
• Detecting trace amounts of explosives with light
• Nanoscope to probe chemistry on the molecular scale
• A lab in your pocket: Using CAD to load dozens of tests on a lab-on-a-chip
• NASA telescopes coordinate best-ever flare observations
• Overestimation of radiation exposure may keep women from critical screening
• Image-guided peritoneal dialysis catheter placement significantly reduces complications
• CT-guided irreversible electroporation safe in unresectable pancreatic carcinoma
• Automated CT dose-tracking software effectively monitors dosage in a clinical setting
• Discovery offers new possibilities for clean energy research: New high-efficiency thermoelectric material
• Matching the expertise of perfumers to create new scents
• Energy device for flexible electronics packs a lot of power
• Recycling to ensure sufficient raw materials for the future
• High-efficiency water treatment using light using a novel UV-light system
• Math makes mobile maps meaningful
• Nanoscale heat flow predictions: Environmentally-friendly and cost-effective nanometric-scale energy devices
• Rosetta space probe: Landing on a comet to observe nucleus and environment
• Detecting oil spills sandwiched in Arctic ice

Regenerating plastic grows back after damage Posted: 08 May 2014 02:23 PM PDT Looking at a smooth sheet of plastic in a laboratory, no one would guess that an impact had recently blasted a hole through it. Researchers have developed materials that not only heal, but regenerate. Until now, self-repairing materials could only bond tiny microscopic cracks. The new regenerating materials fill in large cracks and holes by regrowing material.

Fueling aviation with hardwoods Posted: 08 May 2014 02:23 PM PDT A multi-university team has addressed challenges of introducing advanced biofuels in the transportation pool through the concerted development of technology designed to transform lignocellulosic biomass into a jet fuel surrogate via catalytic chemistry. This promising approach highlights the versatility of lignocellulose.

'Electrosmog' disrupts orientation in migratory birds, scientists show Posted: 08 May 2014 01:36 PM PDT For the first time, scientists have demonstrated that the magnetic compass of robins fails entirely when the birds are exposed to AM radio waveband electromagnetic interference -- even if the signals are just a thousandth of the limit value defined by the World Health Organization as harmless.

GaitTrack app makes cellphone a medical monitor for heart, lung patients Posted: 08 May 2014 11:18 AM PDT By simply carrying around their cellphones, patients who suffer from chronic disease could soon have an accurate health monitor that warns their doctors when their symptoms worsen. Unlike apps that merely count steps, this app uses eight motion parameters to perform a detailed analysis of a person's gait, or walking pattern, which can tell physicians much about the patient's cardiopulmonary, muscular and neurological health.

Exploring the magnetism of a single atom Posted: 08 May 2014 11:18 AM PDT Scientists have shown for the first time the maximum theoretical limit of energy needed to control the magnetization of a single atom. The fundamental work can have great implications for the future of magnetic research and technology.

Pink prosthetic arm 'printed' for teen girl by university students Posted: 08 May 2014 11:17 AM PDT Thirteen-year-old Sydney Kendall had one request for the university students building her a robotic prosthetic arm: Make it pink. The students studying biomedical engineering then accomplished that and more. Using a 3-D printer, they created a robotic prosthetic arm out of bright-pink plastic. Total cost: $200, a fraction of the price of standard prosthetics, which start at $6,000.

Scientists find solution to two long-standing mysteries of cuprate high-temperature superconductivity Posted: 08 May 2014 11:17 AM PDT Scientists seeking to understand the intricacies of high-temperature superconductivity -- the ability of certain materials to carry electrical current with no energy loss -- have been particularly puzzled by a mysterious phase that emerges as charge carriers are added that appears to compete with superconductivity. It's also been a mystery why, within this "pseudogap" phase, the movement of superconducting electrons appears to be restricted to certain directions. Detailed studies of a material as it transforms from an insulator through the "pseudogap" into a full-blown superconductor links two "personality" changes of electrons at a critical point.

New insight into star cluster formation: Stars on the outskirts actually are the oldest Posted: 08 May 2014 10:29 AM PDT Using data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and infrared telescopes, astronomers have made an important advance in the understanding of how clusters of stars come into being. Researchers studied two clusters where sun-like stars currently are forming -- NGC 2024, located in the center of the Flame Nebula, and the Orion Nebula Cluster. From this study, they discovered the stars on the outskirts of the clusters actually are the oldest.

New microscope sees what others can't Posted: 08 May 2014 09:14 AM PDT Microscopes don't exactly lie, but they have limitations. Scanning electron microscopes can't see electrical insulators, and their high energies can actually damage some types of samples. Researchers have now built the first low-energy focused ion beam (FIB) microscope using lithium. The team's new approach opens up the possibility of creating a whole category of FIBs using any one of up to 20 different elements, greatly increasing the options for imaging, sculpting or characterizing materials.

New technology using fluorescent proteins tracks cancer cells circulating in blood Posted: 08 May 2014 09:13 AM PDT After cancer spreads, finding and destroying malignant cells that circulate in the body is usually critical to patient survival. Now, researchers report that they have developed a new method that allows investigators to label and track single tumor cells circulating in the blood. This advance could help investigators develop a better understanding of cancer spread and how to stop it.

Sockeye salmon vs. Pebble Mine: Protecting a fragile ecosystem in Alaska from destruction Posted: 08 May 2014 09:13 AM PDT Scientists are laying the foundation for the extremely controversial topic of building the proposed Pebble Mine just miles away from Bristol Bay, Alaska. When referring to Alaska as the last great frontier, Bristol Bay is what would come to mind. It is 40,000 square miles teaming with caribou, wolves, moose, and, most importantly, salmon.

Radiotherapy: Novel lung cancer treatment meets with success Posted: 08 May 2014 09:12 AM PDT An old idea of retreating lung tumors with radiation is new again, especially with the technological advances seen in radiation oncology over the last decade. "One of the toughest challenges of lung cancer is what to do for patients when the cancer comes back in an area that's been treated previously with radiation treatment," said the lead author. "With some of the technological advances in radiation treatments that have occurred in the last five to 10 years, we're beginning to re-look at the issue and ask – can we target the radiation precisely enough and with a high enough dose to knock the cancer back?"

Eurovision voting patterns analyzed Posted: 08 May 2014 08:09 AM PDT The Eurovision song contest has led to speculations of tactical voting, discriminating against some participants and inducing bias in the final results. Analysis of patterns over two decades has found that voting is more likely to be driven by positive loyalties based on culture, geography, history and migration.

Luminescent nanocrystal tags enable rapid detection of multiple pathogens in a single test Posted: 08 May 2014 07:04 AM PDT A research team using tunable luminescent nanocrystals as tags to advance medical and security imaging have successfully applied them to high-speed scanning technology and detected multiple viruses within minutes.

Hybrid SPECT-CT greatly improves localization of gastrointestinal bleeding Posted: 08 May 2014 07:03 AM PDT Planar 99mTc-labeled RBC scintigraphy is sensitive for detection of acute gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding but its accuracy for localization of a bleeding source is arguable, particularly in patients with complex GI anatomy from prior surgeries.

Does Facebook affect our self-esteem, sense of belonging? Posted: 08 May 2014 06:54 AM PDT With 1.11 billion users per month on average, Facebook has become a global phenomenon offering continual and direct communication with friends and family. Research into how social media websites define us socially, and the influence that social media has on our personal welfare, suggests that a lack of social participation on Facebook leads to people feeling less meaningful.

Light waves allow preferred bond breaking in symmetric molecules Posted: 08 May 2014 06:54 AM PDT Scientists have discovered a new quantum control mechanism to selectively shake and break C-H bonds in symmetric hydrocarbon molecules with the waveform of femtosecond laser pulses.

New network protocol for emergency and rescues Posted: 08 May 2014 06:54 AM PDT Researchers have developed an optimizing model of routing protocol of mobile ad hoc network in emergencies and rescues. The proposed solution is based on the improvement of a clustering algorithm and on the creation of a new routing protocol that allows users to easily find an evacuation area in case of emergency.

Detecting trace amounts of explosives with light Posted: 08 May 2014 06:52 AM PDT New research may help in the fight against terrorism with the creation of a sensor that can detect tiny quantities of explosives with the use of light and special glass fibers. The researchers describe a novel optical fiber sensor which can detect explosives in concentrations as low as 6.3 ppm (parts per million). It requires an analysis time of only a few minutes.

Nanoscope to probe chemistry on the molecular scale Posted: 07 May 2014 06:23 PM PDT By combining atomic force microscopy with infrared synchrotron light, researchers have improved the spatial resolution of infrared spectroscopy by orders of magnitude, while simultaneously covering its full spectroscopic range, enabling the investigation of variety of nanoscale, mesoscale, and surface phenomena that were previously difficult to study.

A lab in your pocket: Using CAD to load dozens of tests on a lab-on-a-chip Posted: 07 May 2014 06:23 PM PDT Labs-on-a-chip hold huge promise for reducing the cost of medical diagnostics while expanding access to health care. Now scientists have developed software that would make them even more powerful: by enabling dozens of tests on a single biochip.

NASA telescopes coordinate best-ever flare observations Posted: 07 May 2014 06:23 PM PDT On March 29, 2014, an X-class flare erupted from the right side of the sun ... and vaulted into history as the best-observed flare of all time. The flare was witnessed by four different NASA spacecraft and one ground-based observatory -- three of which had been fortuitously focused in on the correct spot as programmed into their viewing schedule a full day in advance.

Overestimation of radiation exposure may keep women from critical screening Posted: 07 May 2014 01:52 PM PDT Misinformation and misunderstanding about the risks associated with ionizing radiation create heightened public concern and fear, and may result in avoidance of screening mammography that can detect early cancers. The authors conclude that medical personnel should make concerted effort to accurately inform women of the risks and benefits of mammography—specifically highlighting the low dose of mammographic ionizing radiation—and provide objective facts to ensure that women make informed decisions about screening.

Image-guided peritoneal dialysis catheter placement significantly reduces complications Posted: 07 May 2014 01:51 PM PDT Patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis catheter placement via fluoroscopy and ultrasound-guidance experienced significantly fewer complications at 1 year post-insertion than did patients whose catheters were placed laparoscopically. The image-guided insertion technique may allow for expeditious catheter placement in late-referred patients with end-stage renal disease, thus facilitating urgent-start peritoneal dialysis and avoiding the need for temporary vascular-access catheters.

CT-guided irreversible electroporation safe in unresectable pancreatic carcinoma Posted: 07 May 2014 12:16 PM PDT A small group of patients with locally advanced unresectable pancreatic carcinoma suffered no major ill effects -- pancreatitis or fistula formation -- after undergoing percutaneous CT-guided irreversible electroporation.

Automated CT dose-tracking software effectively monitors dosage in a clinical setting Posted: 07 May 2014 12:15 PM PDT For commonly ordered abdominal CT exams, iterative reconstruction techniques enabled approximately 50 percent radiation dose reduction compared to the national averages.

Discovery offers new possibilities for clean energy research: New high-efficiency thermoelectric material Posted: 07 May 2014 07:04 AM PDT Physicists have discovered a new thermoelectric material offering high performance at temperatures ranging from room temperature up to 300 degrees Celsius, or about 573 degrees Fahrenheit. The work could be important for clean energy research and commercialization at temperatures of about 300 degrees Celsius.

Matching the expertise of perfumers to create new scents Posted: 07 May 2014 06:59 AM PDT From jasmine to sandalwood, the alluring scents of the most luxurious perfumes might seem more art than science, but a new way to analyze them breaks from the tradition of relying only on experts' sense of smell to blend fragrances. Scientists report that they have developed a model that can help perfumers predict how various combinations of chemicals will smell.

Energy device for flexible electronics packs a lot of power Posted: 07 May 2014 06:59 AM PDT While flexible gadgets such as 'electronic skin' and roll-up touch screens are moving ever closer to reality, their would-be power sources are either too wimpy or too stiff. But that's changing fast. Scientists have developed a new device that's far thinner than paper, can flex and bend, and store enough energy to provide critical back-up power for portable electronics.

Recycling to ensure sufficient raw materials for the future Posted: 07 May 2014 06:58 AM PDT About 70 billion tons of raw materials are extracted world wide annually. That is twice as much as at the end of the 1970s. This trend is continuing – even with finite resources. One way to have enough materials available for manufacturing new goods in future is to recycle continually.

High-efficiency water treatment using light using a novel UV-light system Posted: 07 May 2014 06:58 AM PDT Many harmful substances in waste water stubbornly resist being broken down by biological waste water treatment plants. Researchers have developed a photochemical reaction system in which water can be reliably treated at high flow rates by UV light without having to add chemical catalysts.

Math makes mobile maps meaningful Posted: 07 May 2014 06:58 AM PDT Due to the success of navigation devices and smartphones, digital maps are used widely in everyday life. They guide us safely along motorways or to the next bakery as long as the map is good and clear. However, representation of many information items on small, mobile screens is not trivial. Computer scientists have now developed a method to ensure mathematically optimal adaptation of the labeling to the perspective and driving direction.

Nanoscale heat flow predictions: Environmentally-friendly and cost-effective nanometric-scale energy devices Posted: 07 May 2014 06:57 AM PDT Heat flow in novel nanomaterials could help in creating environmentally friendly and cost-effective nanometric-scale energy devices. Physicists are now designing novel materials with physical properties tailored to meet specific energy consumption needs. Before these so-called materials-by-design can be applied, it is essential to understand their characteristics, such as heat flow. Now physicists have developed a predictive theoretical model for heat flux in these materials, using atom-scale calculations.

Rosetta space probe: Landing on a comet to observe nucleus and environment Posted: 07 May 2014 06:53 AM PDT In March 2004, the Rosetta orbiter was launched into space to analyse and observe the nucleus and environment of the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Little research has been done on comets and they still hold many secrets. One theory is that comets brought water (and thus possibly even life) to Earth. Although space probes have been able to carry out isolated investigations, this has only been while the comets were flying past. At least until now. This will be the first probe not only to collect measurement data "en passant" as it were, but to accompany the comet -- and even to land on it.

Detecting oil spills sandwiched in Arctic ice Posted: 07 May 2014 06:53 AM PDT Due to increased interest in drilling for hydrocarbons in the Arctic and the associated environmental concerns, researchers are working to evaluate whether broadband active acoustic techniques can be used to remotely detect oil spills under sea ice.

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