ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Obese youth have significantly higher risk of gallstones
• Research shows children at risk from rural water supplies
• Rapid-scanning microscope with no loss of quality
• Ancestral link places Mexican-Americans at greater risk for metabolic disease
• Sunbathing helps these bugs stay healthy
• Good diet, proper exercise help protect astronauts’ bones
• New non-invasive method for diagnosing epilepsy
• Only two percent of Canadians deny climate change
• Microwave ovens may help produce lower cost solar energy technology
• Boston subway system to be used to test new sensors for biological agents
• New strain of hand, foot and mouth virus worries parents, pediatricians
• Superior fuel cell material developed
• Most mutations come from dad: New insights into age, height and sex reshape views of human evolution
• Survival statistics show hard fight when malignant brain tumors appear at multiple sites
• Flat lens offers a perfect image
• Mars surface data: ChemCam laser first analyses yield beautiful results
• Good news from the bad drought: Gulf 'Dead Zone' smallest in years
• Simplified approach for high-power, single-mode lasers
• Newly discovered genetic markers could signal colon cancer development
• Modeling metastasis
• Invention will strike a chord with musicians
• Medical researchers identify PHF20, a regulator of gene P53
• Bigger creatures live longer, travel farther for a reason
• Women with Alzheimer’s deteriorate faster than men
• Joining 'unjoinable' materials: New polymer linking technology based on nano crystals
• New insights to the function of molecular chaperones
• Working class prefers comedy and the intellectual class goes for drama
• Cup of herbal tea could help fight breast cancer
• Physicists search for hidden magnetic states
• Scientists investigate using artificial intelligence for next-generation traffic control
• New molecular interactions behind the inhibition of TGF beta-signaling described
• Pollination: with small rewards come bad results
• Astrocytes control the generation of new neurons from neural stem cells
• The end of an era? Branding horses does not enable them to be identified
• Have Swedish forests recovered from the storm Gudrun?
• Optimizing forest management under uncertain growth and economic conditions
• New model gives hands-on help for learning the secrets of molecules
• Virus detector harnesses ring of light in 'whispering gallery mode'
• Wind concentrates pollutants with unexpected order in an urban environment

Obese youth have significantly higher risk of gallstones Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:57 PM PDT Children who are overweight or obese face an increased risk for gallstones, according to a new study.

Research shows children at risk from rural water supplies Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:57 PM PDT Children drinking from around half the UK's private water supplies are almost five times more likely to pick up stomach infections – according to new research.

Rapid-scanning microscope with no loss of quality Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:57 PM PDT Scientists have developed a rapid-scanning microscope with no loss of quality.

Ancestral link places Mexican-Americans at greater risk for metabolic disease Posted: 24 Aug 2012 02:09 PM PDT Mexican-Americans with an ancestral link to Amerindian tribes were found to have higher insulin resistance levels, which is an indication of several chronic conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, according to new research.

Sunbathing helps these bugs stay healthy Posted: 24 Aug 2012 12:02 PM PDT Sunbathing may be healthy -- at least for one group of North American insects, the Western boxelder bug -- that apparently uses the activity to fight off germs. The bugs are known to group together in sunlit patches and release monoterpenes, strong-smelling chemical compounds that help protect the bugs by killing germs on their bodies.

Good diet, proper exercise help protect astronauts’ bones Posted: 24 Aug 2012 10:19 AM PDT Eating right and exercising hard in space helps protect International Space Station astronauts' bones, a finding that may help solve one of the key problems facing future explorers heading beyond low Earth orbit.

New non-invasive method for diagnosing epilepsy Posted: 24 Aug 2012 10:03 AM PDT Biomedical engineers have outlined how a new type of non-invasive brain scan taken immediately after a seizure gives additional insight into possible causes and treatments for epilepsy patients. The new findings could specifically benefit millions of people who are unable to control their epilepsy with medication.

Only two percent of Canadians deny climate change Posted: 24 Aug 2012 10:03 AM PDT A new survey shows that only two percent of Canadians deny climate change.

Microwave ovens may help produce lower cost solar energy technology Posted: 24 Aug 2012 10:03 AM PDT The same type of microwave oven technology that most people use to heat up leftover food has found an important application in the solar energy industry, providing a new way to make thin-film photovoltaic products with less energy, expense and environmental concerns.

Boston subway system to be used to test new sensors for biological agents Posted: 24 Aug 2012 10:02 AM PDT The Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate has scheduled a series of tests in the Boston subways to measure the real-world performance of new sensors recently developed to detect biological agents within minutes.

New strain of hand, foot and mouth virus worries parents, pediatricians Posted: 24 Aug 2012 08:14 AM PDT Your child goes to bed in perfect health. The next morning she wakes up with high fever, malaise and bright red blisters erupting all over her body. Dermatologists say the disturbing scenario has become quite common in the last few months, sending scared parents to their pediatrician's office or straight to the emergency room.

Superior fuel cell material developed Posted: 24 Aug 2012 07:30 AM PDT Using a mixture of gold, copper and platinum nanoparticles, researchers have developed a more powerful and longer lasting fuel cell material.

Most mutations come from dad: New insights into age, height and sex reshape views of human evolution Posted: 24 Aug 2012 07:30 AM PDT Humans inherit more than three times as many mutations from their fathers as from their mothers, and mutation rates increase with the father's age but not the mother's, researchers have found in the largest study of human genetic mutations to date.

Survival statistics show hard fight when malignant brain tumors appear at multiple sites Posted: 24 Aug 2012 07:29 AM PDT When aggressive, malignant tumors appear in more than one location in the brain, patient survival tends to be significantly shorter than when the disease starts as a single tumor, even though patients in both groups undergo virtually identical treatments, according to new research.

Flat lens offers a perfect image Posted: 24 Aug 2012 06:35 AM PDT Applied physicists have created an ultrathin, flat lens that focuses light without imparting the distortions of conventional lenses. It operates at telecom wavelengths -- i.e., those used for fiber-optics -- and is scalable to a wider range.

Mars surface data: ChemCam laser first analyses yield beautiful results Posted: 24 Aug 2012 06:35 AM PDT Scientists squeezed in a little extra target practice after zapping the first fist-sized rock that was placed in the laser's crosshairs last weekend. Much to the delight of the scientific team, the laser instrument has fired nearly 500 shots so far that have produced strong, clear data about the composition of the Martian surface.

Good news from the bad drought: Gulf 'Dead Zone' smallest in years Posted: 24 Aug 2012 06:35 AM PDT The worst drought to hit the United States in at least 50 years does have one benefit: It has created the smallest "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico in years, say researchers.

Simplified approach for high-power, single-mode lasers Posted: 24 Aug 2012 06:35 AM PDT Researchers have developed a new resonator that creates the purest, brightest, and most powerful single-mode quantum cascade lasers yet at the eight-12 micron range, a wavelength of great interest for both military and industrial use.

Newly discovered genetic markers could signal colon cancer development Posted: 24 Aug 2012 06:35 AM PDT Researchers have discovered how some proteins may cause the development of some forms of colon cancers.

Modeling metastasis Posted: 24 Aug 2012 06:34 AM PDT A technique used by animators helps scientists model how cancer cells enter the bloodstream.

Invention will strike a chord with musicians Posted: 24 Aug 2012 06:34 AM PDT Digital software and hardware is set to revolutionize the music industry around the world.

Medical researchers identify PHF20, a regulator of gene P53 Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:25 AM PDT Researchers have identified PHF20, a novel transcriptional factor, and clarified its role in maintaining the stability and transcription of p53, a gene that allows for both normal cell growth and tumor suppression. PHF20, the researchers found, plays a previously unknown and unique role in regulating p53.

Bigger creatures live longer, travel farther for a reason Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:25 AM PDT A biological mystery about the longer lifespans of bigger creatures may be explained by the application of a physical law called the Constructal Law. It proposes that anything that flows -- a river, bloodstream or highway network -- will evolve toward the same basic configuration out of a need to be more efficient. A professor argues that this same basic law applies to all bodies in motion, be they animals or tanker trucks.

Women with Alzheimer’s deteriorate faster than men Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:25 AM PDT Women with Alzheimer's show worse mental deterioration than men with the disease, even when at the same stage of the condition, according to new research.

Joining 'unjoinable' materials: New polymer linking technology based on nano crystals Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:25 AM PDT Ever tried to paint on top of silicone? After a few hours, the paint will peel off. Annoying. Silicone is a so-called low surface energy polymer, well known from flexible baking forms: A synthetic material that has an extremely low adhesion or "stickiness." Teflon is similarly non-sticky and well known from frying pans. Researchers have now developed the first technology which is capable of joining these two "unjoinable" materials. The technology applies passive nano-scaled crystal linkers as internal staples.

New insights to the function of molecular chaperones Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:25 AM PDT Molecular biologists have gained new insights into the function of so-called molecular chaperones in protein synthesis. Scientists were able to demonstrate how a molecular chaperone in bacterial cells can influence the formation of the three-dimensional structure of new proteins.

Working class prefers comedy and the intellectual class goes for drama Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:25 AM PDT A study enjoying Spanish participation has analysed the theatre demand of society according to the socioeconomic status of the different types of the viewing public. The results were that the theatre is not just enjoyed by the intellectual classes. While they do prefer drama, the working class opts for comedy and the wealthier are swayed by reviews.

Cup of herbal tea could help fight breast cancer Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:25 AM PDT Scientists have discovered that an extract from a common plant in Pakistan may help treat breast cancer.

Physicists search for hidden magnetic states Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:25 AM PDT Physicists have used the new high magnetic-field beamline at Diamond Light Source, the UK's national synchrotron facility, to search for 'hidden magnetic states'. If found, they will provide important confirmation of a theoretical model, which could have important applications in magnetic data storage.

Scientists investigate using artificial intelligence for next-generation traffic control Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:24 AM PDT Researchers are investigating the application of artificial intelligence (AI) technology for controlling traffic lights. The development of artificial intelligence-based approaches to junction control is one of many new and promising technologies that can make better use of existing urban and road capacity, while reducing the environmental impacts of road traffic.

New molecular interactions behind the inhibition of TGF beta-signaling described Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:24 AM PDT Researchers describe new molecular interactions behind the inhibition of TGF beta-signaling.

Pollination: with small rewards come bad results Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:24 AM PDT The hawkmoth, a natural petunia pollinator, spends less time on Petunia lines that offer less nectar as a reward.

Astrocytes control the generation of new neurons from neural stem cells Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:24 AM PDT Researchers from the Laboratory of astrocyte biology and CNS regeneration headed by Prof. Milos Pekny just published a research article in a prestigious journal Stem Cells on the molecular mechanism that controls generation of new neurons in the brain.

The end of an era? Branding horses does not enable them to be identified Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:24 AM PDT Despite increasing evidence that branding foals causes the animals stress, many horse breeders still claim that this practice represents the best method for identifying the animals. Although the debate has raged for some time, nobody has thought to pose the crucial question: How reliably can brand marks be read later?  New results may well spell the end of the line for the traditional practice of branding horses.

Have Swedish forests recovered from the storm Gudrun? Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:24 AM PDT In January 2005, the storm Gudrun hit Sweden. It has been estimated to have caused an overall economic damage of 2.4 billion euros in Swedish forestry alone. But has there been more damage to the forest than was clearly visible? A new shows that Gudrun caused not only immediate damage corresponding to 110% of the average annual harvest in Sweden from only 16% of the country's forest area but also pervasive effects in terms of growth reduction.

Optimizing forest management under uncertain growth and economic conditions Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:24 AM PDT Forest management instructions often include recommendations for rotation lengths, thinning years and thinning intensities. However, under uncertain growth and economic conditions, these may not be optimal. Forest management should produce rules that allow forest landowners to adapt their management to changing situations. Researchers have shown how this can be done when both tree growth and timber price are stochastic.

New model gives hands-on help for learning the secrets of molecules Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:19 AM PDT Squishy models are anything but child's play as they help researchers understand the building-block nature of proteins.

Virus detector harnesses ring of light in 'whispering gallery mode' Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:19 AM PDT By affixing nanoscale gold spheres onto a microscopic bead of glass, researchers have created a super-sensor that can detect even single samples of the smallest known viruses. The sensor uses a peculiar behavior of light known as "whispering gallery mode," named after the famous circular gallery in St. Paul's Cathedral in London, where a whisper near the wall can be heard around the gallery.

Wind concentrates pollutants with unexpected order in an urban environment Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:19 AM PDT When blown by chaotic winds in an urban environment, pollutants tend to accumulate in specific neighborhoods.

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