ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Egypt: Sarcophagus leads to the tomb of a previously unknown pharaoh, from 3,600 Years Ago
• Genomes of modern dogs and wolves provide new insights on domestication
• Violence, infectious disease and climate change contributed to Indus civilization collapse
• Natural 3-D counterpart to graphene discovered: New form of quantum matter
• Understanding collective animal behavior may be in the eye of the computer
• Stem cell therapy following meniscus knee surgery may reduce pain, restore meniscus
• Sudden thickening of complex fluids modeled
• Altering the community of gut bacteria promotes health and increases lifespan
• New, 'designer' fiber may help address fiber intolerance, ease IBS symptoms
• Ice-loving sea anemone discovered beneath the Ross Ice Shelf
• Massive galaxy cluster verifies predictions of cosmological theory: First detection of kinetic SZ effect in an individual galaxy cluster
• Assessing others: Evaluating expertise of humans, computer algorithms
• Megafloods: What they leave behind
• Astronomers probe the primitive nature of a distant 'space blob'
• Increased mobility thanks to robotic rehab
• Brain on autopilot
• The way to a chimpanzee's heart is through its stomach
• Researchers 'detune' a molecule: Scientists control the bonds between atoms in a buckyball
• Silver nanowire sensors hold promise for prosthetics, robotics
• Novel technology reveals aerodynamics of migrating birds flying in a V-formation
• Human arm sensors make robot smarter
• Potential treatment for drug-resistant H7N9 influenza virus
• Researchers target sea level rise to save years of archaeological evidence
• Smart object recognition algorithm doesn't need humans
• Image perception in the blink of an eye
• 5,900 natural gas leaks discovered under Washington, D.C.: A dozen locations had concentrations high enough to trigger explosion
• First black hole orbiting a 'spinning' star
• Mental health of Spanish men worsened with economic crisis
• Discovery of quantum vibrations in 'microtubules' inside brain neurons supports controversial theory of consciousness
• Hubble and Galaxy Zoo find bars and baby galaxies don't mix
• Refined model for reliable prediction of invasion dynamics
• Stem cells overcome damage in other cells by exporting mitochondria
• Meltwater from Tibetan glaciers floods pastures
• Two-proton bit controlled by a single copper atom
• Typhoid fever: A race against time
• Does taking multiple medicines increase risk of being admitted to hospital? Yes and no
• Spirituality, religion may protect against major depression by thickening brain cortex
• Brain regions 'tune' activity to enable attention
• Drinking and driving: Unsafe at any level, study concludes
• Symphony of life, revealed: New imaging technique captures vibrations of proteins, tiny motions critical to human life
• Reading the tea leaves: Impact of climate change on world favorite drink
• Eelectronic health record use improves shingles vaccination rate among baby boomers
• UK law to stop further sales of booze to drunk customers routinely flouted
• UK rates of gout soaring, but treatment remains poor
• When doctor's visit is a guilt trip
• Food processors beware: Salmonella biofilms incredibly resistant to powerful disinfectants
• Hospital alleviates alarm fatigue by decreasing noise
• Next-gen reappraisal of interactions within cancer-associated protein complex
• Using progesterone for hot flashes shown safe for women's cardiovascular health
• Head injuries triple long-term risk of early death
• Endotracheal extubation technique training video published
• Living in densely populated neighborhoods can actually decrease risk of diabetes, obesity
• No evidence of survival advantage for overweight, obese type 2 diabetes patients
• Breakthrough announced in treatment of patient with rare type of leukaemia
• How corporations can regain financial value after scandal
• New avenues for influenza control suggested by identification of an enzyme that plays a crucial role in resistance to the infection
• Phase II trial of Bevacizumab (Svastin) in locally advanced cervical cancer found 'promising'

Egypt: Sarcophagus leads to the tomb of a previously unknown pharaoh, from 3,600 Years Ago Posted: 16 Jan 2014 04:03 PM PST Archaeologists working at the southern Egyptian site of Abydos have discovered the tomb of a previously unknown pharaoh: Woseribre Senebkay -- and the first material proof of a forgotten Abydos Dynasty, ca. 1650-1600 BC.

Genomes of modern dogs and wolves provide new insights on domestication Posted: 16 Jan 2014 04:01 PM PST Dogs and wolves evolved from a common ancestor between 9,000 and 34,000 years ago, before humans transitioned to agricultural societies, according to an analysis of modern dog and wolf genomes from areas of the world thought to be centers of dog domestication.

Violence, infectious disease and climate change contributed to Indus civilization collapse Posted: 16 Jan 2014 01:20 PM PST A study of skeletal remains from the ancient city of Harappa provides evidence that inter-personal violence and infectious diseases played a role in the demise of the Indus Civilization.

Natural 3-D counterpart to graphene discovered: New form of quantum matter Posted: 16 Jan 2014 12:08 PM PST A natural 3-D counterpart to 2-D graphene with similar or even better electron mobility and velocity has been discovered. This discovery promises exciting new things to come for the high-tech industry, including much faster transistors and far more compact hard drives.

Understanding collective animal behavior may be in the eye of the computer Posted: 16 Jan 2014 10:10 AM PST An international team of researchers is the first to successfully apply machine learning toward understanding collective animal behavior from raw data such as video without tracking each individual. The findings stand to significantly impact the field of ethology -- the objective study of animal behavior -- and may prove as profound as the breakthroughs that allowed robots to learn to recognize obstacles and navigate their environment.

Stem cell therapy following meniscus knee surgery may reduce pain, restore meniscus Posted: 16 Jan 2014 10:09 AM PST A single stem cell injection following meniscus knee surgery may provide pain relief and aid in meniscus regrowth, according to a novel study.

Sudden thickening of complex fluids modeled Posted: 16 Jan 2014 10:08 AM PST A new model may shed new understanding on the phenomenon known as discontinuous shear thickening (DST), in which the resistance to stirring takes a sudden jump. Easily observed in a 'kitchen experiment' by mixing together equal amounts of cornstarch and water, DST occurs because concentrated suspensions of hard particles in a liquid respond differently than normal fluids to shear forces.

Altering the community of gut bacteria promotes health and increases lifespan Posted: 16 Jan 2014 10:06 AM PST Having the right balance of gut bacteria may be the key to enjoying a long healthy life. Scientists promoted health and increased lifespan in Drosophila by altering the symbiotic relationship between bacteria and the absorptive cells lining the intestine. The work provides a model for studying diseases associated with the aging gut, and how we go from having a young, healthy gut to one that is old and decrepit.

New, 'designer' fiber may help address fiber intolerance, ease IBS symptoms Posted: 16 Jan 2014 10:04 AM PST A newly-developed, "designer" dietary fiber with an added potential prebiotic effect may eliminate the side effects of current treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) which affects 10-20 percent of the population, disproportionately women.

Ice-loving sea anemone discovered beneath the Ross Ice Shelf Posted: 16 Jan 2014 10:04 AM PST Biologists have discovered new species of sea anemone while using a camera-equipped robot to explore the waters beneath 250-meter thick Ross Ice Shelf.

Massive galaxy cluster verifies predictions of cosmological theory: First detection of kinetic SZ effect in an individual galaxy cluster Posted: 16 Jan 2014 08:35 AM PST By observing a high-speed component of a massive galaxy cluster, scientists have detected for the first time in an individual object the kinetic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect, a change in the cosmic microwave background caused by its interaction with massive moving objects.

Assessing others: Evaluating expertise of humans, computer algorithms Posted: 16 Jan 2014 08:35 AM PST Researchers used fMRI technology to monitor the brain activity of volunteers as they interacted with "experts" -- some human, others computer algorithms -- to predict the behavior of a hypothetical financial asset. Volunteers responded more positively to human rather than computer "experts."

Megafloods: What they leave behind Posted: 16 Jan 2014 08:35 AM PST South-central Idaho and the surface of Mars have an interesting geological feature in common: amphitheater-headed canyons. Researchers offer a plausible account that all these canyons were created by enormous floods.

Astronomers probe the primitive nature of a distant 'space blob' Posted: 16 Jan 2014 08:35 AM PST Himiko, a "space blob" named after a legendary queen from ancient Japan, is a simply enormous galaxy, with a hot glowing gaseous halo extending over 55,000 light-years. Not only is Himiko very large, it is extraordinarily distant, seen at a time approximately 800 million years after the Big Bang, when the universe was only 6 percent of its present size and stars and galaxies were just beginning to form.

Increased mobility thanks to robotic rehab Posted: 16 Jan 2014 08:35 AM PST After a stroke, patients often struggle with persistent paresis. Researchers examined whether robot-assisted therapy can help stroke patients. This form of therapy proved successful particularly with the most severely affected persons with arm paresis.

Brain on autopilot Posted: 16 Jan 2014 08:35 AM PST The structure of the human brain is complex, reminiscent of a circuit diagram with countless connections. But what role does this architecture play in the functioning of the brain?

The way to a chimpanzee's heart is through its stomach Posted: 16 Jan 2014 08:35 AM PST Researchers measured the urinary oxytocin levels in wild chimpanzees after food sharing and found them to be elevated in both donor and receiver compared to social feeding events without sharing. Furthermore, oxytocin levels were higher after food sharing than after grooming, another cooperative behavior, suggesting that food sharing might play a more important role in promoting social bonding.

Researchers 'detune' a molecule: Scientists control the bonds between atoms in a buckyball Posted: 16 Jan 2014 08:33 AM PST Scientists have found they can control the bonds between atoms in a molecule. The molecule in question is carbon-60, also known as the buckminsterfullerene and the buckyball, discovered in 1985.

Silver nanowire sensors hold promise for prosthetics, robotics Posted: 16 Jan 2014 08:33 AM PST Researchers have used silver nanowires to develop wearable, multifunctional sensors that could be used in biomedical, military or athletic applications, including new prosthetics, robotic systems and flexible touch panels. The sensors can measure strain, pressure, human touch and bioelectronic signals such as electrocardiograms.

Novel technology reveals aerodynamics of migrating birds flying in a V-formation Posted: 16 Jan 2014 08:29 AM PST Researchers using custom-built GPS and accelerometer loggers attached to free-flying birds on migration, have gained ground-breaking insights into the mysteries of bird flight formation.

Human arm sensors make robot smarter Posted: 16 Jan 2014 08:27 AM PST Using arm sensors that can "read" a person's muscle movements, researchers have created a control system that makes robots more intelligent. The sensors send information to the robot, allowing it to anticipate a human's movements and correct its own. The system is intended to improve time, safety and efficiency in manufacturing plants.

Potential treatment for drug-resistant H7N9 influenza virus Posted: 16 Jan 2014 08:27 AM PST A research project is showing promise in fighting the deadly novel avian H7N9 influenza virus.

Researchers target sea level rise to save years of archaeological evidence Posted: 16 Jan 2014 08:27 AM PST Prehistoric shell mounds found on some of Florida's most pristine beaches are at risk of washing away as the sea level rises, wiping away thousands of years of archaeological evidence.

Smart object recognition algorithm doesn't need humans Posted: 16 Jan 2014 06:11 AM PST If we've learned anything from post-apocalyptic movies it's that computers eventually become self-aware and try to eliminate humans. One engineer isn't interested in that development, but he has managed to eliminate the need for humans in the field of object recognition by creating an algorithm that can accurately identify objects in images or video sequences without human calibration.

Image perception in the blink of an eye Posted: 16 Jan 2014 06:11 AM PST Imagine seeing a dozen pictures flash by in a fraction of a second. You might think it would be impossible to identify any images you see for such a short time. However, a team of neuroscientists has found that the human brain can process entire images that the eye sees for as little as 13 milliseconds -- the first evidence of such rapid processing speed.

5,900 natural gas leaks discovered under Washington, D.C.: A dozen locations had concentrations high enough to trigger explosion Posted: 16 Jan 2014 06:11 AM PST More than 5,893 leaks from aging natural gas pipelines have been found under the streets of Washington, D.C. A dozen of the leaks could have posed explosion risks, the researchers said. Some manholes had methane concentrations as high as 500,000 parts per million of natural gas -- about 10 times greater than the threshold at which explosions can occur.

First black hole orbiting a 'spinning' star Posted: 16 Jan 2014 06:11 AM PST Scientists have discovered the first binary system ever known to consist of a black hole and a 'spinning' star – or more accurately, a Be-type star. Although predicted by theory, none had previously been found.

Mental health of Spanish men worsened with economic crisis Posted: 16 Jan 2014 06:10 AM PST Experts and social organizations have warned of the negative effects that the economic crisis could mean for the health of the population. But it was not easy to demonstrate with data what is happening. A new, comparative analysis of the last two National Health Surveys revealed a rise in mental health problems in men, which contrasts on the other hand with a decrease in women.

Discovery of quantum vibrations in 'microtubules' inside brain neurons supports controversial theory of consciousness Posted: 16 Jan 2014 05:51 AM PST A review and update of a controversial 20-year-old theory of consciousness claims that consciousness derives from deeper level, finer scale activities inside brain neurons. The recent discovery of quantum vibrations in "microtubules" inside brain neurons corroborates this theory, according to review authors. They suggest that EEG rhythms (brain waves) also derive from deeper level microtubule vibrations, and that from a practical standpoint, treating brain microtubule vibrations could benefit a host of mental, neurological, and cognitive conditions.

Hubble and Galaxy Zoo find bars and baby galaxies don't mix Posted: 16 Jan 2014 05:51 AM PST Harnessing the power of both the Hubble Space Telescope and the citizen science project Galaxy Zoo, scientists have found that bar-shaped features in spiral galaxies accelerate the galaxy aging process. The astronomers found that the fraction of spiral galaxies with bar features has doubled in the last eight billion years -- the latter half of the history of the universe.

Refined model for reliable prediction of invasion dynamics Posted: 16 Jan 2014 05:51 AM PST The question how rapidly animals, plants or microorganisms can colonize new territories is not only of interest to ecologists – the spread of invasive species can also have economic consequences, e.g. in the agricultural sector. Scientists have now refined an existing model and, for the first time, used laboratory experiments to validate its ability to predict biological invasion dynamics.

Stem cells overcome damage in other cells by exporting mitochondria Posted: 16 Jan 2014 05:50 AM PST A research team has identified a protein that increases the transfer of mitochondria from mesenchymal stem cells to lung cells. The researchers reveal that the delivery of mitochondria to human lung cells can rejuvenate damaged cells. The migration of mitochondria from stem cells to epithelial cells also helps to repair tissue damage and inflammation linked to asthma-like symptoms in mice.

Meltwater from Tibetan glaciers floods pastures Posted: 16 Jan 2014 05:50 AM PST Glaciers are important indicators of climate change. Global warming causes mountain glaciers to melt, which, apart from the shrinking of the Greenlandic and Antarctic ice sheets, is regarded as one of the main causes of the present global sea-level rise. Tibet's glaciers are also losing mass clearly, as scientists reveal using satellite-based laser measurements. Over the last decade, the research team has detected a "clear loss in mass of around 16 gigatons a year in around 80 percent of the Tibetan glaciers," says a glaciologist.

Two-proton bit controlled by a single copper atom Posted: 16 Jan 2014 05:50 AM PST Just a single foreign atom located in the vicinity of a molecule can change spatial arrangement of its atoms. In a spectacular experiment, an international team of researchers was able to change persistently positions of the nuclei of hydrogen atoms in a porphycene molecule by approaching a single copper atom to the molecule.

Typhoid fever: A race against time Posted: 16 Jan 2014 05:50 AM PST The life-threatening disease typhoid fever results from the ongoing battle between the bacterial pathogen Salmonella and the immune cells of the body. A research group has now uncovered how the typhoid pathogen repeatedly manages to evade the host's immune system.

Does taking multiple medicines increase risk of being admitted to hospital? Yes and no Posted: 16 Jan 2014 05:50 AM PST Patients with a single illness who take many drugs have an increased risk of being admitted to hospital, but for patients with multiple conditions, taking many medicines is now associated with a near-normal risk of admission. Doctors call the situation where people take many drugs 'polypharmacy', a state of affairs that is becoming increasingly common in part because we have more elderly people and also a rising number of people are being diagnosed with multiple health conditions.

Spirituality, religion may protect against major depression by thickening brain cortex Posted: 16 Jan 2014 05:48 AM PST A thickening of parts of the brain cortex associated with regular meditation or other spiritual or religious practice could be the reason those activities guard against depression – particularly in people who are predisposed to the disease, according to new research. Researchers studied 130 subjects and found that those who highly valued spirituality showed thicker portions of brain cortices that may protect against depression -- especially in those at high risk for the disease.

Brain regions 'tune' activity to enable attention Posted: 16 Jan 2014 05:48 AM PST The brain appears to synchronize the activity of different brain regions to make it possible for a person to pay attention or concentrate on a task, scientists have learned.

Drinking and driving: Unsafe at any level, study concludes Posted: 16 Jan 2014 05:48 AM PST A study finds that even "minimally buzzed" drivers -- with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.01 percent -- are 46 percent more likely to be officially and solely blamed by accident investigators than are the sober drivers they collide with.

Symphony of life, revealed: New imaging technique captures vibrations of proteins, tiny motions critical to human life Posted: 16 Jan 2014 05:48 AM PST Like the strings on a violin or the pipes of an organ, the proteins in the human body vibrate in different patterns, scientists have long suspected. Now, a new study provides what researchers say is the first conclusive evidence that this is true.

Reading the tea leaves: Impact of climate change on world favorite drink Posted: 16 Jan 2014 05:48 AM PST Climate change is reportedly affecting the cultivation of tea in China, with changes in temperatures and rainfall altering not only the taste, aroma, and potential health benefits of the popular beverage but also the lives of farmers who grow tea for a living. A research team will study this development in a four-year project.

Eelectronic health record use improves shingles vaccination rate among baby boomers Posted: 16 Jan 2014 05:48 AM PST Shingles, a painful blistering virus related to the chicken pox, are more common in the winter and spring than any other time of the year. While people over the age of 60 account for 50% of all shingles cases, less than 15% get a vaccine that can prevent the illness. Now, a new study is showing that simple hi- and low-tech interventions may help motivate seniors to get vaccinated. The study also suggests that the combined use of pharmacists and electronic medical records could be successfully reapplied to managing other preventable or chronic illnesses.

UK law to stop further sales of booze to drunk customers routinely flouted Posted: 15 Jan 2014 04:32 PM PST Bartenders in clubs and pubs are routinely flouting UK legislation intended to prevent further sales of alcohol to those who are already drunk, reveals a study of purchase patterns in one UK city.

UK rates of gout soaring, but treatment remains poor Posted: 15 Jan 2014 04:32 PM PST UK rates of gout have soared since the late 1990s, with one in every 40 people now affected by the condition -- the highest in Europe -- but treatment remains as poor now as it was then, reveals research published.

When doctor's visit is a guilt trip Posted: 15 Jan 2014 02:29 PM PST Some patients react to a shaming encounter with a health provider in a way that promotes health while others turn to lying or avoidance. Why? What makes the difference?

Food processors beware: Salmonella biofilms incredibly resistant to powerful disinfectants Posted: 15 Jan 2014 02:29 PM PST Once Salmonella bacteria get into a food processing facility and have an opportunity to form a biofilm on surfaces, it is likely to be extraordinarily difficult, if not impossible, to kill it, according to research published.

Hospital alleviates alarm fatigue by decreasing noise Posted: 15 Jan 2014 02:29 PM PST One American hospital successfully reduced audible alarms as a way to combat alarm fatigue and improve patient safety. The hospital implemented a novel cost-effective approach during a six-week pilot program that resulted in a drastic drop in audible alarms.

Next-gen reappraisal of interactions within cancer-associated protein complex Posted: 15 Jan 2014 02:29 PM PST At a glance, DNA is a rather simple sequence of A, G, C, T bases, but once it is packaged by histone proteins into an amalgam called chromatin, a more complex picture emerges. Histones, which come in four subtypes -- H2A, H2B, H3, and H4 -- can either coil DNA into inaccessible silent regions or untwist it to allow gene expression. To further complicate things, small chemical flags, such as methyl groups, affect whether histones silence or activate genes.

Using progesterone for hot flashes shown safe for women's cardiovascular health Posted: 15 Jan 2014 02:28 PM PST Treatment with progesterone, a naturally occurring hormone that has been shown to alleviate severe hot flashes and night sweats in post-menopausal women, poses little or no cardiovascular risk, according to a new study.

Head injuries triple long-term risk of early death Posted: 15 Jan 2014 02:28 PM PST Survivors of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are three times more likely to die prematurely than the general population, often from suicide or fatal injuries, finds a study. A TBI is a blow to the head that leads to a skull fracture, internal bleeding, loss of consciousness for longer than an hour or a combination of these symptoms.

Endotracheal extubation technique training video published Posted: 15 Jan 2014 02:28 PM PST An endotracheal extubation training video has been recently published.

Living in densely populated neighborhoods can actually decrease risk of diabetes, obesity Posted: 15 Jan 2014 02:28 PM PST Torontonians living in neighborhoods that aren't conducive to walking have a 33 percent greater risk of developing diabetes or being obese, according to new research.

No evidence of survival advantage for overweight, obese type 2 diabetes patients Posted: 15 Jan 2014 02:28 PM PST Being overweight or obese does not lead to improved survival among patients with type 2 diabetes.

Breakthrough announced in treatment of patient with rare type of leukaemia Posted: 15 Jan 2014 02:27 PM PST A team of scientists has demonstrated a novel treatment for Hairy Cell Leukaemia (HCL), a rare type of blood cancer, using a drug administered to combat skin cancer.

How corporations can regain financial value after scandal Posted: 15 Jan 2014 02:26 PM PST New research shows that corporations with tarnished reputations can regain their financial value by undertaking broad-based goodwill efforts.

New avenues for influenza control suggested by identification of an enzyme that plays a crucial role in resistance to the infection Posted: 15 Jan 2014 02:26 PM PST Researchers have identified an enzyme, cIAP2 that helps the lungs protect themselves from the flu by giving them the ability to resist tissue damage.

Phase II trial of Bevacizumab (Svastin) in locally advanced cervical cancer found 'promising' Posted: 15 Jan 2014 02:26 PM PST Addition of Bevacizumab to the existing standard of care for advanced cervical cancer was found to be safe and showed promising overall results. The 2- and 3- year overall survival rates were 89.8 percent and 80.2 percent, respectively.

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