ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Significant step forward in combating antibiotic resistance
• New hope for Autistic children who never learn to speak
• Mysterious hot spots observed in cool red supergiant
• Museum find proves exotic ‘big cat’ prowled British countryside a century ago
• Dogma among researchers exaggerates threat of resistance to best anti-malarial drugs, says malaria expert
• Scientists detect 'dark lightning' energy burst linked to visible lightning
• The microbes you inhale on the New York City subway
• Just what makes that little old ant… change a flower's nectar content?
• Rethinking early atmospheric oxygen: Possibility of more dynamic biological oxygen cycle on early Earth than previously supposed
• Gut bacteria byproduct predicts heart attack and stroke
• Facebook interests could help predict, track and map obesity
• Nasal lining used to breach blood/brain barrier
• Drinking one 12-ounce sugar-sweetened soft drink a day can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes by 22 percent, study suggests
• Discovery of wound-healing genes in flies could mitigate human skin ailments
• Clenching right fist may give better grip on memory
• Body size conveyed by voice determines vocal attractiveness
• Biogeographic barrier that protects Australia from avian flu does not stop Nipah virus
• Material loss protects teeth against fatigue failure
• Nothing bugs these NASA aeronautical researchers
• Mammal and bug food co-op in the High Arctic
• High-volume Bitcoin exchanges less likely to fail, but more likely breached, says study
• Psychopaths are not neurally equipped to have concern for others
• Teen years may be critical in later stroke risk
• Intractable seizures halted with experimental treatment for rare pediatric 'Pretzel syndrome'
• New battery design could help solar and wind power the grid
• Toxicity profile informs decision on preferred conditioning regimen in autologous transplant for neuroblastoma
• After brain injury, new astrocytes play unexpected role in healing
• Ancient Earth crust stored in deep mantle
• Functional potential of genes: Pushing the boundaries of transcription
• A simple solution to air pollution from wood-burning cookstoves
• Unique sulfur isotopes in plume lavas reveal deep mantle storage of archean crust
• Chernobyl follow-up study finds high survival rate among young thyroid cancer patients
• ERs have become de facto psych wards
• Link between inherited endocrine tumor syndrome and much-studied cell pathway
• Firefly protein lights up degenerating muscles, aiding muscular-dystrophy research
• Humans passing drug resistance to wildlife in protected areas in Africa
• What planets are made of: Findings establish counterintuitive potential planet-forming materials
• Looking for life by the light of dying stars
• Ice tubes in polar seas -- 'brinicles' or 'sea stalactites' -- provide clues to origin of life
• Fighting bacteria with new genre of antibodies
• Deep, permeable soils buffer impacts of crop fertilizer on Amazon streams
• First vaccine to help control some autism symptoms
• Supertough, strong nanofibers developed
• Sunlit snow triggers atmospheric cleaning, ozone depletion in the Arctic
• Targeted screening for hepatitis C is cost-effective
• New genetic links to juvenile arthritis found
• Costs to treat heart failure expected to more than double by 2030
• Study links genetic marker to post-concussion neurocognitive function in contact sports
• Moms more likely than other employees to leave male-dominated jobs with long hours
• Drug therapy offers high cure rate for 2 hepatitis C subtypes
• Recipe for low-cost, biomass-derived catalyst for hydrogen production
• New LED streetlight design curbs light pollution
• Mild blast injury causes molecular changes in brain akin to Alzheimer
• Tinkerbella nana: A new representative from the world of fairyflies
• Cancer cells' Achilles' heel revealed
• Important fertility mechanism discovered
• New matter-antimatter difference observed in LHCb experiment at CERN
• Majority of children readmitted to hospital following stem cell transplant
• Computer game could improve sight of visually impaired children
• Microscopic dust particles found in underground railways may pose health risk

Significant step forward in combating antibiotic resistance Posted: 24 Apr 2013 07:25 PM PDT New research is a significant development in combating antibiotic resistance; it will pave the way for the creation of the inhibitors to counteract the process, allowing a renaissance in the use of antibiotics.

New hope for Autistic children who never learn to speak Posted: 24 Apr 2013 07:25 PM PDT Scientists are showing that while not all of the current interventions used to improve language among Autistic children are effective, there is real hope for progress by using interventions based on understanding natural language development and the role of motor and "motor mirroring" behavior in toddlers.

Mysterious hot spots observed in cool red supergiant Posted: 24 Apr 2013 07:24 PM PDT Astronomers have released a new image of the outer atmosphere of Betelgeuse – one of the nearest red supergiants to Earth – revealing the detailed structure of the matter being thrown off the star.

Museum find proves exotic ‘big cat’ prowled British countryside a century ago Posted: 24 Apr 2013 07:24 PM PDT The rediscovery of a mystery animal in a museum's underground storeroom proves that a non-native 'big cat' prowled the British countryside at the turn of the last century. The animal's skeleton and mounted skin was analyzed and Aberystwyth universities and found to be a Canadian lynx – a carnivorous predator more than twice the size of a domestic cat.

Dogma among researchers exaggerates threat of resistance to best anti-malarial drugs, says malaria expert Posted: 24 Apr 2013 07:24 PM PDT Exaggeration over the extent of the malaria parasite's resistance to the 'wonder drugs' artemisinins could jeopardise the fight against the disease, according to a leading expert.

Scientists detect 'dark lightning' energy burst linked to visible lightning Posted: 24 Apr 2013 06:03 PM PDT Researchers have identified a burst of high-energy radiation known as 'dark lightning" immediately preceding a flash of ordinary lightning. The new finding provides observational evidence that the two phenomena are connected, although the exact nature of the relationship between ordinary bright lightning and the dark variety is still unclear, the scientists said.

The microbes you inhale on the New York City subway Posted: 24 Apr 2013 03:52 PM PDT The microbial population in the air of the New York City subway system is nearly identical to that of ambient air on the city streets. This research establishes an important baseline, should it become necessary to monitor the subway's air for dispersal of potentially dangerous microbes.

Just what makes that little old ant… change a flower's nectar content? Posted: 24 Apr 2013 03:52 PM PDT Ants play a variety of important roles in many ecosystems. As frequent visitors to flowers, they can benefit plants in their role as pollinators when they forage on sugar-rich nectar. However, a new study reveals that this mutualistic relationship may actually have some hidden costs.

Rethinking early atmospheric oxygen: Possibility of more dynamic biological oxygen cycle on early Earth than previously supposed Posted: 24 Apr 2013 03:52 PM PDT Using a quantitative model, a research team of biogeochemists has provided a new view on the relationship between the earliest accumulation of oxygen in the atmosphere, arguably the most important biological event in Earth's history, and its relationship to the sulfur cycle. Their model, the researchers argue, is one step toward a more integrated view of how Earth's crust, mantle and atmosphere interact in the global sulfur cycle.

Gut bacteria byproduct predicts heart attack and stroke Posted: 24 Apr 2013 03:52 PM PDT A microbial byproduct of intestinal bacteria contributes to heart disease and serves as an accurate screening tool for predicting future risks of heart attack, stroke and death in persons not otherwise identified by traditional risk factors and blood tests, according to new research.

Facebook interests could help predict, track and map obesity Posted: 24 Apr 2013 03:52 PM PDT The higher the percentage of people in a city, town or neighborhood with Facebook interests suggesting a healthy, active lifestyle, the lower that area's obesity rate. At the same time, areas with a large percentage of Facebook users with television-related interests tend to have higher rates of obesity. Such are the conclusions of a study comparing geotagged Facebook user data with data from national and New York City-focused health surveys.

Nasal lining used to breach blood/brain barrier Posted: 24 Apr 2013 03:52 PM PDT Using mucosa, or the lining of the nose, researchers have demonstrated what may be the first known method to permanently bypass the blood-brain barrier, thus opening the door to new treatment options for those with neurodegenerative and CNS disease.

Drinking one 12-ounce sugar-sweetened soft drink a day can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes by 22 percent, study suggests Posted: 24 Apr 2013 03:52 PM PDT Drinking one (or one extra) 12-ounce serving size of sugar-sweetened soft drink a day can be enough to increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 22 percent, a new study suggests.

Discovery of wound-healing genes in flies could mitigate human skin ailments Posted: 24 Apr 2013 03:52 PM PDT Biologists have identified eight genes never before suspected to play a role in wound healing that are called into action near the areas where wounds occur.

Clenching right fist may give better grip on memory Posted: 24 Apr 2013 03:51 PM PDT Clenching your right hand may help form a stronger memory of an event or action, and clenching your left may help you recollect the memory later, according to new research.

Body size conveyed by voice determines vocal attractiveness Posted: 24 Apr 2013 03:51 PM PDT Deep male voices and high-pitched female voices are perceived as more attractive because listeners gauge the speaker's body size from the frequency of their voice, according to new research.

Biogeographic barrier that protects Australia from avian flu does not stop Nipah virus Posted: 24 Apr 2013 03:51 PM PDT An invisible barrier separates land animals in Australia from those in south-east Asia may also restrict the spillover of animal-borne diseases like avian flu, but researchers have found that fruit bats on either side of this line can carry Nipah virus, a pathogen that causes severe human disease.

Material loss protects teeth against fatigue failure Posted: 24 Apr 2013 03:50 PM PDT Scientists have digitally analysed modern human teeth using an engineering approach, finite element method, to evaluate the biomechanical behavior of teeth under realistic loading. They report results showing that very widespread loss of dental material (enamel and dentine) at the base of the crown might be linked to the reduction of tooth wear in our industrialized societies.

Nothing bugs these NASA aeronautical researchers Posted: 24 Apr 2013 02:01 PM PDT A team of scientists at NASA's Langley Research Center in Virginia are studying ways to prevent the remains of insect impacts from adhering to the wing of an aircraft in flight. While the effort is undeniably a goldmine for puns, the research is serious and positive results could help NASA's aeronautical innovators achieve their goals for improving the fuel efficiency of aircraft cruising across the country.

Mammal and bug food co-op in the High Arctic Posted: 24 Apr 2013 01:11 PM PDT Who would have thought that two very different species, a small insect and a furry alpine mammal, would develop a shared food arrangement in the far North?

High-volume Bitcoin exchanges less likely to fail, but more likely breached, says study Posted: 24 Apr 2013 01:11 PM PDT Online exchanges that trade hard currency for the cyber money Bitcoin have a 45 percent chance of failing -- often taking customer money with them. A new empirical study into the closure of Bitcoin currency exchanges found that exchanges that buy and sell a high volume of Bitcoins are less likely to shut down but more likely to suffer security breaches.

Psychopaths are not neurally equipped to have concern for others Posted: 24 Apr 2013 01:11 PM PDT Prisoners who are psychopaths lack the basic neurophysiological "hardwiring" that enables them to care for others, according to a new study.

Teen years may be critical in later stroke risk Posted: 24 Apr 2013 01:11 PM PDT The teenage years may be a key period of vulnerability related to living in the "stroke belt" when it comes to future stroke risk, according to a new study.

Intractable seizures halted with experimental treatment for rare pediatric 'Pretzel syndrome' Posted: 24 Apr 2013 01:09 PM PDT With a better understanding of underlying mechanisms that cause a rare neurodevelopmental disorder in the Old Order Mennonite population, referred to as Pretzel syndrome, a new study reports that five children were successfully treated with a drug that modifies the disease process, minimizing seizures and improving receptive language.

New battery design could help solar and wind power the grid Posted: 24 Apr 2013 11:06 AM PDT Researchers have designed a low-cost, long-life battery that could enable solar and wind energy to become major suppliers to the electrical grid.

Toxicity profile informs decision on preferred conditioning regimen in autologous transplant for neuroblastoma Posted: 24 Apr 2013 11:05 AM PDT The stem cell transplant regimen that was commonly used in the United States to treat advanced neuroblastoma in children appears to be more toxic than the equally effective regimen employed in Europe and Egypt, according to a new study.

After brain injury, new astrocytes play unexpected role in healing Posted: 24 Apr 2013 10:27 AM PDT The production of a certain kind of brain cell that had been considered an impediment to healing may actually be needed to staunch bleeding and promote repair after a stroke or head trauma, researchers report.

Ancient Earth crust stored in deep mantle Posted: 24 Apr 2013 10:27 AM PDT Scientists have long believed that lava erupted from certain oceanic volcanoes contains materials from the early Earth's crust. But decisive evidence for this phenomenon has proven elusive. New research now demonstrates that oceanic volcanic rocks contain samples of recycled crust dating back to the Archean era 2.5 billion years ago.

Functional potential of genes: Pushing the boundaries of transcription Posted: 24 Apr 2013 10:26 AM PDT Like musicians in an orchestra who have the same musical score but start and finish playing at different intervals, cells with the same genes start and finish transcribing them at different points in the genome. For the first time, researchers have described the striking diversity of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) that such start and end variation produces, even from the simple genome of yeast cells. Their findings shed new light on the importance of mRNA boundaries in determining the functional potential of genes.

A simple solution to air pollution from wood-burning cookstoves Posted: 24 Apr 2013 10:26 AM PDT Wood-burning cookstoves, used by millions of people worldwide, cause air pollution, disease and death. A team of university students studied the problem and came up with a simple, low-cost solution: better ventilation.

Unique sulfur isotopes in plume lavas reveal deep mantle storage of archean crust Posted: 24 Apr 2013 10:26 AM PDT Scientists have found evidence that material contained in young oceanic lava flows originated at the Earth's surface in the Archean (>2.45 billions years ago). The new finding helps constrain the timing of the initiation of plate tectonics, the origin of some of the chemical heterogeneity in the Earth's mantle, and may shed light on how the chaotically convecting mantle could preserve such material for so long.

Chernobyl follow-up study finds high survival rate among young thyroid cancer patients Posted: 24 Apr 2013 10:26 AM PDT More than a quarter of a century after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, many children and teenagers who developed thyroid cancer due to radiation are in complete or near remission, according to a recent study.

ERs have become de facto psych wards Posted: 24 Apr 2013 09:58 AM PDT Long waits for insurance authorization allowing psychiatric patients to be admitted to the hospital from the emergency department waste thousands of hours of physician time, given that most requests for authorization are ultimately granted. A new study argues that pre-authorization process is akin to health care "rationing by hassle factor."

Link between inherited endocrine tumor syndrome and much-studied cell pathway Posted: 24 Apr 2013 09:58 AM PDT The protein menin suppresses signaling in the much-studied Hedgehog pathway in endocrine organs. Menin mutations lead to increased Hedgehog signaling and cell proliferation. Researchers found that inhibiting proteins in the Hedgehog network using drugs reduces growth of tumors in mice.

Firefly protein lights up degenerating muscles, aiding muscular-dystrophy research Posted: 24 Apr 2013 09:58 AM PDT Scientists have created a mouse model of muscular dystrophy in which degenerating muscle tissue gives off visible light.

Humans passing drug resistance to wildlife in protected areas in Africa Posted: 24 Apr 2013 09:55 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that humans are passing antibiotic resistance to wildlife, especially in protected areas where numbers of humans are limited. In the case of banded mongoose in a Botswana study, multidrug resistance among study social groups, or troops, was higher in the protected area than in troops living in village areas. The study also reveals that humans and mongoose appear to be readily exchanging fecal microorganisms, increasing the potential for disease transmission.

What planets are made of: Findings establish counterintuitive potential planet-forming materials Posted: 24 Apr 2013 09:54 AM PDT Scientists have made a startling prediction that challenges existing chemical models and current understanding of planetary interiors -- magnesium oxide, a major material in the formation of planets, can exist in several different compositions.

Looking for life by the light of dying stars Posted: 24 Apr 2013 08:23 AM PDT Astronomers have now demonstrated that with the advanced technology available in the next decade we should be able to detect biomarkers like oxygen and methane in the planets that orbit dead stars called "white dwarfs" -- and to find new forms of life on those planets.

Ice tubes in polar seas -- 'brinicles' or 'sea stalactites' -- provide clues to origin of life Posted: 24 Apr 2013 08:23 AM PDT Life on Earth may have originated not in warm tropical seas, but with weird tubes of ice -- sometimes called "sea stalactites" -- that grow downward into cold seawater near the Earth's poles, scientists are reporting.

Fighting bacteria with new genre of antibodies Posted: 24 Apr 2013 08:23 AM PDT In an advance toward coping with bacteria that shrug off existing antibiotics and sterilization methods, scientists are reporting development of a new family of selective antimicrobial agents that do not rely on traditional antibiotics. They report on these synthetic colloid particles, which can be custom-designed to recognize the shape of specific kinds of bacteria and inactivate them.

Deep, permeable soils buffer impacts of crop fertilizer on Amazon streams Posted: 24 Apr 2013 08:23 AM PDT A new study in the fast-changing southern Amazon -- a region marked by widespread replacement of native forest by cattle ranches and croplands -- suggests that some of the damaging impacts of agricultural fertilization on local streams may be buffered by the deep, highly permeable soils that characterize large areas of the expanding cropland.

First vaccine to help control some autism symptoms Posted: 24 Apr 2013 08:23 AM PDT A first-ever vaccine for gut bacteria common in autistic children may also help control some autism symptoms.

Supertough, strong nanofibers developed Posted: 24 Apr 2013 08:23 AM PDT Materials engineers have developed a structural nanofiber that is both strong and tough, a discovery that could transform everything from airplanes and bridges to body armor and bicycles.

Sunlit snow triggers atmospheric cleaning, ozone depletion in the Arctic Posted: 24 Apr 2013 08:23 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that sunlit snow is the major source of atmospheric bromine in the Arctic, the key to unique chemical reactions that purge pollutants and destroy ozone.

Targeted screening for hepatitis C is cost-effective Posted: 24 Apr 2013 08:23 AM PDT Researchers have found that targeted screening for populations with a higher estimated prevalence for hepatitis C may be cost-effective.

New genetic links to juvenile arthritis found Posted: 24 Apr 2013 08:23 AM PDT Researchers report they have increased the number of confirmed genes linked to juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) from three to 17 -- a finding that will clarify how JIA fits into the spectrum of autoimmune disorders and help identify potential treatment targets.

Costs to treat heart failure expected to more than double by 2030 Posted: 24 Apr 2013 08:22 AM PDT By 2030, you — and every U.S. taxpayer — could be paying $244 a year to care for heart failure patients, according to a new policy statement.

Study links genetic marker to post-concussion neurocognitive function in contact sports Posted: 24 Apr 2013 08:21 AM PDT A new study is coming one step closer to finding out whether or not an athlete's genetic makeup determines the severity of post-concussive brain function.

Moms more likely than other employees to leave male-dominated jobs with long hours Posted: 24 Apr 2013 07:31 AM PDT As demands for long work hours continue to increase, a new study found that mothers are more likely than other employees to leave jobs in male-dominated fields.

Drug therapy offers high cure rate for 2 hepatitis C subtypes Posted: 24 Apr 2013 07:31 AM PDT A new drug is offering dramatic cure rates for hepatitis C patients with two subtypes of the infection -- genotype 2 and 3, say a team of scientists. The drug, called sofosbuvir, offers more effective treatment for most patients studied in a Phase 3 clinical trial who had no other treatment options, report researchers.

Recipe for low-cost, biomass-derived catalyst for hydrogen production Posted: 24 Apr 2013 07:31 AM PDT Researchers have described details of a low-cost, stable, effective catalyst that could replace costly platinum in the production of hydrogen. The catalyst, made from renewable soybeans and abundant molybdenum metal, produces hydrogen in an environmentally friendly, cost-effective manner, potentially increasing the use of this clean energy source.

New LED streetlight design curbs light pollution Posted: 24 Apr 2013 07:31 AM PDT Recent innovations in light emitting diodes (LEDs) have improved the energy efficiency of streetlights, but, until now, their glow still wastefully radiated beyond the intended area. A team of researchers has developed a new lighting system design that harnesses high-efficiency LEDs and ensures they shine only where they're needed, sparing surrounding homes and the evening sky from unwanted illumination.

Mild blast injury causes molecular changes in brain akin to Alzheimer Posted: 24 Apr 2013 07:31 AM PDT Scientists have shown that mild traumatic brain injury after blast exposure produces inflammation, oxidative stress and gene activation patterns akin to disorders of memory processing such as Alzheimer's disease.

Tinkerbella nana: A new representative from the world of fairyflies Posted: 24 Apr 2013 07:30 AM PDT A new genus and species of fairyfly, Tinkerbella nana (Mymaridae), is described from Costa Rica. It is compared with the related species Kikiki huna Beardsley and Huber, which holds the record for the smallest winged insect. The new genus and species is named after the fairy Tinker Bell in the 1904 play "Peter Pan" by J. M. Barrie.

Cancer cells' Achilles' heel revealed Posted: 24 Apr 2013 07:29 AM PDT Scientists from the Manchester Collaborative Centre for Inflammation Research (MCCIR) have discovered why a particular cancer drug is so effective at killing cells. Their findings could be used to aid the design of future cancer treatments.

Important fertility mechanism discovered Posted: 24 Apr 2013 07:29 AM PDT Scientists have discovered a new mechanism that controls egg cell fertility and that might have future therapeutic potential. They found that the blood protein fetuin-B plays an important and previously unknown role in the fertilization of oocytes. Fetuin-B, first identified in the year 2000, is formed in the liver and secreted into the blood stream.

New matter-antimatter difference observed in LHCb experiment at CERN Posted: 24 Apr 2013 06:45 AM PDT Researchers at CERN are reporting the first observation of matter-antimatter asymmetry in the decays of the particle known as the B0s. It is only the fourth subatomic particle known to exhibit such behavior.

Majority of children readmitted to hospital following stem cell transplant Posted: 24 Apr 2013 05:13 AM PDT Almost two-thirds of children who receive stem cell transplants are readmitted to the hospital within six months, according to new research.

Computer game could improve sight of visually impaired children Posted: 24 Apr 2013 05:13 AM PDT Visually impaired children could benefit from a revolutionary new computer game being developed by a team of neuroscientists and game designers.

Microscopic dust particles found in underground railways may pose health risk Posted: 24 Apr 2013 05:13 AM PDT New research has found that working or traveling on an underground railway for a sustained period of time could have health implications. Previously published work suggests that working in environments such as steel mills or welding plants, which are rich in airborne metals, like iron, copper and nickel, can have damaging effects on health. However, little research has been done on the effects of working in an underground railway environment - a similarly metal-rich environment.

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