Παρασκευή 21 Φεβρουαρίου 2014

ScienceDaily: Top Technology News

ScienceDaily: Top Technology News

Food packaging chemicals may be harmful to human health over long term

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 05:52 PM PST

The synthetic chemicals used in the packaging, storage, and processing of foodstuffs might be harmful to human health over the long term, warn environmental scientists. This is because most of these substances are not inert and can leach into the foods we eat, they say. Despite the fact that some of these chemicals are regulated, people who eat packaged or processed foods are likely to be chronically exposed to low levels of these substances throughout their lives. And far too little is known about their long term impact.

Claims that aging wind farms are a bad investment blown away by new research

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 05:51 PM PST

There has been some debate about whether wind turbines have a more limited shelf-life than other energy technologies. A previous study used a statistical model to estimate that electricity output from wind turbines declines by a third after only ten years of operation. Some opponents of wind power have argued that aging turbine technology could need replacing en masse after as little as ten years, which would make it an unattractive option in economic terms. In a new study, researchers carried out an analysis using local wind speed data from NASA, and showed that the turbines will last their full life of about 25 years before they need to be upgraded.

Multi-scale simulation software for chemistry research

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 02:49 PM PST

New software greatly expands the types of multi-scale QM/MM (mixed quantum and molecular mechanical) simulations of complex chemical systems that scientists can use to design new drugs, better chemicals, or improved enzymes for biofuels production.

Whole genome analysis speeds up: 240 full genomes in 50 hours

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 02:31 PM PST

Although the time and cost of sequencing the human genome has plummeted, analyzing the 3 billion base pairs of genetic information can take months. Researchers working with Beagle —- one of the world's fastest supercomputers devoted to life sciences —- report they can analyze 240 full genomes in 50 hours.

Clutter cutter: Computer modeling used to understand how messy cells contribute to cancer

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 02:31 PM PST

In a messy house, people use computers to manage paper and photo clutter; companies use computer systems to track their inventory. Researchers are taking a similar approach to cell-molecular inventory control for cancer. They have created computer models, using their programming framework (PySB), which enable them to explore the complex biochemical processes that drive cancer growth.

Statistics research could build consensus around climate predictions

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 01:04 PM PST

Vast amounts of data related to climate change are being compiled by researchers worldwide with varying climate projections. This requires combining information across data sets to arrive at a consensus regarding future climate estimates. Scientists propose a statistical hierarchical Bayesian model that consolidates climate change information from observation-based data sets and climate models.

Real-time view of battery electrochemistry

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 01:03 PM PST

Using a new microscopy method, researchers can image and measure electrochemical processes in batteries in real time and at nanoscale resolution. Scientists used a miniature electrochemical liquid cell that is placed in a transmission electron microscope to study an enigmatic phenomenon in lithium-ion batteries called the solid electrolyte interphase.

Brain signals move paralyzed limbs in new experiment

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 11:32 AM PST

To help people suffering paralysis from injury, stroke or disease, scientists have invented brain-machine interfaces that record electrical signals of neurons in the brain and translate them to movement. Usually, that means the neural signals direct a device, like a robotic arm. Researchers are now bringing brain-machine interfaces to the next level: Instead of signals directing a device, they hope to help paralyzed people move their own limb, just by thinking about it.

Using holograms to improve electronic devices

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 11:26 AM PST

Scientists have demonstrated a new type of holographic memory device that could provide unprecedented data storage capacity and data processing capabilities in electronic devices.

Astronomers get first peek into core of supernova, using NuSTAR telescope

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 10:33 AM PST

Astronomers have peered for the first time into the heart of an exploding star in the final minutes of its existence. The feat by the high-energy X-ray satellite NuSTAR provides details of the physics of the core explosion inaccessible until now, says team member Steven Boggs of UC Berkeley. NuSTAR mapped radioactive titanium in the Cassiopeia A supernova remnant, which has expanded outward and become visible from Earth since the central star exploded in 1671.

Impact of head movement on fMRI data shown in new study

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 09:47 AM PST

Discarding data from subjects with multiple sclerosis who exhibit head movement during functional magnetic resonance imaging may bias sampling away from subjects with lower cognitive ability, new research has shown. Because head movement during fMRI degrades data quality, data associated with severe movement is frequently discarded as a source of random error, and these authors note that it is important for researchers to be aware of this potential bias.

Future of computing? A step closer to a photonic future

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 09:47 AM PST

The future of computing may lie not in electrons, but in photons -- in microprocessors that use light instead of electrical signals. But these photonic devices are typically built using customized methods that make them difficult and expensive to manufacture. Now, engineers have demonstrated that low power photonic devices can be fabricated using standard chip-making processes. The team dubs this a major milestone in photonic technology.

Clouds seen circling supermassive black hole

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 09:46 AM PST

Astronomers see huge clouds of gas orbiting supermassive black holes at the centres of galaxies. Once thought to be a relatively uniform, fog-like ring, the accreting matter instead forms clumps dense enough to intermittently dim the intense radiation blazing forth as these enormous objects condense and consume matter.

Fresh air: Special air filter blocks small particles called UFPs from getting inside cars

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 08:34 AM PST

While taking in the scenery during long road trips, passengers also may be taking in potentially harmful ultrafine particles that come into the car through outdoor air vents. Closing the vents reduces ultrafine particles, but causes exhaled carbon dioxide to build up. Now, scientists report that installing a newly developed high-efficiency cabin air filter could reduce ultrafine particle exposure by 93 percent and keep carbon dioxide levels low.

Kinetic battery chargers get a boost

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 08:34 AM PST

New technology to capture the kinetic energy of our everyday movements, such as walking, and to convert it into electrical energy has come a step closer. Researchers have for many years attempted to harvest energy from our everyday movements to allow us to trickle charge electronic devices while we are walking without the need for expensive and cumbersome gadgets such as solar panels or hand-cranked chargers. Lightweight devices are limited in the voltage that they can produce from our low-frequency movements to a few millivolts. However, this is not sufficient to drive electrons through a semiconductor diode so that a direct current can be tapped off and used to charge a device, even a low-power medical implant, for instance. Now all that is about to change.

Making nanoelectronics last longer for medical devices, 'cyborgs'

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 07:54 AM PST

The debut of cyborgs who are part human and part machine may be a long way off, but researchers say they now may be getting closer. Scientists have now developed a coating that makes nanoelectronics much more stable in conditions mimicking those in the human body. The advance could also aid in the development of very small implanted medical devices for monitoring health and disease.

Advance in energy storage could speed up development of next-gen electronics

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 07:54 AM PST

Electronics are getting smaller all the time, but there's a limit to how tiny they can get with today's materials. Researchers now say, however, that they have developed a way to shrink capacitors -- key components that store energy -- even further, which could accelerate the development of more compact, high-performance next-gen devices.

Better cache management could improve chip performance, cut energy use

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 07:23 AM PST

Cleverer management of the local memory banks known as 'caches' could improve computer chips' performance while reducing their energy consumption. Computer chips keep getting faster because transistors keep getting smaller. But the chips themselves are as big as ever, so data moving around the chip, and between chips and main memory, has to travel just as far. As transistors get faster, the cost of moving data becomes, proportionally, a more severe limitation.

New study reveals communications potential of graphene

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 04:57 AM PST

Providing secure wireless connections and improving the efficiency of communication devices could be another application for graphene. Often touted as a wonder material, graphene is a one-atom thick layer of carbon with remarkable, record breaking properties. Until now its ability to absorb electromagnetic radiation -- energy from across the radio frequency spectrum -- was not known.

Clear differences in flagship mobile phones' connection speed

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 04:54 AM PST

Flagship models of Apple, LG, Samsung and Nokia phones provide users with remarkably different mobile network connection speed compared to each other. According to Netradar, a free mobile application to measure mobile connections and devices, there are remarkable differences in the connection speed between different models.

Gecko-inspired adhesion: Self-cleaning and reliable

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 04:52 AM PST

Geckos outclass adhesive tapes in one respect: Even after repeated contact with dirt and dust do their feet perfectly adhere to smooth surfaces. Researchers have now developed the first adhesive tape that does not only adhere to a surface as reliably as the toes of a gecko, but also possesses similar self-cleaning properties. Using such a tape, food packagings or bandages might be opened and closed several times.

A forgotten model of the universe: Analysis of Einstein's 1931 paper featuring a dynamic model of the universe

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 04:52 AM PST

Researchers have provided the first English translation and an analysis of one of Albert Einstein's little-known papers, "On the cosmological problem of the general theory of relativity." Published in 1931, it features a forgotten model of the universe, while refuting Einstein's own earlier static model of 1917. In this paper, Einstein introduces a cosmic model in which the universe undergoes an expansion followed by a contraction. This interpretation contrasts with the monotonically expanding universe of the widely known Einstein-de Sitter model of 1932.

Switching with single photons: Switching effects caused by single photons is a step toward quantum computing

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 04:52 AM PST

The idea to perform data processing with light, without relying on any electronic components, has been around for quite some time. In fact, necessary components such as optical transistors are available. However, up to now they have not gained a lot of attention from computer companies. This could change in the near future as packing densities of electronic devices as well as clock frequencies of electronic computers are about to reach their limits. Optical techniques promise a high bandwidth and low dissipation power, in particular, if only faint light pulses are needed to achieve the effect of switching. The ultimate limit is a gate-pulse that contains one photon only. A team of scientists has now managed to bring this almost utopian task into reality. The scientists succeeded in switching a medium -- a cloud of about 200 ultracold atoms -- from being transparent to being opaque for light pulses. This "single-photon-switch" could be the first step in the development of a quantum logic gate, an essential component in the field of quantum information processing.

UK failing to harness its bioenergy potential

Posted: 19 Feb 2014 04:52 AM PST

The UK could generate almost half its energy needs from biomass sources, including household waste, agricultural residues and home-grown biofuels by 2050, new research suggests. Scientists found that the UK could produce up to 44% of its energy by these means without the need to import. A new study highlights the country's potential abundance of biomass resources that are currently underutilized and totally overlooked by the bioenergy sector.

Public awareness, use of online physician rating sites studied

Posted: 18 Feb 2014 01:34 PM PST

In a survey of a nationally representative sample of the US population, 65 percent of respondents reported awareness of online physician ratings and about one-fourth reported usage of these sites, according to a study. Survey results are outlined in a new article.

Use of electrical energy studied for treating certain type of atrial fibrillation, in place of medications

Posted: 18 Feb 2014 01:34 PM PST

Among patients with untreated paroxysmal (intermittent) atrial fibrillation (AF), treatment with electrical energy (radiofrequency ablation) resulted in a lower rate of abnormal atrial rhythms and episodes of AF, according to a study. Arial fibrillation affects approximately 5 million people worldwide and is associated with an increased risk of stroke. Drug treatment is recommended by practice guidelines as a first-line therapy in patients with paroxysmal AF. However, researchers now suggest that radiofrequency ablation is an accepted therapy in patients for whom antiarrhythmic drugs have failed, although its role as a first-line therapy needs further investigation.

Nanodiamond-embedded contact lenses may improve glaucoma treatment

Posted: 18 Feb 2014 11:33 AM PST

Glaucoma is a pervasive disorder that occurs when there is a buildup of pressure in the eye. If left untreated, this can damage the optic nerve, resulting in vision loss. Bioengineers have developed a nanodiamond-embedded contact lens that may improve glaucoma treatment by localizing and sustaining drug release that can be triggered using tears. The researchers showed that the nanodiamonds even improved lens durability while maintaining wear comfort.

Students invent 'aura' musical instrument using gloves

Posted: 18 Feb 2014 11:22 AM PST

Imagine holding music in your hands. That's what you can do with the Aura, a new electronic musical instrument conceived by engineering students.

New system accelerates verification of printed electronic documents

Posted: 18 Feb 2014 09:45 AM PST

A system that speeds up online administrative procedures by automatically verifying and validating printed electronic documents, a process that had been done manually up until now, has been developed by researchers. "The purpose of this project is for our system to become the only one needed to generate and validate universal and officially approved CSVs for all the different public administrations in Spain," say the creators.

Better way to purify peptide-based drugs by adding atoms to the mix

Posted: 18 Feb 2014 08:42 AM PST

During the production of peptide drugs, amino acids attach to each other in chains, but some of the chains are never completed. To separate these truncated peptides from the good ones, a team of researchers adds a polymerizable group of atoms to the mix. These atoms bind to either the perfect peptides or the unfinished ones, but not to both. The polymerized peptides become insoluble and precipitate out of the solution.

Sticky nanoparticles developed to fight heart disease

Posted: 18 Feb 2014 08:07 AM PST

Nanoparticles that can deliver drugs targeting damaged arteries have been developed as a non-invasive method to fight heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One of the standard ways to treat clogged and damaged arteries currently is to implant vascular stents, which hold the vessels open and release such drugs as paclitaxel. The researchers of this new study hope their advanced nanoparticles could be used alongside stents or in lieu of them.

Patient records linked between hospitals, medical flight crews using new technology

Posted: 18 Feb 2014 07:10 AM PST

Although trauma, heart and stroke patients benefit from being transferred from a local hospital to a higher-level care facility, it's unclear why patients transferred with non-urgent medical conditions show at least a 30 percent higher death rate than had they stayed put, according to researchers. Researchers think it's linked to patient medical records and accessing information at different hospitals and from the flight crew transporting the patient. Operating systems between flight crew and hospitals are different, and don't always speak the same "computer language," which may be putting patients at risk.

Metal in heart non-hazardous to health, study shows

Posted: 18 Feb 2014 07:06 AM PST

Implants made of nickel-titanium alloy were evaluated in a long-term study. Results indicate that the release of nickel from wires made of nickel-titanium alloys is very low, even over long periods of time. Most of the metal released from implants in the heart are leaked in the first days and weeks, depending on the pre-treatment of the material. This is due, the researchers say, to the mechanical strain of the implant during the surgery. In the long run, however, the nickel release decreases to amounts of a few nanograms per day and is hence far below the amount of nickel that we absorb anyway through our food on a daily basis.
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