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Sunday, November 3, 2013

ScienceDaily: Top News

ScienceDaily: Top News


Global warming led to dwarfism in mammals -- twice

Posted: 02 Nov 2013 06:55 AM PDT

Mammal body size decreased significantly during at least two ancient global warming events, a new finding that suggests a similar outcome is possible in response to human-caused climate change, according to paleontologists.

Synaptic transistor learns while it computes

Posted: 02 Nov 2013 06:55 AM PDT

It doesn't take a Watson to realize that even the world's best supercomputers are staggeringly inefficient and energy-intensive machines. Our brains have upwards of 86 billion neurons, connected by synapses that not only complete myriad logic circuits; they continuously adapt to stimuli, strengthening some connections while weakening others. We call that process learning, and it enables the kind of rapid, highly efficient computational processes that put Siri and Blue Gene to shame.

Bipolar and pregnant

Posted: 01 Nov 2013 02:24 PM PDT

New research offers one of the first in-depth views of how metabolism changes during pregnancy reduce the effect of a commonly used drug to treat bipolar disorder. The blood level of the drug decreased during pregnancy, resulting in worsening symptoms. The new findings can help physicians prevent bipolar manic and depressive episodes in their pregnant patients, which are risky for the health of the mother and her unborn child.

Crashing rockets could lead to novel sample-return technology

Posted: 01 Nov 2013 02:23 PM PDT

In early 2013, University of Washington students launched rockets from kites and balloons into a dry Nevada lakebed, early tests of a concept to collect and return samples from forbidding environments.

A galaxy within us: Our gut microbiota and how it can be programmed by food

Posted: 01 Nov 2013 09:54 AM PDT

Who would have thought that the human body contains over 10 times the amount of bacterial cells as human cells? These bacteria - now collectively called the gut microbiota - number in their trillions and are made up of more than a 1,000 different species most of which are beneficial in some way.

US preterm birth rate drops to 15-year low

Posted: 01 Nov 2013 06:19 AM PDT

The United States' preterm birth rate dropped for the sixth year in 2012 to 11.5 percent, a 15-year low. The nation again earned a "C" on the Report Card. Alaska, California, Maine, New Hampshire, Oregon and Vermont earned an "A." The March of Dimes estimated that, since 2006, about 176,000 fewer babies have been born too soon because of improvement in the preterm birth rate, potentially saving about $9 billion in health and societal costs.

Non-genetic inheritance and changing environments

Posted: 01 Nov 2013 06:17 AM PDT

In the last two decades climate change emerged as a momentous threat to ecosystems and species, calling for - politics aside - a greater interest in the adaptation abilities of the world's creatures. Understanding and predicting how populations will respond to climate fluctuations has been attracting a wealth of research into evolutionary biology and the molecular components of evolution; with some vital questions motivating these studies: namely, how organisms will handle their new circumstances, or how populations will be able to cope with climate change in order to survive and avoid extinction. With the far-reaching impacts of climate change being felt globally, it is no wonder that scientists are desperate to understand evolution and its implications for adaptation abilities. 

Patients with heart failure need specialist care

Posted: 01 Nov 2013 06:17 AM PDT

New research shows that patients with heart failure have high mortality and often are undertreated. According to a study, many more of these patients would benefit from advanced treatment by heart specialists – something that could be decided by a simple evaluation of five common risk factors for early death due to heart failure.

Can putting your child before yourself make you a happier person?

Posted: 31 Oct 2013 02:56 PM PDT

While popular media often depicts highly-involved parents negatively as "helicopter parents" or "tiger moms, how does placing one's children at the center of family life really affect parental well-being? New research finds that parents who prioritize their children's well-being over their own are not only happier, but also derive more meaning in life from their child-rearing responsibilities.

'Flipping the switch' reveals new compounds with antibiotic potential

Posted: 31 Oct 2013 02:55 PM PDT

Researchers have discovered that one gene in a common fungus acts as a master regulator, and deleting it has opened access to a wealth of new compounds that have never before been studied -- with the potential to identify new antibiotics.

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