ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Repairing cartilage with fat: Problems and potential solutions
• Indo-European languages originated in Anatolia, research suggests
• Rock sparrows react to infidelity by singing louder
• Archaeologists complete survey of Charleston Harbor Civil War Naval Battlefield
• For juvenile moose, Momma's boys and girls fare best
• New survey of ocean floor finds juvenile scallops are abundant in Mid-Atlantic
• Antarctic ice sheet quakes shed light on ice movement and earthquakes
• Nanoparticles reboot blood flow in brain
• Language, emotion and well-being explored
• 'Smart catheters' for the major problem of catheter-related infections
• Human melanoma stem cells identified
• Collective motion in schools of fish can evolve as finely tuned defense against attack from predators: Virtual fish simulation
• Research on wood formation sheds light on plant biology
• Webb Telescope's 'golden spider'
• Smooth sailing: Space launch system giving Marshall, Langley wind tunnels a workout
• More exoplanets discovered: 41 new transiting planets in Kepler field of view
• Study helps pancreatic cancer patients make hard choices
• NCAA football exploits players in 'invisible labor market', expert says
• March Madness brings September students: Out-of-state students drawn by college sports success
• Learning one of cancer's tricks: Chemists determine one way tumors meet their growing needs
• Novel technique to synthesize nanocrystals that harvest solar energy
• Advantage flu virus: Scientists discover one of the ways the influenza virus disarms host cells
• Link found between cold European winters and solar activity
• Past tropical climate change linked to ocean circulation
• For mitochondria, bigger may not be better: Optimal length of mitochondria is essential to preventing Alzheimer's
• Field guide to the Epstein-Barr virus charts viral paths toward cancer
• Sensor detects glucose in saliva and tears for diabetes testing
• How to feed data-hungry mobile devices? Use more antennas
• Novel microscopy method offers sharper view of brain's neural network
• Gene 'switch' may explain DiGeorge syndrome severity
• Histone-modifying proteins, not histones, remain associated with DNA through replication
• Supernovae of the same brightness, cut from vastly different cosmic cloth
• Engineers achieve longstanding goal of stable nanocrystalline metals
• How does body temperature reset the biological clock?
• Human lungs brush out intruders
• New way to fight bacterial infections: 'Naked Darth Vader' approach could tame antibiotic resistant superbugs
• Mini-camera with maxi-brainpower
• New standard high efficiency video coding encodes films more efficiently
• Human-chimp genetic differences: New insights into why humans are more susceptible to cancer and other diseases
• Underground solution to starving rice plants
• New insights into salt transport in the kidney
• Therapeutic avenues for Parkinson's investigated
• Study reveals human drive for fair play
• One-molecule-thick material has big advantages
• Scientists produce hydrogen for fuel cells using an inexpensive catalyst under real-world conditions
• Spacetime: A smoother brew than we knew
• Foreclosures impact California voter turnout, researchers find
• No-till could help maintain crop yields despite climate change
• Sinus irrigation with tap water linked to two deaths
• Primate of the opera: What soprano singing apes on helium reveal about the human voice
• Identifying aggressive breast cancers by interpreting the mathematical patterns in the cancer genome
• Cloud control could tame hurricanes, study shows
• Researching the dream cure to insomnia
• Prostate cancer survival rates improved since introduction of PSA testing
• Shaking the electron has strengthened quantum mechanics
• Study attempts to reverse autoimmunity in type 1 diabetes
• Global 'epidemic' of gullet cancer seems to have started in UK in 1950s
• Wide circle of friends key to mid-life wellbeing for both sexes
• First UK operation to tackle heart failure with novel nerve-stimulating implant

Repairing cartilage with fat: Problems and potential solutions Posted: 23 Aug 2012 05:21 PM PDT Stem cells isolated from fat are being considered as an option for treating tissue damage and diseases because of their accessibility and lack of rejection. New research shows that this is not as straightforward as previously believed, and that fat-derived stem cells secrete VEGF and other factors, which can inhibit cartilage regeneration. However pre-treating the cells with antibodies against VEGF and growing them in nutrients specifically designed to promote chondrocytes can neutralize these effects.

Indo-European languages originated in Anatolia, research suggests Posted: 23 Aug 2012 02:54 PM PDT The Indo-European languages belong to one of the widest spread language families of the world. For the last two millenia, many of these languages have been written, and their history is relatively clear. But controversy remains about the time and place of the origins of the family. New research links the origins of Indo-European with the spread of farming from Anatolia 8,000 to 9,500 years ago.

Rock sparrows react to infidelity by singing louder Posted: 23 Aug 2012 02:54 PM PDT Rock sparrows indicate their age and their reproductive success with their songs and react to infidelity with a higher song volume.

Archaeologists complete survey of Charleston Harbor Civil War Naval Battlefield Posted: 23 Aug 2012 02:53 PM PDT Archaeologists have dived, mapped and completed the first survey of the prolonged Civil War naval battle that took place in Charleston Harbor in 1861 - 1865.

For juvenile moose, Momma's boys and girls fare best Posted: 23 Aug 2012 02:53 PM PDT A new study shows that if you're a juvenile moose trying to make it in the real world, you can't beat an overprotective mom.

New survey of ocean floor finds juvenile scallops are abundant in Mid-Atlantic Posted: 23 Aug 2012 01:19 PM PDT Researchers are getting a comprehensive view of the ocean floor using a new instrument, and have confirmed that there are high numbers of young sea scallops off of Delaware Bay.

Antarctic ice sheet quakes shed light on ice movement and earthquakes Posted: 23 Aug 2012 01:19 PM PDT Analysis of small, repeating earthquakes in an Antarctic ice sheet may not only lead to an understanding of glacial movement, but may also shed light on stick slip earthquakes like those on the San Andreas fault or in Haiti, according to geoscientists.

Nanoparticles reboot blood flow in brain Posted: 23 Aug 2012 01:19 PM PDT Nanoparticles show promise in restoring blood flow to the brain when administered soon after a traumatic brain or other injury.

Language, emotion and well-being explored Posted: 23 Aug 2012 01:19 PM PDT We use language every day to express our emotions, but can this language actually affect what and how we feel? Two new studies explore the ways in which the interaction between language and emotion influences our well-being.

'Smart catheters' for the major problem of catheter-related infections Posted: 23 Aug 2012 01:19 PM PDT A new "smart catheter" that senses the start of an infection, and automatically releases an anti-bacterial substance, is being developed to combat the problem of catheter-related blood and urinary tract infections.

Human melanoma stem cells identified Posted: 23 Aug 2012 12:24 PM PDT Cancer stem cells are defined by three abilities: differentiation, self-renewal and their ability to seed a tumor. These stem cells resist chemotherapy and many researchers posit their role in relapse. A new study shows that melanoma cells with these abilities are marked by the enzyme ALDH, and imagines new therapies to target high-ALDH cells, potentially weeding the body of these most dangerous cancer creators.

Collective motion in schools of fish can evolve as finely tuned defense against attack from predators: Virtual fish simulation Posted: 23 Aug 2012 12:24 PM PDT Researchers have designed a video game for predatory fish that has unraveled some lingering evolutionary questions about group formation and movement in animals.

Research on wood formation sheds light on plant biology Posted: 23 Aug 2012 12:24 PM PDT Scientists have discovered a phenomenon never seen before in plants while studying molecular changes inside tree cells as wood is formed.

Webb Telescope's 'golden spider' Posted: 23 Aug 2012 12:21 PM PDT What looks like a giant golden spider weaving a web of cables and cords, is actually ground support equipment, including the Optical Telescope Simulator (OSIM), for the James Webb Space Telescope. OSIM's job is to generate a beam of light just like the one that the real telescope optics will feed into the actual flight instruments. Because the real flight instruments will be used to test the real flight telescope, their alignment and performance first have to be verified by using the OSIM. Engineers are thoroughly checking out OSIM now in preparation for using it to test the flight science instruments later.

Smooth sailing: Space launch system giving Marshall, Langley wind tunnels a workout Posted: 23 Aug 2012 12:17 PM PDT Since well before the inception of NASA, engineers used wind tunnels and scale models to test how vehicles would respond and interact with the atmosphere. At the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., and Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., engineers are using wind tunnel testing to enhance the development of NASA's Space Launch System, a heavy-lift launch vehicle that will propel science and human exploration into deep space and launch NASA's Orion spacecraft to expand human presence beyond low Earth orbit.

More exoplanets discovered: 41 new transiting planets in Kepler field of view Posted: 23 Aug 2012 12:04 PM PDT Two newly submitted studies verify 41 new transiting planets in 20 star systems. These results may increase the number of Kepler's confirmed planets by more than 50 percent: to 116 planets hosted in 67 systems, over half of which contain more than one planet.

Study helps pancreatic cancer patients make hard choices Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:38 AM PDT Researchers have examined SEER data on 25,476 pancreatic cancer patients, correlating days spent on medical care with disease stage, type of treatment and survival time. The first of its kind, the study is intended to provide physicians and patients with vital information needed to maximize quality of life for people with pancreatic cancer.

NCAA football exploits players in 'invisible labor market', expert says Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:38 AM PDT College football exploits players in an "invisible labor market," and the only plausible way for student-athletes to address their interests is the credible threat of unionization, according to new research from an expert in labor relations and collective bargaining in athletics.

March Madness brings September students: Out-of-state students drawn by college sports success Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:38 AM PDT A new study examines the impact that college sports success has in drawing prospective students. A pair of economists show how much of a bump follows a stellar season (up to 10 percent) and what types of prospective students are attracted to schools with winning teams.

Learning one of cancer's tricks: Chemists determine one way tumors meet their growing needs Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:38 AM PDT Researchers have shown for the first time that a specific sugar, known as GlcNAc ("glick-nack"), plays a key role in helping cancer cells grow rapidly and survive under harsh conditions. The finding suggests new potential targets for therapeutic intervention.

Novel technique to synthesize nanocrystals that harvest solar energy Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:38 AM PDT A new video protocol focuses on the liquid phase synthesis of two nanocrystals that produce hydrogen gas or an electric charge when exposed to light.

Advantage flu virus: Scientists discover one of the ways the influenza virus disarms host cells Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:38 AM PDT Scientists have discovered one of the ways the influenza virus disarms our natural defense system. The virus decreases the production of key immune regulating proteins in human cells that help fight the invader. The virus does this by turning on the microRNAs -- little snippets of RNA -- that regulate these proteins. The researchers are among the first to show the influenza virus can change the expression of microRNA to control immune responses in human lung cells.

Link found between cold European winters and solar activity Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:38 AM PDT Scientists have long suspected that the Sun's 11-year cycle influences climate of certain regions on Earth. Yet records of average, seasonal temperatures do not date back far enough to confirm any patterns. Now, armed with a unique proxy, an international team of researchers show that unusually cold winters in Central Europe are related to low solar activity – when sunspot numbers are minimal.

Past tropical climate change linked to ocean circulation Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:37 AM PDT A new record of past temperature change in the tropical Atlantic Ocean's subsurface provides clues as to why the Earth's climate is so sensitive to ocean circulation patterns.

For mitochondria, bigger may not be better: Optimal length of mitochondria is essential to preventing Alzheimer's Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:37 AM PDT Abnormalities in mitochondrial length promote the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.

Field guide to the Epstein-Barr virus charts viral paths toward cancer Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:37 AM PDT Researchers have published the first annotated atlas of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) genome, providing the best look yet at how EBV interacts with human genes and proteins. EBV, which is thought to be responsible for one percent of all human cancers -- including B cell lymphomas, gastric carcinomas, and nasopharyngeal carcinomas -- establishes a latent infection in nearly 100 percent of infected adult humans.

Sensor detects glucose in saliva and tears for diabetes testing Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:37 AM PDT Researchers have created a new type of biosensor that can detect minute concentrations of glucose in saliva, tears and urine and might be manufactured at low cost because it does not require many processing steps to produce.

How to feed data-hungry mobile devices? Use more antennas Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:37 AM PDT Researchers have just unveiled Argos, a new multi-antenna technology that could help wireless providers keep pace with the voracious demands of data-hungry smartphones and tablets. Argos aims to dramatically increase network capacity by allowing cell towers to simultaneously beam signals to more than a dozen customers on the same frequency.

Novel microscopy method offers sharper view of brain's neural network Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:31 AM PDT An Italian research team has, for the first time, imaged a fluorescent mouse brain in its entirety with the highest resolution to date. The novel method, which uses a new microscopy technique, produced 100 percent sharper images of the neural pathways, and should be applicable to human brain samples in the future – opening the door to a better understanding of brain disorders such as autism and ischemic stroke.

Gene 'switch' may explain DiGeorge syndrome severity Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:31 AM PDT The discovery of a 'switch' that modifies a gene known to be essential for normal heart development could explain variations in the severity of birth defects in children with DiGeorge syndrome.

Histone-modifying proteins, not histones, remain associated with DNA through replication Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:30 AM PDT A study of Drosophila embryos found that parental methylated histones are not transferred to daughter DNA. Rather, after DNA replication, new nucleosomes are assembled from newly synthesized unmodified histones.

Supernovae of the same brightness, cut from vastly different cosmic cloth Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:30 AM PDT Astronomers have presented the first-ever direct observations of a Type 1a supernova progenitor system. Astronomers have collected evidence indicating that the progenitor system of a Type 1a supernova contains a red giant star. They also show that the system previously underwent at least one much smaller nova eruption before it ended its life in a destructive supernova. By comparison, indirect observations of another Type 1a supernova progenitor system showed no evidence of a red giant star. Taken together, these observations unequivocally show that just because Type 1a supernovae look the same, that doesn't mean they are all born the same way.

Engineers achieve longstanding goal of stable nanocrystalline metals Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:30 AM PDT Most metals -- from the steel used to build bridges and skyscrapers to the copper and gold used to form wires in microchips -- are made of crystals: orderly arrays of molecules forming a perfectly repeating pattern. In many cases, the material is made of tiny crystals packed closely together, rather than one large crystal. The crystals tend to merge and grow larger if subjected to heat or stress. Now, researchers have found a way to avoid that problem. They've designed and made alloys that form extremely tiny grains -- called nanocrystals -- that are only a few billionths of a meter across.

How does body temperature reset the biological clock? Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:30 AM PDT Scientists have discovered a molecular mechanism by which body temperature rhythms influence the expression of 'clock genes' and synchronize local oscillators. This study also demonstrates how the production of DBP, a protein involved in detoxification and drug metabolism, is modulated by daily variations of temperature.

Human lungs brush out intruders Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:30 AM PDT A new study helps to explain how human airways clear mucus out of the lungs. The findings may give researchers a better understanding of what goes wrong in many human lung diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma.

New way to fight bacterial infections: 'Naked Darth Vader' approach could tame antibiotic resistant superbugs Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:29 AM PDT Rather than trying to kill bacteria outright with drugs, researchers have discovered a way to disarm bacteria that may allow the body's own defense mechanisms to destroy them. "To understand this strategy one could imagine harmful bacteria being like Darth Vader, and the anti-virulence drug would take away his armor and lightsaber," explained the study's lead author.

Mini-camera with maxi-brainpower Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:29 AM PDT Torrential rapids, plunging mud holes and soaring hurdles: in the outdoor competitions at the Olympic Games, athletes pushed themselves to the limit. But it's hard to depict this in pictures alone. This is why researchers created an intelligent camera that instantly delivers additional metadata, such as acceleration, temperature or heart rate.

New standard high efficiency video coding encodes films more efficiently Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:29 AM PDT Television resolution is constantly improving – and this must go hand-in-hand with transmitting the data more efficiently. Reputable manufacturers of televisions, computers and mobile telephones are developing a new standard for data transmission.

Human-chimp genetic differences: New insights into why humans are more susceptible to cancer and other diseases Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:27 AM PDT Ninety-six percent of a chimpanzee's genome is the same as a human's. It's the other 4 percent, and the vast differences, that has intrigued researchers. For instance, why do humans have a high risk of cancer, even though chimps rarely develop the disease? In a new study, scientists have looked at brain samples of each species. They found that differences in certain DNA modifications, called methylation, may contribute to phenotypic changes. The results also hint that DNA methylation plays an important role for some disease-related phenotypes in humans, including cancer and autism.

Underground solution to starving rice plants Posted: 23 Aug 2012 08:31 AM PDT Scientists have pinpointed a gene that enables rice plants to produce around 20 percent more grain by increasing uptake of phosphorus, an important, but limited, plant nutrient.

New insights into salt transport in the kidney Posted: 23 Aug 2012 08:29 AM PDT Sodium chloride, better known as salt, is vital for the organism, and the kidneys play a crucial role in the regulation of sodium balance. However, the underlying mechanisms of sodium balance are not yet completely understood. Researchers in Germany have now deciphered the function of a gene in the kidney and have thus gained new insights into this complex regulation process.

Therapeutic avenues for Parkinson's investigated Posted: 23 Aug 2012 08:29 AM PDT Scientists have discovered what may possibly be a key ingredient in the fight against Parkinson's disease. Researchers have demonstrated that the nuclear receptor liver X receptor beta may play a role in the prevention and treatment of this progressive neurodegenerative disease.

Study reveals human drive for fair play Posted: 23 Aug 2012 08:29 AM PDT People will reject an offer of water, even when they are severely thirsty, if they perceive the offer to be unfair, according to a new study. The findings have important implications for understanding how humans make decisions that must balance fairness and self-interest.

One-molecule-thick material has big advantages Posted: 23 Aug 2012 08:29 AM PDT New research suggests that a whole family of two-dimensional materials may open up possibilities for applications that could change many aspects of modern life.

Scientists produce hydrogen for fuel cells using an inexpensive catalyst under real-world conditions Posted: 23 Aug 2012 08:29 AM PDT Scientists have produced hydrogen, a renewable energy source, from water using an inexpensive catalyst under industrially relevant conditions (using pH neutral water, surrounded by atmospheric oxygen, and at room temperature).

Spacetime: A smoother brew than we knew Posted: 23 Aug 2012 08:15 AM PDT Spacetime may be less like beer and more like sipping whiskey. Or so an intergalactic photo finish would suggest. Physicists reached this heady conclusion after studying the tracings of three photons of differing wavelengths that were recorded by NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope in May 2009. Photons from a gamma-ray burst jetted 7 billion light years across the universe and arrived at Earth in a dead heat, calling into question just how foamy the universe may be.

Foreclosures impact California voter turnout, researchers find Posted: 23 Aug 2012 07:33 AM PDT California neighborhoods reeling from record foreclosures also experienced lower levels of voter turnout in the 2008 presidential election. Voters who lost their homes and those who remained in impacted neighborhoods were less likely to cast ballots.

No-till could help maintain crop yields despite climate change Posted: 23 Aug 2012 06:10 AM PDT Reducing tillage for some Central Great Plains crops could help conserve water and reduce losses caused by climate change, according to studies at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Sinus irrigation with tap water linked to two deaths Posted: 23 Aug 2012 06:10 AM PDT When water containing the Naegleria fowleri amoeba, a single-celled organism, enters the nose, the organisms may migrate to the brain, causing primary amebic meningoencephalitis, a very rare -- but usually fatal -- disease. A new study has described the first reported cases in the United States implicating nasal irrigation using tap water in these infections. "N. fowleri was found in water samples from both homes," researchers said, but "not found in the treatment plants or distribution systems of the municipal water systems servicing the patients' homes."

Primate of the opera: What soprano singing apes on helium reveal about the human voice Posted: 23 Aug 2012 06:09 AM PDT Have you ever heard an opera singing ape? Researchers in Japan have discovered that singing gibbons use the same vocal techniques as professional soprano singers. The study explains how recording gibbons singing under the influence of helium gas reveals a physiological similarity to human voices.

Identifying aggressive breast cancers by interpreting the mathematical patterns in the cancer genome Posted: 23 Aug 2012 06:09 AM PDT It is now possible to identify aggressive breast cancers by interpreting the mathematical patterns in the cancer genome.

Cloud control could tame hurricanes, study shows Posted: 23 Aug 2012 06:09 AM PDT They are one of the most destructive forces of nature on Earth, but now environmental scientists are working to tame the hurricane. Scientists now propose using cloud seeding to decrease sea surface temperatures where hurricanes form. Theoretically, the team claims the technique could reduce hurricane intensity by a category.

Researching the dream cure to insomnia Posted: 23 Aug 2012 06:09 AM PDT More than one third of people in the UK are likely to experience acute insomnia each year, say sleep experts.

Prostate cancer survival rates improved since introduction of PSA testing Posted: 23 Aug 2012 06:09 AM PDT The routine use of prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing for screening and monitoring prostate cancer has led to early and more sensitive detection of the disease. A new study reports that in the "PSA era," survival has improved for patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer that has spread to the bones or other parts of the body and the disparity between African American and Caucasian men has been resolved.

Shaking the electron has strengthened quantum mechanics Posted: 23 Aug 2012 06:09 AM PDT Atomic orbital electrons react to change of nucleus electric charge following each beta decay and to flying nearby particles emitted from the nucleus. Physicists have simulated such processes for 6He nuclei. Theoretical calculations were recently confirmed.

Study attempts to reverse autoimmunity in type 1 diabetes Posted: 23 Aug 2012 05:46 AM PDT Results from a novel experimental therapy for type 1 diabetes that boosts parts of the healthy immune system were just reported.

Global 'epidemic' of gullet cancer seems to have started in UK in 1950s Posted: 22 Aug 2012 07:26 PM PDT The global "epidemic" of one type of gullet cancer (adenocarcinoma) seems to have started in the UK during the 1950s, sparked by some as yet unknown, but common, factor, suggests new research.

Wide circle of friends key to mid-life wellbeing for both sexes Posted: 22 Aug 2012 07:26 PM PDT The midlife wellbeing of both men and women seems to depend on having a wide circle of friends whom they see regularly, finds new research.

First UK operation to tackle heart failure with novel nerve-stimulating implant Posted: 22 Aug 2012 07:26 PM PDT Researchers have announced that the UK's first operation to tackle heart failure (HF) with a novel nerve-stimulating device was performed August 23.

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