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Wednesday, August 6, 2014

ScienceDaily: Top News

ScienceDaily: Top News


Study of aerosols stands to improve climate models

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 11:47 PM PDT

Of all the factors that influence Earth's changing climate, the effect that tiny particles in Earth's atmosphere called aerosols have on clouds is the least well understood. Aerosols scatter and absorb incoming sunlight and affect the formation and properties of clouds. Now a new, comprehensive global analysis of satellite data has quantified how changes in aerosol levels affect these warm clouds over the ocean.

How Rosetta arrives at a comet

Posted: 01 Aug 2014 08:11 AM PDT

After travelling nearly 6.4 billion kilometres through the Solar System, ESA's Rosetta is closing in on its target. But how does a spacecraft actually arrive at a comet?

Rosetta takes comet’s temperature

Posted: 01 Aug 2014 08:11 AM PDT

ESA's Rosetta spacecraft has made its first temperature measurements of its target comet, finding that it is too hot to be covered in ice and must instead have a dark, dusty crust.

Baby aspirin? Many doctors don't recommend, despite guidelines

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 07:13 PM PDT

A majority of middle-aged men and women eligible to take aspirin to prevent heart attack and stroke do not recall their doctors ever telling them to do so, according to a study of an American sample of more than 3,000 patients. The finding illustrates a common disconnect between public health guidelines and what occurs in clinical practice. The study is consistent with other research showing that physicians often do not recommend aspirin as prevention therapy to the general population, despite established guidelines.

Angry bees: Insect aggression boosted by altering brain metabolism

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 07:12 PM PDT

Scientists report they can crank up insect aggression simply by interfering with a basic metabolic pathway in the insect brain. Their study, of fruit flies and honey bees, shows a direct, causal link between brain metabolism -- how the brain generates the energy it needs to function -- and aggression.

Our brains judge a face's trustworthiness, even when we can’t see it

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 07:07 PM PDT

Our brains are able to judge the trustworthiness of a face even when we cannot consciously see it, a team of scientists has found. Their findings shed new light on how we form snap judgments of others.

Pistachios may lower vascular response to stress in type 2 diabetes

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 01:33 PM PDT

Among people with type 2 diabetes, eating pistachios may reduce the body's response to the stresses of everyday life, according researchers. "In adults with diabetes, two servings of pistachios per day lowered vascular constriction during stress and improved neural control of the heart," said the lead investigator. "Although nuts are high in fat, they contain good fats, fiber, potassium and antioxidants. Given the high risk of heart disease in people with diabetes, nuts are an important component of a heart healthy diet in this population."

Promising Ebola virus treatment development: Crucial research conducted to advance medicine

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 01:33 PM PDT

Researchers are investigating antibodies to fight Ebola virus, including the three antibodies recently used to treat two American health care workers infected with the Ebola virus. Ebola virus causes an extremely virulent disease that currently leads to death in 25 to 90 percent of cases. The fast-moving virus is spread via the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person,

Scientists change butterflies wing color in just six generations

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 12:10 PM PDT

Scientists have chosen the most fleeting of mediums for their groundbreaking work on biomimicry: They've changed the color of butterfly wings. In so doing, they produced the first structural color change in an animal by influencing evolution. The discovery may have implications for physicists and engineers trying to use evolutionary principles in the design of new materials and devices.

How spiders spin silk: Mechanism elegantly explains how spider silk can form so quickly and smoothly

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 12:08 PM PDT

Spider silk is an impressive material; lightweight and stretchy yet stronger than steel. But the challenge that spiders face to produce this substance is even more formidable. Silk proteins, called spidroins, must convert from a soluble form to solid fibers at ambient temperatures, with water as a solvent, and at high speed. How do spiders achieve this astounding feat? New research shows how the silk formation process is regulated.

Drug reverses brain deficits of Alzheimer's in mouse model

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 12:08 PM PDT

Researchers have discovered a new drug compound that reverses the brain deficits of Alzheimer's disease in an animal model. The compound, TC-2153, inhibits the negative effects of a protein called STtriatal-Enriched tyrosine Phosphatase (STEP), which is key to regulating learning and memory.

Monthly preventative treatment with a new drug combination reduces malaria in children

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 12:08 PM PDT

Preventative treatment with a monthly dose of a newer antimalarial drug can reduce the risk of malarial infection among young children, according to a new study. The study finds that treating young children with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine decreased their risk of contracting malaria.

Watching chemistry in motion: Chemical environments mapped using molecular vibrations

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 12:06 PM PDT

Scientists have long known that a molecule's behavior depends on its environment. Taking advantage of this phenomenon, a group of researchers has developed a new technique to map microscopic environments using the vibrations of molecules. "It's a special new advance that will be broadly useful in studies of molecular and materials phenomena," said one scientist.

New clues to repairing an injured spinal cord

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 12:06 PM PDT

Frogs, dogs, whales, snails can all do it, but humans and primates can't. Regrow nerves after an injury, that is -- while many animals have this ability, humans don't. But new research suggests that a small molecule may be able to convince damaged nerves to grow and effectively rewire circuits. Such a feat could eventually lead to therapies for the thousands of Americans with severe spinal cord injuries and paralysis. Scientists hope to borrow strategy from simpler animals to repair damaged spinal cord nerves in humans.

Just one simple question can identify narcissistic people

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 12:06 PM PDT

Scientists have developed and validated a new method to identify which people are narcissistic: just ask them. In a series of 11 experiments involving more than 2,200 people of all ages, the researchers found they could reliably identify narcissistic people by asking them one question.

Scientists introduce new cosmic connectivity: Quantum pigeonhole paradox

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 10:25 AM PDT

Recently physicists at Chapman University's Institute for Quantum Studies introduced the Quantum Cheshire Cat. Now they have introduced another quantum animal: the Quantum Pigeon. They introduced a new kind of quantum connectivity between particles which transcends these limitations. This connectivity is happening all the time on a much bigger, cosmic scale.

Common chemical in mothers may negatively affect the IQ of their unborn children

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 10:25 AM PDT

In some women, abnormally high levels of a common and pervasive chemical may lead to adverse effects in their offspring, researchers report. The study is the first of its kind to shed light on the possible harmful side effects of perchlorate in mothers and their children. "The reason people really care about perchlorate is because it is ubiquitous. It's everywhere," said one investigator. "Prior studies have already shown perchlorate, at low levels, can be found in each and every one of us."

Butterflies could hold key to probes that repair genes

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 10:25 AM PDT

New discoveries about how butterflies feed could help engineers develop tiny probes that siphon liquid out of single cells for a wide range of medical tests and treatments, according to researchers. The technology could be used for medical devices, nanobioreactors that make complex materials and flying "micro-air vehicles" the size of an insect.

New 'whey' to control diabetes

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 10:22 AM PDT

Blood sugar surges -- after-meal glucose 'spikes' -- can be life threatening for the 29 million Americans with diabetes. Now a new study suggests a novel way to suppress these deadly post-meal glucose surges: the consumption of whey protein concentrate, found in the watery portion of milk separated from cheese curds, before breakfast.

Photo editing tool enables object images to be manipulated in 3-D

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 10:21 AM PDT

Editors of photos routinely resize objects, or move them up, down or sideways, but researchers are adding an extra dimension to photo editing by enabling editors to turn or flip objects any way they want, even exposing surfaces not visible in the original photograph.

Eating more dietary pulses can increase fullness, may help manage weight

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 10:21 AM PDT

Eating about one serving a day of beans, peas, chickpeas or lentils can increase fullness, which may lead to better weight management and weight loss, a new study has found. Pulses have a low glycemic index (meaning that they are foods that break down slowly) and can be used to reduce or displace animal protein as well as "bad" fats such as trans fat in a dish or meal.

Social networking key to helping bugs spread, study shows

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 10:21 AM PDT

Fresh discoveries about how bacteria co-operate with each other when causing infection could help scientists identify animal diseases that might transmit to people. Bugs that can co-operate best with each other are most likely to be able to jump to new species, including humans, a new study shows.

LEDs made from 'wonder material' perovskite

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 10:21 AM PDT

Colourful LEDs made from a material known as perovskite could lead to LED displays which are both cheaper and easier to manufacture in future. A hybrid form of perovskite -- the same type of material which has recently been found to make highly efficient solar cells that could one day replace silicon -- has been used to make low-cost, easily manufactured LEDs, potentially opening up a wide range of commercial applications in future, such as flexible color displays.

Pheromones regulate aggression of non-mother female mice toward pups in wild-derived mice

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 10:20 AM PDT

A new mouse model has allowed researchers to explore, for the first time, the biological roots of aggressive behavior in females, both toward each other and the pups of others. Their findings provide the basis for developing additional mouse strains that will enable a better understanding of the neural and genetic basis of behavior relating to reproduction in females, and the differences between males and females.

Graphene 'droplets' open up possibilities in drug delivery, disease detection

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 10:20 AM PDT

A chance discovery about the 'wonder material' graphene takes it a step closer to being used in medicine and human health. Researchers in Australia have discovered that graphene oxide sheets can change structure to become liquid crystal droplets spontaneously and without any specialist equipment. With graphene droplets now easy to produce, researchers say this opens up possibilities for its use in drug delivery and disease detection.

Grizzly research offers surprising insights into diabetes-obesity link

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 10:19 AM PDT

Researchers studying grizzly bears have now discovered a natural state of diabetes that serves a real biological purpose and is also reversible. Investigators note that grizzly bears are obese but not diabetic in the fall, become diabetic only weeks later in hibernation, and then become 'cured' of diabetes in the spring. The research reveals how natural biology can teach us new things about how animals naturally cope with conditions that would cause disease in humans.

Seamless gene correction of beta-thalassemia mutations in patient-specific cells

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 10:19 AM PDT

A major hurdle in gene therapy is the efficient integration of a corrected gene into a patient's genome without mutating off-target sites. In a new paper, scientists explain having used CRISPR/Cas genome editing technology to seamlessly and efficiently correct disease-causing mutations in cells from patients with beta-thalassemia.

Diamond defect interior design: Planting imperfections at specific spots within a diamond lattice could advance quantum computing

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 10:17 AM PDT

By carefully controlling the position of an atomic-scale diamond defect within a volume smaller than what some viruses would fill, researchers have cleared a path toward better quantum computers and nanoscale sensors.

Three-in-one optical skin cancer probe

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 10:17 AM PDT

Researchers have now developed a probe that combines into one device three unique ways of using light to measure the properties of skin tissue and detect cancer. The researchers have begun testing their 3-in-1 device in pilot clinical trials.

ALMA pinpoints Pluto to help guide NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 10:17 AM PDT

Astronomers are making high-precision measurements of Pluto's location and orbit around the Sun to help NASA's New Horizons spacecraft accurately home in on its target when it nears Pluto and its five known moons in July 2015.

Planet-like object may have spent its youth as hot as a star

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 07:25 AM PDT

Astronomers have discovered an extremely cool object that could have a particularly diverse history - although it is now as cool as a planet, it may have spent much of its youth as hot as a star. The current temperature of the object is 100-150 degrees Celsius, intermediate between that of the Earth and Venus. But the object shows evidence of a possible ancient origin, implying that a large change in temperature has taken place.

Smart bacteria help each other survive

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 07:25 AM PDT

The body's assailants are cleverer than previously thought. New research shows for the first time how bacteria in the airways can help each other replenish vital iron. The bacteria thereby increase their chances of survival, which can happen at the expense of the person's health.

An embryonic cell's fate sealed by speed of a signal

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 07:23 AM PDT

When embryonic cells get the signal to specialize, the call can come quickly. Or it can arrive slowly. Now, new research suggests the speed at which a cell in an embryo receives that signal has an unexpected influence on that cell's fate. "This finding is another instance of a productive collaboration between biologists and physicists. Neither group, biologists or physicists, could have realized this result working alone," one researcher said.

Warning to parents on high acidity drinks

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 07:23 AM PDT

Dental researchers are warning parents of the dangers of soft drinks, fruit juice, sports drinks and other drinks high in acidity, which form part of a "triple-threat" of permanent damage to young people's teeth.

Scientists call for increased conservation efforts to save black bears

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 06:11 AM PDT

To combat the decline of black bears and repopulate the mountainous region of the Central Interior Highlands (CIH), more than 250 bears from Minnesota and Manitoba were relocated to Arkansas in the 1950s and 1960s. Now, researchers have analyzed genetic diversity in black bears in the CIH and have determined that coordinated conservation management is still needed to maintain healthy populations of black bears in the region.

Used cigarette butts offer energy storage solution

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 06:11 AM PDT

A group of scientists have converted used-cigarette butts into a high-performing material that could be integrated into computers, handheld devices, electrical vehicles and wind turbines to store energy.

Obesity paradox in survival from sepsis

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 06:11 AM PDT

Obesity usually leads to worse health outcomes, but a study shows extra weight increases chances of surviving sepsis. In a study of 1,404 Medicare beneficiaries, heavier patients were more likely to survive sepsis, a life-threatening infection that can lead to a stay in a hospital's intensive care unit.

Why patients with autism spectrum disorder have difficulty noticing 'being imitated'

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 06:11 AM PDT

Persons with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have decreased activity in an area in the brain critical for understanding if his/her movement was imitated by others, researchers have found. Persons with ASD are known to have difficulty in interpersonal communication and have trouble noticing that their movement was imitated. Behavioral intervention research to alleviate ASD is proceeding and indicates that training utilizing imitation is useful.

Mammography benefits women over 75, new study finds

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 06:11 AM PDT

Mammography-detected breast cancer is associated with a shift to earlier stage diagnosis in older women, subsequently reducing the rate of more advanced, difficult-to-treat cases, according to a new study. Researchers said the findings lend support to regular mammography screening in women ages 75 and older.

Why tendons break down with age

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 06:09 AM PDT

Scientists have identified differences in the proteins present in young and old tendons, in new research that could guide the development of treatments to stop tissue breakdown from occurring.

New methods to identify MRSA in pigs

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 06:09 AM PDT

It is important to keep the number of MRSA infections at a low level. The latest technologies within whole genome sequencing have been exploited to develop new methods to identify genes which are important for the survival of MRSA in pigs.

Pre-pregnancy risk drinking predicts toddler behavior problems

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 06:09 AM PDT

Risk drinking before pregnancy can increase the risk of the development behavioral problems in toddlers. Early intervention to help and support mothers and their children could help to prevent these problems from developing into long term behavioral problems.

Wasp venom used in new therapy for breast cancer

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 06:09 AM PDT

Despite there currently being a wide variety of compounds against cancer, they all have serious side effects. Furthermore, tumors are capable of becoming resistant, limiting this type of treatment. In order to counteract these two disadvantages, scientists have designed a new therapy based on a peptide - the binding of several amino acids - from wasp venom for its potential use against breast cancer.

Drilling transforms the underworld: Humanity's deepest footprint

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 06:09 AM PDT

Geologists are explore the hidden world beneath our feet. Examining the effects of human drilling shows how humans have left their mark on Earth both above the surface and deep below in the subterranean network of human-made tunnels in ways that will have a long-standing impact in the future.

Bisphenol A and food intolerance: Link established for first time

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 06:09 AM PDT

Perinatal exposure to low doses of BPA, which is considered to be risk-free in humans, could increase the risk of developing food intolerance in adulthood, research shows. More than 20% of the global population suffer from food allergy or intolerance. An environmental origin for these adverse food reactions is strongly suspected.

Diabetes-related mutation found in Mexican population

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 06:09 AM PDT

Genetic sequencing of 8000 Mexicans were analyzed in a recent study. Researchers found a mutated gene related to diabetes in 30% of mestizos and in half the indigenous population. The largest genetic study of type II diabetes made between Mexican population has identified a gene present in mestizos (mixed race) and indigenous people of the country that rises five times the likelihood of developing the disease, compared to other populations of the world.

HIV infection linked to lower multiple sclerosis risk

Posted: 04 Aug 2014 05:21 PM PDT

HIV infection is linked to a significantly lower risk of developing multiple sclerosis, indicates observational research. Chronic dampening down of the immune system as a result of the infection and/or the antiretroviral drugs used to treat it might explain this association, say the researchers. If subsequently found to be causal, this could have considerable implications for the treatment of MS, they suggest.

Hepatitis C will become a rare disease in 22 years, study predicts

Posted: 04 Aug 2014 05:20 PM PDT

Effective new drugs and screening would make hepatitis C a rare disease by 2036, according to a computer simulation. "Hepatitis C (HCV) is the leading cause of liver cancer and accounts for more than 15,000 deaths in the U.S. each year," said a corresponding author on the study. "If we can improve access to treatment and incorporate more aggressive screening guidelines, we can reduce the number of chronic HCV cases, prevent more cases of liver cancer and reduce liver-related deaths."

Combustion mechanism to better predict warming by wildfires uncovered by scientists

Posted: 04 Aug 2014 02:15 PM PDT

Scientists have uncovered key attributes of so-called 'brown carbon' from wildfires, airborne atmospheric particles that may have influenced current climate models that failed to take the material's warming effects into account.

Triple therapy revs up immune system against common brain tumor

Posted: 04 Aug 2014 02:10 PM PDT

A triple therapy for glioblastoma, including two types of immunotherapy and targeted radiation, has significantly prolonged the survival of mice with these brain cancers, according to a new report. Mice with implanted, mouse-derived glioblastoma cells lived an average of 67 days after the triple therapy, compared with mice that lasted 24 days when they received only the two immunotherapies.

Speedier diagnosis of diseases such as cancer likely thanks to new dna analysis technique

Posted: 04 Aug 2014 02:10 PM PDT

Researchers have achieved a technical breakthrough that should result in speedier diagnosis of cancer and various pre-natal conditions.

Formerly conjoined twins celebrate 10 year anniversary of groundbreaking surgery

Posted: 04 Aug 2014 02:10 PM PDT

Formerly conjoined twins Carl and Clarence Aguirre celebrated the tenth anniversary of their separation today with the medical team that successfully separated and cared for them. When Carl and Clarence arrived at Montefiore from the Philippines in September 2003, they were already dying from complications of their condition. Doctors believe that without the surgery, both boys would have died within 6-8 months. Ten years following the surgery, Clarence and Carl are happy 12-year-old boys, enjoying time in the seventh grade.

Model of viral lifecycle could help in finding a cure for hepatitis B

Posted: 04 Aug 2014 12:14 PM PDT

A new technique sustains hepatitis B in liver cells, researchers have discovered, allowing for the study of immune response and drug treatments. Around 400 million people worldwide are infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV); of those, one-third will go on to develop life-threatening complications, such as cirrhosis and liver cancer. Although there is an effective HBV vaccine, only around 50 percent of people in some countries where the disease is endemic are vaccinated. A complete cure for the disease is very rare, once someone has been chronically infected.

Learning how things fall apart: How bonded materials, from airplane wings to dental crowns, lose their bonding

Posted: 04 Aug 2014 12:14 PM PDT

Materials that are firmly bonded together with epoxy and other tough adhesives are ubiquitous in modern life -- from crowns on teeth to modern composites used in construction. Yet it has proved remarkably difficult to study how these bonds fracture and fail, and how to make them more resistant to such failures. New research reveals how bonded materials, from airplane wings to dental crowns, lose their bonding.

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