Τρίτη 15 Απριλίου 2014

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News


NASA Cassini images may reveal birth of a Saturn moon

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 03:03 PM PDT

NASA's Cassini spacecraft has documented the formation of a small icy object within the rings of Saturn that may be a new moon, and may also provide clues to the formation of the planet's known moons.

We're over the hill at 24, study says

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 02:22 PM PDT

It's a hard pill to swallow, but if you're over 24 years of age you've already reached your peak in terms of your cognitive motor performance, according to a new study. In one of the first social science experiments to rest on big data, the researchers investigate when we start to experience an age-related decline in our cognitive motor skills and how we compensate for that.

Everest trek shows how some people get type II diabetes

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 02:21 PM PDT

Scientists have gained new insights into the molecular process of how some people get type II diabetes, which could lead to new ways of preventing people from getting the condition. The research, which took place on Mount Everest, assessed the mechanisms by which low oxygen levels in the body -- known as hypoxia -- are associated with the development of insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is when cells fail to respond to insulin in the body. Insulin enables the body to regulate sugar levels. Too much sugar can be toxic and leads to type II diabetes.

Severe sleep apnea linked to increased risk of stroke, cancer, death

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 12:44 PM PDT

Moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea is independently associated with an increased risk of stroke, cancer and death. Results of the 20-year follow-up study show that people with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea were four times more likely to die (hazard ratio = 4.2), nearly four times more likely to have a stroke (HR = 3.7), three times more likely to die from cancer (HR = 3.4), and 2.5 times more likely to develop cancer. Results were adjusted for potential confounding factors such as body mass index, smoking status, total cholesterol and blood pressure.

Penicillin redux: Rearming proven warriors for the 21st century

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 12:44 PM PDT

Drug-resistant bacteria like MRSA are hard to treat because so many antibiotics are ineffective against them. A team of researchers has shown a new way to reclaim the power of penicillin and similar drugs against so-called "superbugs." "In the United States every year, around 100,000 patients die of bacteria-induced infections," a researcher said. "And the problem is increasing because bacteria are building resistance. It's a really, really big problem, not only for individual patients, but also for society."

'Problem wells' source of greenhouse gas at unexpected stage of natural gas production

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 12:44 PM PDT

High levels of the greenhouse gas methane were found above shale gas wells at a production point not thought to be an important emissions source. The findings could have implications for the evaluation of the environmental impacts from natural gas production. The study, which is one of only a few to use a so-called "top down" approach that measures methane gas levels in the air above wells, identified seven individual well pads with high emission levels during the drilling stage.

Faithful allies since the Cretaceous: Symbiosis between beewolves and protective bacteria originated millions of years ago

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 12:44 PM PDT

Scientists have discovered that certain wasps tightly control mother-to-offspring transmission of their bacterial symbionts. This stabilizes the symbiotic alliance and contributed to its persistence over the past 68-110 million years.

Fire and drought may push Amazonian forests beyond tipping point

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 12:44 PM PDT

Future simulations of climate in the Amazon suggest a longer dry season leading to more drought and fires. Scientists have published a new study on the impacts of fire and drought on Amazon tree mortality. Their article found that prolonged droughts caused more intense and widespread wildfires, which consumed more forests in Amazonia than previously understood.

Plugging an ozone hole: Extreme Antarctic ozone holes have not been replicated in Arctic

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 12:44 PM PDT

Since the discovery of the Antarctic ozone hole, scientists, policymakers, and the public have wondered whether we might someday see a similarly extreme depletion of ozone over the Arctic. But a new study finds some cause for optimism: Ozone levels in the Arctic haven't yet sunk to the extreme lows seen in Antarctica, in part because international efforts to limit ozone-depleting chemicals have been successful.

Ferns borrowed genes to flourish in low light

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 12:44 PM PDT

During the age of the dinosaurs, the arrival of flowering plants as competitors could have spelled doom for primitive ferns. Instead, ferns diversified and flourished under the new canopy -- using a mysterious gene that helped them adapt to low-light environments. Scientists have now pinpointed the curious origins of this gene and determined that it was transferred to ferns from a group of unassuming, mossy plants called hornworts.

Air pollution over Asia influences global weather and makes Pacific storms more intense

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 12:44 PM PDT

In the first study of its kind, scientists have compared air pollution rates from 1850 to 2000 and found that anthropogenic (human-made) particles from Asia impact the Pacific storm track that can influence weather over much of the world.

Lashing out at your spouse? Check your blood sugar

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 12:44 PM PDT

Lower levels of blood sugar may make married people angrier at their spouses and even more likely to lash out aggressively, new research reveals. Researchers found that levels of blood glucose in married people, measured each night, predicted how angry they would be with their spouse that evening.

Rare bone diseases and their dental, oral, craniofacial manifestations

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 12:08 PM PDT

Hereditary diseases affecting the skeleton are heterogeneous in etiology and severity. Though many of these conditions are individually rare, the total number of people affected is great. These disorders often include dental-oral-craniofacial (DOC) manifestations, but the combination of the rarity and lack of in-depth reporting often limit our understanding and ability to diagnose and treat affected individuals.

Dog ownership benefits families of children with autism

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 12:08 PM PDT

Dog ownership decisions in families of children with autism have been studied in a new project. Researchers have found, regardless of whether they owned dogs, the parents of these children reported the benefits of dog ownership included companionship, stress relief and opportunities for their children to learn responsibility.

Cosmic slurp: Supercomputers help astronomers understand and predict how black holes swallow stars

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 12:08 PM PDT

A 'tidal disruption' occurs when a star orbits too close to a black hole and gets usurped. Researchers are using supercomputers to simulate tidal disruptions to better understand the dynamics of the process. Doing so will help astronomers find many more possible candidates of tidal disruptions in sky surveys and reveal details of how stars and black holes interact.

Cybersecurity researchers roll out a new heartbleed solution: Red Herring creates decoy servers, entraps, monitors hackers

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 12:06 PM PDT

As companies scrambled in recent days to address the latest cybersecurity bug known as Heartbleed, researchers demonstrate a solution that fixes the vulnerability, and also detects and entraps hackers who might be using it to steal sensitive data.

Making dams safer for fish around the world

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 11:08 AM PDT

The pressure changes that many fish experience when they travel through the turbulent waters near a dam can seriously injure or kill the fish. Scientists from around the world, including areas like Southeast Asia and Brazil where huge dams are planned or under construction, are working together to protect fish from the phenomenon, known as barotrauma.

Beam on target! Cebaf accelerator delivered high-energy electron beams

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 11:08 AM PDT

Late on April 1, the crown jewel of the Department of Energy's Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility sparkled its way into a new era. Following an upgrade of the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility, the CEBAF accelerator delivered the highest-energy electron beams it has ever produced into a target in an experimental hall, recording the first data of the 12 GeV era.

Babies prefer fairness -- but only if it benefits them -- in choosing a playmate

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 10:40 AM PDT

Babies as young as 15 months preferred people with the same ethnicity as themselves -- a phenomenon known as in-group bias, or favoring people who have the same characteristics as oneself. The findings show that 15-month-old babies value a person's fairness -- whether or not an experimenter equally distributes toys -- unless babies see that the experimenter unevenly distributed toys in a way that benefits a person of the same race as the infant.

Four new species of 'killer sponges' from the deep sea

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 10:40 AM PDT

Killer sponges sound like creatures from a B-grade horror movie. In fact, they thrive in the lightless depths of the deep sea. Scientists first discovered that some sponges are carnivorous about 20 years ago. Since then only seven carnivorous species have been found in all of the northeastern Pacific. A new article describes four new species of carnivorous sponges living on the deep seafloor, from the Pacific Northwest to Baja California.

House windows that double as solar panels? Shiny quantum dots brighten future of solar cells

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 09:38 AM PDT

A house window that doubles as a solar panel could be on the horizon, thanks to recent quantum-dot work. Scientists have demonstrated that superior light-emitting properties of quantum dots can be applied in solar energy by helping more efficiently harvest sunlight.

Young dads at high risk of depression, too

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 09:38 AM PDT

This study is the first to identify when young fathers are at increased risk of developing depressive symptoms. The lead author of the paper said the results of this longitudinal study are significant and could lead to more effective interventions and treatment for young men early in the fatherhood years.

Three new species of yellow-shouldered bats discovered in museum collections

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 09:37 AM PDT

Scientists have reconstructed the phylogeny and biological history for the Yellow-shouldered bats in the New World tropics, the region of the Earth surrounding the equator. In-depth analysis of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences uncovered three species new to science, each having previously been confused with another species.

High marks to a state pre-kindergarten program

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 09:37 AM PDT

A state's program to prepare four-year-olds for success in kindergarten has been recently evaluate for effectiveness. Findings from researchers conclude that students enrolled in program show significant gains across all areas of learning, progressing at an even greater rate than is expected for normal developmental growth.

Patients with kidney failure to get a new lease on life

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 09:36 AM PDT

A European research consortium has been developing a wearable artificial kidney that would make it possible for dialysis patients to lead a more full and active life while adding another 10 to 16 years to their life expectancy.

Neuroscientists: Brain activity may mark beginning of memories

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 09:35 AM PDT

By tracking brain activity when an animal stops to look around its environment, neuroscientists can mark the birth of a memory. The hippocampus is the brain's warehouse for long- and short-term processing of episodic memories, such as memories of a specific experience like a trip to Maine or a recent dinner. What no one knew was what happens in the hippocampus the moment an experience imprints itself as a memory. New research is lending clues to what they call "spatial mapping functions" in the brain.

Let the sun shine in: Redirecting sunlight to dark urban alleyways

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 08:24 AM PDT

In response to ever-crowded urban conditions in developing countries, researchers in Egypt have developed an inexpensive way of re-directing natural sunlight into dimly lit streets and alleys, where lack of sun is linked to health problems. The new optical device can increase brightness in alleyways by up to 400 percent.

Domestic abuse linked to mental health problems in new mothers

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 08:24 AM PDT

Domestic abuse is closely linked to postpartum mental health problems, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, in mothers, new research confirms. The research also found that specific types of abuse are associated with specific mental health problems. "The sheer scope of the mental health problems and types of abuse that we found tells us that we need to take a broader approach to tackling these issues," states a co-author. "And this is clearly not a 'lower class' problem -- medical professionals everywhere need to pay attention."

Puget Sound's rich waters supplied by deep, turbulent canyon

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 08:24 AM PDT

Oceanographers have made the first detailed measurements of fast-flowing water and intense mixing in a submarine canyon just off the Washington coast.

Device turns flat surface into spherical antenna

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 08:20 AM PDT

By depositing an array of tiny, metallic, U-shaped structures onto a dielectric material, scientists have created a new artificial surface that can bend and focus electromagnetic waves the same way an antenna does.

SpaceX’s Dragon headed to space station to create astronaut farmers

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 07:33 AM PDT

"Enter the Dragon" takes on a whole new meaning this month as SpaceX's Dragon capsule heads to the International Space Station for its third commercial resupply mission on April 14. During the SpaceX-3 mission, the Dragon capsule not only will deliver cargo to the orbiting laboratory, but it also will return science samples and hardware to Earth.

International Space Station to beam video via laser back to Earth

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 07:30 AM PDT

A team of about 20 working at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., through the lab's Phaeton early-career-hire program, led the development of the Optical Payload for Lasercomm Science (OPALS) investigation, which is preparing for an April 14 launch to the International Space Station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. The goal? NASA's first optical communication experiment on the orbital laboratory.

New 'tunable' semiconductors will allow better detectors, solar cells

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 07:12 AM PDT

Researchers have discovered a way to use existing semiconductors to detect a far wider range of light than is now possible, well into the infrared range. The team hopes to use the technology in detectors, obviously, but also in improved solar cells that could absorb infrared light as well as the sun's visible rays.

Nutrient-rich forests absorb more carbon

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 07:11 AM PDT

The ability of forests to sequester carbon from the atmosphere depends on nutrients available in the forest soils, shows new research from an international team of researchers. "This paper produces the first evidence that to really understand the carbon cycle, you have to look into issues of nutrient cycling within the soil," said one of the researchers.

Result of slow degradation on environmental pollutants

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 07:11 AM PDT

Why do environmental pollutants accumulate in the cold polar regions? This may not only be due to the fact that many substances are less volatile at low temperatures, as has been long suspected, but also to their extremely slow natural degradation. Although persistent environmental pollutants have been and continue to be released worldwide, the Arctic and Antarctic regions are significantly more contaminated than elsewhere. The marine animals living there have some of the highest levels of persistent organic pollutant (POP) contamination of any creatures.

Surgeons develop personalized 3-D printed kidney to simulate surgery prior to cancer operation

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 07:08 AM PDT

For the first time, surgeons have used 3-D printing to produce exact models of tumor-containing kidneys, allowing them to simulate surgery prior to the real operation. These models can be personalized to each patient, giving doctors a 3-D model of each individual's tumor. The ability to produce exact 3-dimensional models of objects means that 3D printing is set to revolutionize many fields.

Endemic in pork industry: Will new tests prevent it?

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 07:07 AM PDT

Tests to identify pig viruses have been developed in hopes of preventing the further spread of diseases that have already killed almost 6 million pigs. "Enteric disease in pigs has turned into a huge, huge problem and we're developing all kinds of new tests to address the old problems but also to address the new diseases that are just destroying everything," said a veterinarian.

Wolves at the door: Study finds recent wolf-dog hybridization in Caucasus region

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 06:21 AM PDT

Hybridization of wolves with shepherd dogs in the Caucasus region might be more common, and more recent, than previously thought, according to new research. Scientists found recent hybrid ancestry in about ten percent of the dogs and wolves sampled. About two to three percent of the sampled wolves and dogs were identified as first-generation hybrids.

Single cell genomics technique developed to reverse-engineer developing lung

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 06:21 AM PDT

In a feat of reverse tissue engineering, researchers took lung cells from the embryos of mice at different points in their development cycles, and recorded what genes were active in each cell at each time. They studied lung cells, but the technique is applicable to any type of cell. "This lays out a playbook for how to do reverse tissue engineering," said the leader of the research team.

Reduction in HPV in young women in England following national immunization program

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 06:21 AM PDT

A reduction in two High Risk human papillomavirus types in sexually-active young women in England has been seen, following the introduction of a national immunization program. "The data provide reassurance that the high efficacy against HPV infection in women reported in clinical trials can be effectively realized in practice, and in a program achieving high coverage amongst young females. These data adds to our confidence that the HPV immunization program will achieve its aim of reducing cervical cancer," researchers concluded.

Longer nurse tenure on hospital units leads to higher quality care

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 06:21 AM PDT

Patients get the best care when they are treated in units that are staffed by nurses who have extensive experience in their current job, according to a study. The review of more than 900,000 patient admissions over four years in hospital is the largest study of its kind to link nurse staffing to patient outcomes.

Chemo before or after surgery for high-risk bladder cancer improves survival, but is not routinely administered

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 06:21 AM PDT

Contrary to treatment guidelines for high-risk bladder cancer, chemotherapy before or after surgery is not commonly used in routine clinical practice. "Results from our study demonstrate that chemotherapy given after surgery improves patient survival -- probably on the same order of magnitude as chemotherapy before surgery," said the lead researcher.

Detrimental effects of television viewing on sleep in young children

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 06:21 AM PDT

A study following more than 1,800 children from ages 6 months to nearly 8 years found a small but consistent association between increased television viewing and shorter sleep duration. The presence of a television in the room where a child sleeps also was associated with less sleep, particularly in minority children.

Women who gain too much or too little weight during pregnancy at risk for having an overweight child

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 06:21 AM PDT

Gaining both too much or too little weight during pregnancy appears to increase the risk of having an overweight or obese child, according to a study. In one of the largest studies to examine current Institute of Medicine recommendations regarding pregnancy weight gain in relation to childhood obesity, researchers reviewed the electronic health records of 4,145 racially diverse females who had completed a health survey between 2007 and 2009 and subsequently had a baby.

Singlet oxygen: Stable research model for an unstable target

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 06:21 AM PDT

Researchers provide new insights about singlet oxygen and set the stage for better understanding of this highly reactive and challenging substance. Singlet oxygen is an electronically excited state of oxygen that is less stable than normal oxygen. Its high reactivity has enabled its use in photodynamic therapy, in which light is used in combination with a photosensitizing drug to generate large amounts of singlet oxygen to kill cancer cells or various pathogens.

Empowerment program greatly decreases incidence of rape, study finds

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 06:21 AM PDT

A low-cost empowerment program for adolescent girls in Kenyan slums sharply curtails rape and sexual harassment of these girls, who live in an environment where women have low status and are frequently attacked, a large new study shows. The findings validated the program's effectiveness in combating an appallingly common hazard among girls living in the slums of Nairobi: rape. The researchers found that nearly 18 percent of participants had been raped in the year before their program began.

Teaching to optimize learning or control misbehavior? Scale of disruptive behavior in schools seriously underestimated

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 06:20 AM PDT

The true extent of poor pupil behavior in schools is seriously underestimated, according to an academic. The research raises the question of the extent to which there is a right to learn in classrooms. The researcher argues that behavior cannot be interpreted as satisfactory if some pupils are impeding the learning of others and if teachers are not able to teach the class in a way that focuses primarily on optimizing pupil learning rather than on control issues.

Genetically modified tobacco plants as an alternative for producing bioethanol

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 06:20 AM PDT

Tobacco, a high-density crop which is mown several times throughout its cycle, can produce as much as 160 tonnes of fresh matter per hectare and become a source of biomass suitable for producing bioethanol. As one researcher explained, "tobacco plants as a source of biomass for producing bioethanol could be an alternative to traditional tobacco growing which is in decline in the USA and in Europe because it cannot compete with emerging countries like China".

Neanderthals and Cro-magnons did not coexist on the Iberian Peninsula, suggests re-analysis of dating

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 06:20 AM PDT

The meeting between a Neanderthal and one of the first humans, which we used to picture in our minds, did not happen on the Iberian Peninsula. That is the conclusion reached by an scientists after redoing the dating of the remains in three caves located on the route through the Pyrenees of the first beings of our species: L'Arbreda, Labeko Koba and La Viña.

Novel technique opens door to better solar cells, superconductors and hard drives

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 06:19 AM PDT

A new invention solves long-standing mystery in the physics of condensed matter and enhances our understanding of interfaces between materials.

Does germ plasm accelerate evolution?

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 06:19 AM PDT

Scientists have challenged a long held belief about the way certain species of vertebrates evolved. They found that genes evolve more rapidly in species containing germ plasm. The results came about as they put to the test a novel theory that early developmental events dramatically alter the vertebrate body plan and the way evolution proceeds.

Beneficial organisms react differently to parasite drug

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 06:19 AM PDT

The substance ivermectin has been used for more than thirty years all over the world to combat parasites like roundworms, lice and mites in humans, livestock and pets. The active ingredient belongs to the chemical group of avermectins, which generally disrupt cell transport and thus attack pests. When ivermectin is excreted in the feces of treated animals, at overly high doses it also harms dung-degrading beneficial insects like dung beetles and dung flies. This impairs the functioning of the ecosystem. In extreme cases the dung is not decomposed and the pasture is destroyed.

Combs of light accelerate communication

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 06:19 AM PDT

Miniaturized optical frequency comb sources allow for transmission of data streams of several terabits per second over hundreds of kilometers. The results may contribute to accelerating data transmission in large computing centers and worldwide communication networks.

Little-known Arctic comb jelly found in the Baltic Sea and Arctic

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 06:19 AM PDT

One of the world's oldest animal species, the comb jellies -- which have inhabited the seas for millions of years -- have kept their secrets up to the present day. Researchers have now studied the life of the Arctic comb jelly, which is found in the Baltic Sea and the Arctic.

Look who's evolving now: Using robots to study evolution

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 06:19 AM PDT

Scientists have demonstrated the usefulness of robots in studying evolution.  They successfully used a colony of rodent-like robots to watch different mating strategies evolve.  The work not only generated interesting and unexpected results, but it has also helped validate the use of robots in the study of evolution.

Recurrence of prostate cancer is significantly lower in men with blood group O

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 06:19 AM PDT

A man's blood group can affect the chance of a recurrence of prostate cancer after surgery, according to new research. This is the first time that this relationship has been demonstrated. Specifically, this new study has shown that patients with blood group O had a significantly decreased risk of cancer recurrence after radical prostatectomy.

New clinical definition for epilepsy improves diagnosis accuracy

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 06:19 AM PDT

An expert task force has created a new definition for epilepsy that refines the scope of patients diagnosed with this brain disease. The study provides a greater level of detail to diagnose epilepsy by including individuals with two unprovoked seizures, and those with one unprovoked seizure and other factors that increase risk of seizure recurrence.

Young people with epilepsy at significantly more risk of injury

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 06:19 AM PDT

Children and young adults with epilepsy are more likely to suffer broken bones, burns and poisonings compared to those without the neurological disorder, new research has found. The results, taken in tandem with previous research findings, highlight the need for further research into whether young people with the condition are at greater risk from an overdose, accidental or intentional, of their epilepsy drugs or other medication.

Regenerating muscle in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: Age matters

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 06:17 AM PDT

Novel cellular and molecular elements of muscle repair have been revealed by researchers. A new study explains how drugs can induce regeneration, while preventing fibrosis and fat deposition, in dystrophic muscle at early stages of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, an incurable muscle-wasting disease.

Efficient analysis of small quantity of cells improves chances to understand disease

Posted: 14 Apr 2014 06:17 AM PDT

Techniques have been developed that allow researchers to obtain reliable results over the course of disease development inside cells. Based on mouse studies, the researchers believe that "the single live animal data will grant unique insights into the molecular events involved in biological processes and provide an important basis for diagnosis, prognosis, drug design and discovery, and treatment strategy."

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