ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Obese children more likely to have complex elbow fractures, further complications
• How do polar bears stay warm? Research finds an answer in their genes
• Immune signature discovered that predicts poor outcome in influenza patients
• Abolition of fixed retirement age called for by new UK report
• Mechanism elucidated: How smell perception influences food intake
• New pain target, discovery for bacterial infections
• Ways to improve common furniture fire test
• Keep romance alive with double dates
• EHR-based screening program for aneurysms cuts number of at-risk men by more than half
• Impact of repetitive heading in soccer needs more research, say experts
• New tobacco control guides developed to help communities address tobacco issues
• Clinical pharmacologist researching chronic lead intoxication in goats
• Unexpected cell hijack method in pancreatic cancer revealed by research
• Responders, survivors on pazopanib characterized for advanced soft tissue sarcoma
• Schema Therapy for personality disorders proven more effective than other major treatments
• Threatened eels disappear in the deep ocean on their way to the Sargasso Sea
• Dental care in school breaks down social inequalities
• Massive neutrinos solve a cosmological conundrum
• Flat-pack lens boosts solar power: Fresnel lens concentrates solar without bulk
• Sometimes the average just isn't good enough: Averaging not always best for analying protein crystal structures
• MRI to offer advances in treatment for chronic kidney disease
• Newly found tactics in offense-defense struggle with hepatitis C virus
• New maps reveal locations of species at risk as climate changes
• Chronic inflammation: Slowing down immune system when in overdrive
• Wheat: Genetic discovery to keep crops disease-free
• Matchmaking this Valentine's Day: How it can bring you the most happiness
• Nanomotors are controlled, for the first time, inside living cells
• Major League baseball players experience stage fright on the eve of reaching a major milestone
• Uganda develops database for wildlife crime offenders
• Conserved nuclear envelope protein uses shuttle service to travel between job sites
• Virtual avatars may impact real-world behavior
• Smoking linked with increased risk of most common type of breast cancer
• Research reveals give and take of urban temperature mitigating technologies
• Clues to cancer pathogenesis found in cell-conditioned media
• Eucalypt in Ethiopian highlands: Increasing productivity of important tree
• When you always gotta go: Finnish study on urgency incontinence underway
• Exercise provides hope for kidney disease patients and their vulnerable hearts
• Cultural construction of nudes in Roman mosaics examined
• Defect in Ikaros gene mimics human B cell leukemia
• Measuring wind turbines remotely using new information technology
• Wind farms to flash, warning aircraft, only when necessary
• Oil composition boost makes hemp a cooking contender
• Invisibility cloak for hearing aids, implants
• Smart grids to help optimize utilization of power grids
• Weight loss surgery increases social acceptance, but body remains problematic
• Cow's milk protein measurement standard expanded for greater consumer protection, harmonized trade
• Coffee growing: More biodiversity, better harvest
• Aquatic Insects: Tremendous potential for research on diversification
• Genetic origins of high-altitude adaptations in Tibetans
• Astronomers discover oldest star: Formed shortly after the Big Bang 13. 7 billion years ago
• Hubble looks in on a nursery for unruly young stars
• NASA completes radar study of Icelandic glacier winter movement
• Fight or flight? Vocal cues help deer decide during mating season
• Invasive 'demon shrimp' threaten British marine species
• Looking back to the cradle of our universe: Astronomers spot what may be one of most distant galaxies known
• Optogenetic toolkit goes multicolor: Viewing brain functions with light-sensitive proteins
• Seven new genetic regions linked to type 2 diabetes
• Clues for battling aggressive cancers from twin sisters study

Obese children more likely to have complex elbow fractures, further complications Posted: 10 Feb 2014 11:01 AM PST Pediatric obesity is currently an epidemic, with the prevalence having quadruped over the last 25 years. Among other complications, obese children who sustain a supracondylar humeral (above the elbow) fracture can be expected to have more complex fractures and experience more postoperative complications than children of a normal weight, research shows.

How do polar bears stay warm? Research finds an answer in their genes Posted: 10 Feb 2014 10:58 AM PST Among polar bears, only pregnant females den up for the colder months. So how do the rest survive the extreme Arctic winters? New research points to one potential answer: genetic adaptations related to production of nitric oxide, a compound cells use to help convert nutrients into energy or heat.

Immune signature discovered that predicts poor outcome in influenza patients Posted: 10 Feb 2014 10:58 AM PST Scientists have identified a signature immune response that might help doctors identify which newly diagnosed influenza patients are most likely to develop severe symptoms and suffer poor outcomes. The findings also help explain why infants and toddlers are at elevated risk for flu complications.

Abolition of fixed retirement age called for by new UK report Posted: 10 Feb 2014 08:45 AM PST A report by researchers in the UK recommends the worldwide removal of the fixed or default retirement age (DRA). The report finds that, on a global scale, current pension systems are unsustainable.

Mechanism elucidated: How smell perception influences food intake Posted: 10 Feb 2014 08:45 AM PST A research team has succeeded in elucidating how the endocannabinoid system controls food intake through its effects on the perception of smells.

New pain target, discovery for bacterial infections Posted: 10 Feb 2014 08:45 AM PST Components in the outer wall of bacteria directly activate pain sensors, triggering immediate pain and inflammatory responses. This finding by a multinational team of researchers sheds new light on pain associated with bacterial infections and reveals a new target for drugs designed to treat them.

Ways to improve common furniture fire test Posted: 10 Feb 2014 08:45 AM PST The test widely used to evaluate whether a burning cigarette will ignite upholstered furniture may underestimate the tendency of component materials to smolder when these materials are used in sofas and chairs supported by springs or cloth, according to researchers.

Keep romance alive with double dates Posted: 10 Feb 2014 08:45 AM PST Going on a double date may be more effective at reigniting passion in your own relationship than the classic candlelit dinner for two. According to new research, striking up a friendship with another couple in which you discuss personal details may cause us to perceive our partners in a new light. Indeed, perception is vital in a relationship, according to a range of new studies.

EHR-based screening program for aneurysms cuts number of at-risk men by more than half Posted: 10 Feb 2014 08:45 AM PST A screening program for abdominal aortic aneurysms, integrated into an electronic health record, dramatically reduced the number of unscreened at-risk men by more than 50 percent within 15 months, according to a Kaiser Permanente study. An abdominal aortic aneurysm is a balloon-like bulge in the aorta, which -- if ruptured -- can result in death. It is estimated that more than one million Americans are living with undiagnosed AAA.

Impact of repetitive heading in soccer needs more research, say experts Posted: 10 Feb 2014 08:45 AM PST Researchers warned in a paper published today that not enough attention has been given to the unique aspect of soccer -- the purposeful use of the head to control the ball -- and the long-term consequences of repetitive heading.

New tobacco control guides developed to help communities address tobacco issues Posted: 10 Feb 2014 08:44 AM PST In conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the Surgeon General's landmark report on smoking, the Brown School's Center for Public Health Systems Science, in partnership with the Tobacco Control Legal Consortium, has published two new tobacco control guides that aim to give state and local communities the guidance and resources needed to move tobacco control policies forward.

Clinical pharmacologist researching chronic lead intoxication in goats Posted: 10 Feb 2014 08:44 AM PST American researchers are part of a team of researchers from Egypt, Jordan and the U.S. that is evaluating the effect of chronic lead intoxication in goats.

Unexpected cell hijack method in pancreatic cancer revealed by research Posted: 10 Feb 2014 07:21 AM PST Pancreatic stellate cells, which normally aid tissue repair, unwittingly help pancreatic cancer grow and spread in a method of "cell hijack" only seen before in brain and breast cancer, according to new research.

Responders, survivors on pazopanib characterized for advanced soft tissue sarcoma Posted: 10 Feb 2014 07:19 AM PST An analysis has confirmed the importance of known prognostic factors such as performance status and tumor grading for having a long-term outcome in patients treated with pazopanib for metastatic soft tissue sarcoma. Additionally, hemoglobin at baseline was found to be a new prognostic factor.

Schema Therapy for personality disorders proven more effective than other major treatments Posted: 10 Feb 2014 07:19 AM PST A large scale randomized control trial shows Schema Therapy to be significantly more effective than two major alternative approaches to the treatment of a broad range of personality disorders. Schema Therapy resulted in a higher rate of recovery, greater declines in depression, greater increases in general and social functioning and had a lower drop out rate. The results indicated that Schema Therapy is also more cost-effective.

Threatened eels disappear in the deep ocean on their way to the Sargasso Sea Posted: 10 Feb 2014 07:19 AM PST When the threatened European eels cross the Atlantic Ocean to get to the Sargasso Sea to spawn, they swim in deep water. But this does not protect them from predators, researchers report: Even in deep water the eels are hunted and eaten.

Dental care in school breaks down social inequalities Posted: 10 Feb 2014 07:19 AM PST A new global survey documents how dental care in the school environment is helping to assure a healthy life and social equity -- even in developing countries. But there are still major challenges to overcome worldwide.

Massive neutrinos solve a cosmological conundrum Posted: 10 Feb 2014 07:19 AM PST Scientists have solved a major problem with the current standard model of cosmology identified by combining results from the Planck spacecraft and measurements of gravitational lensing in order to deduce the mass of ghostly sub-atomic particles called neutrinos.

Flat-pack lens boosts solar power: Fresnel lens concentrates solar without bulk Posted: 10 Feb 2014 07:19 AM PST Micro-machining could be used to create almost flat, Fresnel lenses, that boost the electrical efficiency of solar panels, according to new research.

Sometimes the average just isn't good enough: Averaging not always best for analying protein crystal structures Posted: 10 Feb 2014 07:19 AM PST Computational biologists show that averaging is not always a good thing when it comes to analyzing protein crystal structures. Their recent work shows that protein structures could be more dynamic and heterogeneous than current methods of X-ray analysis suggest.

MRI to offer advances in treatment for chronic kidney disease Posted: 10 Feb 2014 07:18 AM PST Detailed structural and functional 'maps' of the human kidney made using advanced scanning technology are to be developed by scientists, in hopes that the effort advances treatment for those suffering from chronic kidney disease.

Newly found tactics in offense-defense struggle with hepatitis C virus Posted: 10 Feb 2014 06:54 AM PST The hepatitis C virus (HCV) has a previously unrecognized tactic to outwit antiviral responses and sustain a long-term infection. It also turns out that some people are genetically equipped with a strong countermeasure to the virus' attempt to weaken the attack on it. The details of these findings suggest potential targets for treating HCV.

New maps reveal locations of species at risk as climate changes Posted: 10 Feb 2014 06:54 AM PST An international team of scientists has produced global maps showing how fast and in which direction local climates have shifted.

Chronic inflammation: Slowing down immune system when in overdrive Posted: 10 Feb 2014 06:54 AM PST Many people suffer from chronic inflammation because their immune systems overreact to 'self' tissue. Scientists believe that a small molecule known as Interleukin 21 is a promising therapeutic target in such cases.

Wheat: Genetic discovery to keep crops disease-free Posted: 10 Feb 2014 06:54 AM PST Researchers have found a way to breed disease-resistant wheat with no downside, potentially bringing multi-million dollar savings to Australia's agricultural industry.

Matchmaking this Valentine's Day: How it can bring you the most happiness Posted: 10 Feb 2014 06:54 AM PST If you follow your instinct to play Cupid this Valentine's Day, it'll pay off in happiness -- not necessarily for the new couple, but definitely for you. According to new research, matchmaking, a time-honored tradition, brings intrinsic happiness to the matchmaker. To maximize the psychological benefits of matchmaking, you should take care to introduce two people who not only seem compatible but who would be unlikely to meet otherwise, researchers say.

Nanomotors are controlled, for the first time, inside living cells Posted: 10 Feb 2014 06:53 AM PST Nanomotors have been controlled inside living cells for the first time, report a team of chemists and engineers. The scientists placed tiny rocket-shaped synthetic motors inside live human cells, propelled them with ultrasonic waves and steered them magnetically to spin and to battering against the cell membrane.

Major League baseball players experience stage fright on the eve of reaching a major milestone Posted: 10 Feb 2014 06:51 AM PST Researchers have found that Major League baseball players experience a bit of stage fright on the eve of reaching a major milestone.

Uganda develops database for wildlife crime offenders Posted: 10 Feb 2014 06:51 AM PST An online tool has been launched that will allow law enforcement officials to access a database that tracks offenders of wildlife crime in real-time and across the country of Uganda.

Conserved nuclear envelope protein uses shuttle service to travel between job sites Posted: 10 Feb 2014 06:51 AM PST Researchers have glimpsed two proteins working together inside living cells to facilitate communication between the cell's nucleus and its exterior compartment, the cytoplasm. The research provides new clues into how a crucial protein that is found in organisms from yeast to humans does its work.

Virtual avatars may impact real-world behavior Posted: 10 Feb 2014 05:32 AM PST How you represent yourself in the virtual world of video games may affect how you behave toward others in the real world, according to new research.

Smoking linked with increased risk of most common type of breast cancer Posted: 10 Feb 2014 05:32 AM PST Young women who smoke and have been smoking a pack a day for a decade or more have a significantly increased risk of developing the most common type of breast cancer. The study indicates that an increased risk of breast cancer may be another health risk incurred by young women who smoke.

Research reveals give and take of urban temperature mitigating technologies Posted: 10 Feb 2014 05:32 AM PST Greenhouse-gas induced warming and megapolitan expansion are both significant drivers of our warming planet. Researchers are now assessing adaptation technologies -- such as cool roofs, green roofs and hybrids of the two -- that could help us acclimate to these changing realities. A team of researchers has begun exploring the relative effectiveness of some of the most common adaptation technologies aimed at reducing warming from urban expansion.

Clues to cancer pathogenesis found in cell-conditioned media Posted: 10 Feb 2014 05:32 AM PST Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is a rare B-cell neoplasm distinguished by its tendency to spread along the thin serous membranes that line body cavities without infiltrating or destroying nearby tissue. By growing PEL cells in culture and analyzing the secretome (proteins secreted into cell-conditioned media), investigators have identified proteins that may explain PEL pathogenesis, its peculiar cell adhesion, and migration patterns. They also recognized related oncogenic pathways, thereby providing rationales for more individualized treatment.

Eucalypt in Ethiopian highlands: Increasing productivity of important tree Posted: 10 Feb 2014 05:32 AM PST Researchers are collaborating in a eucalypts breeding program in the Ethiopian highlands which will increase this species productivity.

When you always gotta go: Finnish study on urgency incontinence underway Posted: 10 Feb 2014 05:31 AM PST Urgency incontinence is considered the most troubling urinary symptom in both men and women, according to a recent study published.

Exercise provides hope for kidney disease patients and their vulnerable hearts Posted: 10 Feb 2014 05:31 AM PST A doctor has become the first renal physician in the England to be awarded the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Clinician Scientist Award. The fellowship, worth more than £1 million, will fund a five-year study into the effects of exercise on heart disease in patients with chronic kidney disease who are on dialysis.

Cultural construction of nudes in Roman mosaics examined Posted: 10 Feb 2014 05:31 AM PST The female nudes in Roman mosaics exalt beauty, the carnality and eroticism, while male bodies reflect determination, strength and power. This is one of the conclusions of research that analyzed the cultural construction and ideological implications of these artistic representations in which female predominate as compared to those of males.

Defect in Ikaros gene mimics human B cell leukemia Posted: 10 Feb 2014 05:31 AM PST Researchers investigated the differentiation of stem cells to mature B cells, and now present, for the first time, molecular details on the role of the Ikaros gene during early B cell development. A defect in Ikaros function causes an early block in B-lymphopoiesis and prevents the development of mature B cells. The cells stay in an aberrant state, which closely resembles that of cells in B-ALL, a special form of human B cell leukemia.

Measuring wind turbines remotely using new information technology Posted: 10 Feb 2014 05:31 AM PST The rotor and mast of a wind turbine can oscillate even in normal operation. The analysis of these oscillations plays an important role when the equipment is being developed and maintained. Up to now, this analysis has only been possible at discrete points located directly on equipment. Researchers have now demonstrated that using modern information technology to remotely measure the oscillatory pattern over the entire structure of the facility is possible from several hundred meters away.

Wind farms to flash, warning aircraft, only when necessary Posted: 10 Feb 2014 05:31 AM PST They can be seen from afar -- the blinking beacons on wind turbines -- intended to warn approaching aircraft at night. However, the continual blinking disturbs many people. Beacons that only switch on when necessary find more acceptance.

Oil composition boost makes hemp a cooking contender Posted: 10 Feb 2014 05:31 AM PST Scientists report the development of hemp plants with a dramatically increased content of oleic acid. The new oil profile results in an attractive cooking oil that is similar to olive oil in terms of fatty acid content, having a much longer shelf life, as well as greater heat tolerance and potentially more industrial applications.

Invisibility cloak for hearing aids, implants Posted: 10 Feb 2014 05:31 AM PST Microsystems are at the heart of portable hearing aids and implants. Now researchers are developing a miniature, low-power wireless microsystem to make these medical aids smaller, more comfortable and more efficient.

Smart grids to help optimize utilization of power grids Posted: 10 Feb 2014 05:31 AM PST Germany's power grids are not yet well prepared for the current consequences of the country's Energiewende, wide fluctuations in the supply of electricity from renewable sources, which conflict with patterns of demand. Smart grids that manage electricity demand at the local -- microgrid -- level may help to reduce the transmission of electricity over long distances to balance regional over- and undersupply. In the GreenCom project, international partners from industry and research develop and evaluate such a "Smart Energy Management System".

Weight loss surgery increases social acceptance, but body remains problematic Posted: 10 Feb 2014 05:30 AM PST All of a sudden the once obese women are treated with respect in society. But underneath the clothes, the skin is saggy and it takes a long time to become familiar with the "new" stomach.

Cow's milk protein measurement standard expanded for greater consumer protection, harmonized trade Posted: 10 Feb 2014 05:30 AM PST IDF and ISO have joined forces to expand the scope of an international standard used worldwide in the dairy industry to measure the protein content of cow's milk. The Kjeldahl method now encompasses milk from other species as well as internationally traded dairy products covered by Codex standards. The revised standard reconfirms the crucial role of the Kjeldahl method in trade harmonization and enhances consumer protection safeguards.

Coffee growing: More biodiversity, better harvest Posted: 10 Feb 2014 05:30 AM PST Bees, birds and bats make a huge contribution to the high yields produced by coffee farmers around Mount Kilimanjaro -- an example of how biodiversity can pay off. This effect has been described as result of a study now published, conducted by tropical ecologists.

Aquatic Insects: Tremendous potential for research on diversification Posted: 10 Feb 2014 05:30 AM PST Inland waters cover less than 1% of the Earth's surface yet harbor 10% of all known animal species, 60% of them being aquatic insects. Nearly 100,000 species from 12 orders spend one or more life stages in freshwater. Still today, little is known on how this remarkable diversity arose. Scientists therefore investigated the potential of aquatic insects for research on diversification and outline their findings in a new publication.

Genetic origins of high-altitude adaptations in Tibetans Posted: 10 Feb 2014 05:29 AM PST Genetic adaptations for life at high elevations found in residents of the Tibetan plateau likely originated around 30,000 years ago in peoples related to contemporary Sherpa. These genes were passed on to more recent migrants from lower elevations via population mixing, and then amplified by natural selection in the modern Tibetan gene pool, according to a new study. The transfer of beneficial mutations between human populations and selective enrichment of these genes in descendent generations represents a novel mechanism for adaptation to new environments.

Astronomers discover oldest star: Formed shortly after the Big Bang 13. 7 billion years ago Posted: 09 Feb 2014 05:08 PM PST A team of astronomers has discovered the oldest known star in the Universe, which formed shortly after the Big Bang 13.7 billion years ago. The discovery has allowed astronomers for the first time to study the chemistry of the first stars, giving scientists a clearer idea of what the Universe was like in its infancy.

Hubble looks in on a nursery for unruly young stars Posted: 09 Feb 2014 04:59 PM PST A striking new image, captured by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, reveals a star in the process of forming within the Chameleon cloud. This young star is throwing off narrow streams of gas from its poles -- creating this ethereal object known as HH 909A. These speedy outflows collide with the slower surrounding gas, lighting up the region.

NASA completes radar study of Icelandic glacier winter movement Posted: 09 Feb 2014 04:58 PM PST The cold of an Icelandic winter did not stop one NASA science aircraft from completing a mission to map glaciers on the island during the past week. NASA's C-20A, based at the Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale, Calif., flew four radar missions from Keflavik International Airport near Reykjavik, Iceland.

Fight or flight? Vocal cues help deer decide during mating season Posted: 09 Feb 2014 04:23 PM PST Male fallow deer are sensitive to changes in the groans that rivals make during mating season when competing for the attention of female deer, and can assess the level of threat other males pose simply from vocal cues, according to new research.

Invasive 'demon shrimp' threaten British marine species Posted: 09 Feb 2014 04:23 PM PST A species of shrimp, dubbed the 'demon shrimp,' which was previously unknown in British waters, is attacking and eating native shrimp and disrupting the food chain in some of England's rivers and lakes. The problem is contributing to the cost of Invasive non-native species (INNS) to the British economy, which is estimated at a total annual cost of approximately £1.7 billion.

Looking back to the cradle of our universe: Astronomers spot what may be one of most distant galaxies known Posted: 09 Feb 2014 02:31 PM PST NASA's Spitzer and Hubble Space Telescopes have spotted what might be one of the most distant galaxies known, harkening back to a time when our universe was only about 650 million years old (our universe is 13.8 billion years old). The galaxy, known as Abell2744 Y1, is about 30 times smaller than our Milky Way galaxy and is producing about 10 times more stars, as is typical for galaxies in our young universe.

Optogenetic toolkit goes multicolor: Viewing brain functions with light-sensitive proteins Posted: 09 Feb 2014 12:24 PM PST Researchers have found new light-sensitive proteins that allow scientists to study how multiple sets of neurons interact with each other.

Seven new genetic regions linked to type 2 diabetes Posted: 09 Feb 2014 12:24 PM PST Seven new genetic regions associated with type 2 diabetes have been identified in the largest study to date of the genetic basis of the disease. DNA data was brought together from more than 48,000 patients and 139,000 healthy controls from four different ethnic groups.

Clues for battling aggressive cancers from twin sisters study Posted: 09 Feb 2014 12:24 PM PST Analyzing the genomes of twin sisters -- one healthy and one with aggressive leukemia -- led an international team of researchers to identify a novel molecular target that could become a way to treat recurring and deadly malignancies. The study points to a molecular pathway involving a gene called SETD2, which can mutate in blood cells during a critical step as DNA is being transcribed and replicated.

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