Fwd: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• 45-year physics mystery shows a path to quantum transistors
• Successful launch of NASA's Orion spacecraft heralds first step on journey to Mars
• Significant increase in concussions among Ontario children, youth, study finds
• California's drought is the worst in 1,200 years, evidence suggests
• Evidence for 'bilingual advantage' may be less conclusive than previously thought
• Computers that teach by example: New computer system enables pattern-recognition systems to convey what they learn to humans
• New technique offers spray-on solar power
• Looking at El Niño's past to predict its future
• Can anyone be a journalist? Researcher examines citizen journalism
• Penicillin tactics revealed by scientists
• Protein that controls the 'guardian of the genome' identified
• Salience network linked to brain disorders
• Social networking during a campus emergency
• Apixaban in DVT, pulmonary embolism: Patients with high BMI benefit considerably
• Drugs in the environment affect plant growth
• Stick out your tongue: Tongue appearance and illness
• New research paves the way for nano-movies of biomolecules
• Loss of a chemical tag on RNA keeps embryonic stem cells in suspended animation
• Give flawed payments database time to improve
• 'Family' matters when predicting ecosystems' reaction to global change
• More patients with Lou Gehrig's disease have genetic origin than previously thought
• Climate change already showing effects at Kennedy Space Center
• Dawn snaps its best-yet image of dwarf planet Ceres
• New single-cell analysis reveals complex variations in stem cells
• Obesity may shorten life expectancy up to eight years
• Basic medical care of Ebola patients neglected and must improve
• Coordinated care beneficial to kids with complex respiratory, gastrointestinal disorders
• Boosting length of breastfeeding could save NHS more than £40 million every year
• Images of brain after mild stroke predict future risk
• Cerebral oxygenation in elite kenyan athletes
• Type 2 diabetes risk starts in pregnancy
• Self-management support: Male healthcare attitudes studied
• Astronomers observe two stars so close to each other that they will end up merging into a supermassive star
• Light propagation in solar cells made visible
• Antioxidant capacity of orange juice is multiplied tenfold
• Spine patient gets fast relief after years of severe neck pain
• Closer look at measuring cancer survival
• Simple model predicts progression of kidney disease among socially disadvantaged patients
• Low levels of circulating protein linked with heart problems in mice with kidney disease
• Stardust not likely to block planet portraits
• El Niño's 'remote control' on hurricanes in the Northeastern Pacific
• Imaging techniques reliably predict treatment outcomes for TB patients
• Distrust of police is top reason Latinos don't call 911 for cardiac arrest
• Rattled atoms mimic high-temperature superconductivity
• X-ray laser reveals how bacterial protein morphs in response to light
• ER docs can treat pediatric pain without a needle
• Response to viral infections depends on entry route of virus
• Can marital quality mitigate stress of caring for ailing family member?
• Quiet as a mouse, but so much to hear
• Effects on body mass index of gene linked to heavy smoking revealed
• The social brain: Does guessing others' intentions make a difference when we learn?
• Blood pressure build-up from white blood cells may cause cerebral malaria death

45-year physics mystery shows a path to quantum transistors Posted: 05 Dec 2014 11:24 AM PST An odd, iridescent material that's puzzled physicists for decades turns out to be an exotic state of matter that could open a new path to quantum computers and other next-generation electronics.

Successful launch of NASA's Orion spacecraft heralds first step on journey to Mars Posted: 05 Dec 2014 11:23 AM PST NASA marked a critical step on the journey to Mars with its Orion spacecraft during a roaring liftoff into the dawn sky over eastern Florida on Friday, Dec. 5, 2014, aboard a Delta IV Heavy rocket.

Significant increase in concussions among Ontario children, youth, study finds Posted: 05 Dec 2014 09:44 AM PST The number of children and youth treated for concussions in both emergency departments and physician's offices in Ontario increased significantly between 2003 and 2010, with falls, hockey and skating injuries identified as the leading causes of pediatric concussion, according to a new study.

California's drought is the worst in 1,200 years, evidence suggests Posted: 05 Dec 2014 09:43 AM PST As California finally experiences the arrival of a rain-bearing Pineapple Express this week, two climate scientists have shown that the drought of 2012-2014 has been the worst in 1,200 years.

Evidence for 'bilingual advantage' may be less conclusive than previously thought Posted: 05 Dec 2014 09:43 AM PST Study results that challenge the idea that bilingual speakers have a cognitive advantage are less likely to be published than those that support the bilingual-advantage theory, according to new research. This research suggests that a publication bias in favor of positive results may skew the overall literature on bilingualism and cognitive function.

Computers that teach by example: New computer system enables pattern-recognition systems to convey what they learn to humans Posted: 05 Dec 2014 09:43 AM PST Computers are good at identifying patterns in huge data sets. Humans, by contrast, are good at inferring patterns from just a few examples. Researchers have developed a new system that bridges these two ways of processing information, so that humans and computers can collaborate to make better decisions.

New technique offers spray-on solar power Posted: 05 Dec 2014 09:43 AM PST Pretty soon, powering your tablet could be as simple as wrapping it in cling wrap. Scientists have just invented a new way to spray solar cells onto flexible surfaces using miniscule light-sensitive materials known as colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) -- a major step toward making spray-on solar cells easy and cheap to manufacture.

Looking at El Niño's past to predict its future Posted: 05 Dec 2014 08:40 AM PST Scientists see a large amount of variability in the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) when looking back at climate records from thousands of years ago. Without a clear understanding of what caused past changes in ENSO variability, predicting the climate phenomenon's future is a difficult task. A new study shows how this climate system responds to various pressures, such as changes in carbon dioxide and ice cover, in one of the best models used to project future climate change.

Can anyone be a journalist? Researcher examines citizen journalism Posted: 05 Dec 2014 08:40 AM PST Citizen journalists are expanding the definition of journalists. And new research looks at how two court cases work together to uphold freedom of expression.

Penicillin tactics revealed by scientists Posted: 05 Dec 2014 08:40 AM PST One of the oldest and most widely used antibiotics, penicillin, attacks enzymes that build the bacterial cell wall. Researchers have now shown that penicillin and its variants also set in motion a toxic malfunctioning of the cell's wall-building machinery, dooming the cell to a futile cycle of building and then immediately destroying that wall.

Protein that controls the 'guardian of the genome' identified Posted: 05 Dec 2014 08:40 AM PST A well-known mechanism required for the immune response is now better understood, thanks to new research. Researchers have identified a protein that controls the activity of the p53 tumor suppressor protein known as the 'guardian of the genome.'

Salience network linked to brain disorders Posted: 05 Dec 2014 08:40 AM PST A brain structure called the insula is essential for selecting things out of the environment that are 'salient' for an individual, and dysfunction of this system is linked to brain disorders such as autism, psychosis and dementia.

Social networking during a campus emergency Posted: 05 Dec 2014 08:40 AM PST Emergencies at educational establishments are on the increase in recent years and campus officials are beginning to recognize that better communications with their students are now needed. Researchers now describe how social networking sites might be exploited when an emergency situation arises to help safeguard students as well as keeping those not directly involved in the situation informed of events.

Apixaban in DVT, pulmonary embolism: Patients with high BMI benefit considerably Posted: 05 Dec 2014 08:40 AM PST There is proof of an added benefit of initial treatment with the new drug in a BMI over 28 kg/m2, but not in lower BMI and for long-term prevention, research indicates.

Drugs in the environment affect plant growth Posted: 05 Dec 2014 08:39 AM PST By assessing the impacts of a range of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, research has shown that the growth of edible crops can be affected by these chemicals -- even at the very low concentrations found in the environment. The research focused its analysis on lettuce and radish plants and tested the effects of several commonly prescribed drugs, including diclofenac and ibuprofen. These drugs are among the most common and widely used group of pharmaceuticals, with more than 30 million prescribed across the world every day.

Stick out your tongue: Tongue appearance and illness Posted: 05 Dec 2014 08:39 AM PST The tongue can betray signs of illness, which combined with other symptoms such as a cough, fever, presence of jaundice, headache or bowel habits, can help a physician offer a diagnosis. For people in remote areas who do not have ready access to a physician, a new diagnostic system works to combine the soft inputs of described symptoms with a digital analysis of an image of the patient's tongue.

New research paves the way for nano-movies of biomolecules Posted: 05 Dec 2014 07:03 AM PST Scientists have caught a light sensitive biomolecule at work using an X-ray laser. Their new study proves that high speed X-ray lasers can capture the fast dynamics of biomolecules in ultra slow-motion, revealing subtle processes with unprecedented clarity.

Loss of a chemical tag on RNA keeps embryonic stem cells in suspended animation Posted: 05 Dec 2014 07:03 AM PST A novel mechanism of RNA regulation in embryonic stem cells has been discovered by scientists. They present strong evidence that a specific chemical modification or 'tag' on RNA plays a key role in determining the ability of embryonic stem cells to adopt different cellular identities.

Give flawed payments database time to improve Posted: 05 Dec 2014 07:03 AM PST A federal database meant to report the financial ties between doctors and drug and device makers debuted Sept. 30, 2014, with major gaps in the data. Despite those flaws, the public should give the site the chance to improve because its value, even if mostly unrealized, is great, argue experts.

'Family' matters when predicting ecosystems' reaction to global change Posted: 05 Dec 2014 07:00 AM PST A new study shows that just as our family histories dictate what we look like and how we act, plant evolutionary history shapes community responses to interacting agents of global change.

More patients with Lou Gehrig's disease have genetic origin than previously thought Posted: 05 Dec 2014 07:00 AM PST Genetics may play a larger role in causing Lou Gehrig's disease than previously believed, potentially accounting for more than one-third of all cases, according to one of the most comprehensive genetic studies to date of patients who suffer from the condition also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.

Climate change already showing effects at Kennedy Space Center Posted: 05 Dec 2014 07:00 AM PST The effects of climate change are already showing up in places from Miami to Alaska, scientists say, but geologists are now focusing their attention on one especially noteworthy and vulnerable piece of waterfront real estate: Kennedy Space Center.

Dawn snaps its best-yet image of dwarf planet Ceres Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:52 AM PST The Dawn spacecraft has delivered a glimpse of Ceres, the largest body in the main asteroid belt, in a new image taken 740,000 miles (1.2 million kilometers) from the dwarf planet. This is Dawn's best image yet of Ceres as the spacecraft makes its way toward this unexplored world.

New single-cell analysis reveals complex variations in stem cells Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:49 AM PST Using powerful new single-cell genetic profiling techniques, scientists have uncovered far more variation in pluripotent stem cells than was previously appreciated. The findings bring researchers closer to a day when many different kinds of stem cells could be leveraged for disease therapy and regenerative treatments.

Obesity may shorten life expectancy up to eight years Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:48 AM PST 'Tis the season to indulge. However, restraint may be best, according to a new study. The researchers examined the relationship between body weight and life expectancy. Their findings show that overweight and obese individuals have the potential to decrease life expectancy by up to eight years.

Basic medical care of Ebola patients neglected and must improve Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:48 AM PST The widespread misconception that there are no proven treatments for Ebola virus disease has meant that simple treatments -- especially intravenous fluids and electrolytes, which could reduce the number of deaths caused by the virus -- have been neglected, according to an expert.

Coordinated care beneficial to kids with complex respiratory, gastrointestinal disorders Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:48 AM PST Coordinated care by specialists for children with complex respiratory and gastrointestinal disorders helped lower hospital charges by reducing clinic visits and anesthesia-related procedures in a small single-center study, according to a report.

Boosting length of breastfeeding could save NHS more than £40 million every year Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:40 AM PST Doubling the number of mothers who breastfeed for 7-18 months in their lifetime and helping others to continue for at least four months could save the National Health Service more than £40 million every year, suggests new research.

Images of brain after mild stroke predict future risk Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:40 AM PST A CT scan of the brain within 24 hours of a mild, non-disabling stroke can predict when patients will be at the highest risk of another stroke or when symptoms may worsen, according to new research. Like stroke, a transient ischemic attack (TIA) is caused by restricted blood supply to the brain. Symptoms may last only a few minutes.

Cerebral oxygenation in elite kenyan athletes Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:38 AM PST A pioneering study in the world of the physiology of exercise describes for the first time that elite Kenyan athletes have greater brain oxygenation during periods of maximum physical effort, which contributes to their success in long-distance races.

Type 2 diabetes risk starts in pregnancy Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:37 AM PST The risk of developing type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease is affected by exposures in the uterus, research shows. Experts are now calling for updated guidelines in light of research evidence from the past decades.  The fetal programming hypothesis hinges around the idea that the intrauterine environment, the milieu in which the fetus is exposed as it grows, impacts the trajectory for disease risk later in life.

Self-management support: Male healthcare attitudes studied Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:37 AM PST A researcher studying male attitudes towards self-managing long-term healthcare issues has discovered that self-management support is better received by men if it does not threaten aspects of masculine identity.

Astronomers observe two stars so close to each other that they will end up merging into a supermassive star Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:37 AM PST A study of "MY Camelopardalis" binary system shows that the most massive stars are made up by merging with other smaller stars, as predicted by theoretical models.

Light propagation in solar cells made visible Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:37 AM PST How can light which has been captured in a solar cell be examined in experiments? Scientists have succeeded in looking directly at light propagation within a solar cell by using a trick. The photovoltaics researchers are working on periodic nanostructures that efficiently capture a portion of sunlight which is normally only poorly absorbed.

Antioxidant capacity of orange juice is multiplied tenfold Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:37 AM PST The antioxidant activity of citrus juices and other foods is undervalued, experts say. A new technique for measuring this property generates values that are ten times higher than those indicated by current analysis methods. The results suggest that tables on the antioxidant capacities of food products that dieticians and health authorities use must be revised. Orange juice and juices from other citrus fruits are considered healthy due to their high content of antioxidants, which help to reduce harmful free radicals in our body, but a new investigation shows that their benefits are greater than previously thought.

Spine patient gets fast relief after years of severe neck pain Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:36 AM PST A new article outlines how a spine patient obtained almost instant relief after years of severe neck pain. The patient injured her neck after falling from her roof while clearing snow. She tried various therapies over the years, but the treatments provided, at best, only temporary relief.

Closer look at measuring cancer survival Posted: 05 Dec 2014 06:36 AM PST When looking at cancer, measures of survival are a valuable tool to clinicians, researchers and public health officials. New research further examines this topic comparing relative survival rates that use state life tables to traditional methods that use U.S.-based life tables.

Simple model predicts progression of kidney disease among socially disadvantaged patients Posted: 05 Dec 2014 05:31 AM PST A simple model using 5 commonly available variables from electronic health records adequately discriminates between socially disadvantaged individuals with chronic kidney disease who will and will not progress to kidney failure.

Low levels of circulating protein linked with heart problems in mice with kidney disease Posted: 05 Dec 2014 05:31 AM PST Decreased blood levels of a protein called Klotho increases the risk of heart disease in mice with chronic kidney disease, researchers report. If confirmed in humans, increasing Klotho levels may help protect the hearts of patients with chronic kidney disease.

Stardust not likely to block planet portraits Posted: 05 Dec 2014 04:35 AM PST Planet hunters received some good news recently. A new study concluded that, on average, sun-like stars aren't all that dusty. Less dust means better odds of snapping clear pictures of the stars' planets in the future.

El Niño's 'remote control' on hurricanes in the Northeastern Pacific Posted: 04 Dec 2014 01:06 PM PST El Niño peaks in winter and its surface ocean warming occurs mostly along the equator. However, months later, El Niño events affect the formation of intense hurricanes in the Northeastern Pacific basin -- not along the equator. Scientists have now revealed what's behind 'remote control.'

Imaging techniques reliably predict treatment outcomes for TB patients Posted: 04 Dec 2014 01:06 PM PST Two medical imaging techniques, called positron emission tomography and computed tomography, could be used in combination as a biomarker to predict the effectiveness of antibiotic drug regimens being tested to treat tuberculosis patients, according to researchers. With multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis on the rise worldwide, new biomarkers are needed to determine whether a particular TB drug regimen is effective.

Distrust of police is top reason Latinos don't call 911 for cardiac arrest Posted: 04 Dec 2014 01:06 PM PST Fear of police, language barriers, lack of knowledge of cardiac arrest symptoms and financial concerns prevent Latinos -- particularly those of lower socioeconomic status -- from seeking emergency medical help and performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation, according to a study.

Rattled atoms mimic high-temperature superconductivity Posted: 04 Dec 2014 01:03 PM PST An experiment has provided the first fleeting glimpse of the atomic structure of a material as it entered a state resembling room-temperature superconductivity – a long-sought phenomenon in which materials might conduct electricity with 100 percent efficiency under everyday conditions.

X-ray laser reveals how bacterial protein morphs in response to light Posted: 04 Dec 2014 01:03 PM PST Researchers have captured the highest-resolution snapshots ever taken with an X-ray laser that show changes in a protein's structure over time, revealing how a key protein in a photosynthetic bacterium changes shape when hit by light. They achieved a resolution of 1.6 angstroms, equivalent to the radius of a single tin atom.

ER docs can treat pediatric pain without a needle Posted: 04 Dec 2014 12:27 PM PST Children in emergency departments can safely be treated for pain from limb injuries using intranasal ketamine, a drug more typically used for sedation, according to the results of the first randomized, controlled trial comparing intranasal analgesics in children in the emergency department.

Response to viral infections depends on entry route of virus Posted: 04 Dec 2014 12:27 PM PST Insects can transmit viral diseases to humans. Therefore, understanding how insects cope with viral infection, and what immune mechanisms are triggered, can be important to stop diseases transmission. In a new study, researchers now show that the entry route of the virus changes how the insect host responds to it.

Can marital quality mitigate stress of caring for ailing family member? Posted: 04 Dec 2014 12:27 PM PST Caring for a chronically ill family member can impact the caregiver's physical, biological and mental health, according to research. "Higher levels of marital strain among family caregivers exacerbate the negative health impact," she said. "In contrast, less strain from the spouse buffered this effect."

Quiet as a mouse, but so much to hear Posted: 04 Dec 2014 12:27 PM PST One researcher listens to what is inaudible to others. And what she's hearing might one day help us better understand human hearing loss.

Effects on body mass index of gene linked to heavy smoking revealed Posted: 04 Dec 2014 11:31 AM PST A genetic variant which causes smokers to smoke more heavily has been shown to be associated with increased body mass index -- but only in those who have never smoked.

The social brain: Does guessing others' intentions make a difference when we learn? Posted: 04 Dec 2014 11:26 AM PST People regularly engage in sophisticated 'mentalizing' (i.e. guessing the intentions or beliefs of others) whenever they convince, teach, deceive, and so on. Researchers have now demonstrated the laws that govern these intuitions and how efficient they are for anticipating the behavior of other people.

Blood pressure build-up from white blood cells may cause cerebral malaria death Posted: 04 Dec 2014 11:26 AM PST Intracranial hypertension -- increased blood pressure inside the head -- can predict a child's risk of death from malaria. A study now reports that accumulation of white blood cells impairs the blood flow out of the brain and causes blood pressure increases in mice with experimentally induced cerebral malaria.

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