ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Feeding by tourists compromises health of already-endangered iguanas, study finds
• First in-depth analysis of primate eating habits
• How water dissolves stone, molecule by molecule
• NASA Goddard planetary instruments score a hat trick
• Discovery of partial skeleton suggests ruggedly built, tree-climbing human ancestor
• Vaginally administered erectile dysfunction medication may alleviate menstrual cramping, study suggests
• Researchers create nonlinear light-generating zero-index metamaterial
• US stroke deaths declining due to improved prevention, treatment
• 'Spinning trap' developed to measure electron roundness
• Slippery fault unleashed destructive Tohoku-Oki earthquake and tsunami
• New genetic research finds shark, human proteins stunningly similar
• Hummingbird metabolism unique in burning glucose, fructose equally
• New Jersey Shore likely faces unprecedented flooding by mid-century
• You can't get entangled without a wormhole: Physicist finds entanglement instantly gives rise to a wormhole
• Proteins' passing phases revealed
• Researchers create brand associations by mining millions of images from social media
• New method of DNA editing allows synthetic biologists to unlock secrets of a bacterial genome
• Coffee or beer? The choice could affect your genome
• Added benefit of saxagliptin as monotherapy not proven
• Probiotic therapy alleviates autism-like behaviors in mice
• How mosquitoes are drawn to human skin and breath
• How vision dims: Chemists crack code of cataract creation
• Astronomers discover planet that shouldn't be there
• Sharks prefer to sneak up from behind: Caribbean reef sharks can tell if a human is facing toward them
• Electricity from waste heat with more efficient materials
• Gene found to be crucial for formation of certain brain circuitry
• New target to treat psoriasis identified
• Deep-sea study reveals cause of 2011 tsunami: Unusually thin, slippery geological fault found
• Experiment is first to simulate warming of Arctic permafrost
• Priming 'cocktail' shows promise as cardiac stem cell grafting tool
• An ecosystem-based approach to protect the deep sea from mining
• Crop-infecting virus forces aphids to spread disease
• DNA helicity, elasticity explained on nanoscale
• Mother lemon sharks 'home' to their birthplace to give birth
• Studies assess impact of IOM report on nursing reforms
• Love connection: Advice for online daters
• Study points to differences in high-school crack, powder cocaine use
• New guidelines rule out same-day return to play for athletes with concussion
• New vaccination guideline for immunocompromised patients
• Laser light at useful wavelengths from semiconductor nanowires
• Recurring memory traces boost long-lasting memories
• Gentler heart surgery remains without signs of dementia
• Pulsatile blood flow unmasks new migraine features
• Brain shape affects children's learning capacities
• The oracle of the T cell
• Better water purification with seeds from moringa trees
• Soft mini-robots: Micro-robots will become soft and move like biological organisms, experts predict
• Geoengineering approaches to reduce climate change unlikely to succeed
• Database tracks toxic side effects of pharmaceuticals
• What do investors and college football pollsters have in common?
• One in seven vets suffers burn-out within 10 years of qualifying
• Not in the mood but want to be? New studies bring women hope
• Origin of Alzheimer's gene mutation discovered
• In the case of wholesale food distributors, it's all about location

Feeding by tourists compromises health of already-endangered iguanas, study finds Posted: 05 Dec 2013 07:01 PM PST Feeding wildlife is an increasingly common tourist activity, but a new study shows that already-imperilled iguanas are suffering further physiological problems as a result of being fed by tourists.

First in-depth analysis of primate eating habits Posted: 05 Dec 2013 07:00 PM PST From insect-munching tamarins to leaf-loving howler monkeys, researchers have compiled the most thorough review of primate eating habits to date.

How water dissolves stone, molecule by molecule Posted: 05 Dec 2013 03:56 PM PST Scientists have combined cutting-edge experimental techniques and computer simulations to find a new way of predicting how water dissolves crystalline structures like those found in natural stone and cement.

NASA Goddard planetary instruments score a hat trick Posted: 05 Dec 2013 03:56 PM PST Planetary instruments from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., hit the trifecta on Dec. 4, running three experiments of the same kind at different places in space.

Discovery of partial skeleton suggests ruggedly built, tree-climbing human ancestor Posted: 05 Dec 2013 03:56 PM PST A human ancestor characterized by "robust" jaw and skull bones was a muscular creature and more adaptive to its environment than previously thought, scientists have discovered. Researchers found a partial skeleton dated to 1.34 million years (Paranthropus boisei) in north Tanzania. The bones suggest the creature was more ruggedly built than previously thought.

Vaginally administered erectile dysfunction medication may alleviate menstrual cramping, study suggests Posted: 05 Dec 2013 02:18 PM PST Women with moderate to severe menstrual cramps may find relief in a class of erectile dysfunction drugs, according to a team of researchers.

Researchers create nonlinear light-generating zero-index metamaterial Posted: 05 Dec 2013 02:17 PM PST Researchers have used a unique optical metamaterial with zero-index refraction to generate phase mismatch–free nonlinear light, an important step towards efficient light generation for future quantum networks and light sources.

US stroke deaths declining due to improved prevention, treatment Posted: 05 Dec 2013 02:17 PM PST Better blood pressure control, stop-smoking programs and faster treatment are a few of the reasons for a dramatic decline in US stroke deaths in recent decades.

'Spinning trap' developed to measure electron roundness Posted: 05 Dec 2013 02:17 PM PST Researchers have developed a method of spinning electric and magnetic fields around trapped molecular ions to measure whether the ions' tiny electrons are truly round -- research with major implications for future scientific understanding of the universe.

Slippery fault unleashed destructive Tohoku-Oki earthquake and tsunami Posted: 05 Dec 2013 02:01 PM PST For the first time, scientists have measured the frictional heat produced by the fault slip during an earthquake. Their results show that friction on the fault was remarkably low during the magnitude 9.0 Tohoku-Oki earthquake that struck off the coast of Japan in March 2011 and triggered a devastating tsunami.

New genetic research finds shark, human proteins stunningly similar Posted: 05 Dec 2013 01:58 PM PST Despite widespread fascination with sharks, the world's oldest ocean predators have long been a genetic mystery. The first deep dive into a great white shark's genetic code has fished up big surprises behind a design so effective it has barely changed since before dinosaurs roamed.

Hummingbird metabolism unique in burning glucose, fructose equally Posted: 05 Dec 2013 01:58 PM PST Hummingbird metabolism is a marvel of evolutionary engineering. These tiny birds can power all of their energetic hovering flight by burning the sugar contained in the floral nectar of their diet.

New Jersey Shore likely faces unprecedented flooding by mid-century Posted: 05 Dec 2013 11:22 AM PST Geoscientists estimate that the New Jersey shore will likely experience a sea-level rise of about 1.5 feet by 2050 and of about 3.5 feet by 2100 -- 11 to 15 inches higher than the average for sea-level rise globally over the century.

You can't get entangled without a wormhole: Physicist finds entanglement instantly gives rise to a wormhole Posted: 05 Dec 2013 11:22 AM PST Quantum entanglement is one of the more bizarre theories to come out of the study of quantum mechanics -- so strange, in fact, that Albert Einstein famously referred to it as "spooky action at a distance."

Proteins' passing phases revealed Posted: 05 Dec 2013 11:22 AM PST A new method to identify previously hidden details about the structure of proteins may speed the process of novel drug design.

Researchers create brand associations by mining millions of images from social media Posted: 05 Dec 2013 11:21 AM PST The images people share on social media -- photos of favorite products and places, or of themselves at bars, sporting events and weddings -- could be valuable to marketers assessing their customers' "top-of-mind" attitudes toward a brand. Researchers have taken a first step toward this capability in a new study in which they analyzed five million such images.

New method of DNA editing allows synthetic biologists to unlock secrets of a bacterial genome Posted: 05 Dec 2013 11:21 AM PST A group researchers has demonstrated the use of an innovative DNA engineering technique to discover potentially valuable functions hidden within bacterial genomes.

Coffee or beer? The choice could affect your genome Posted: 05 Dec 2013 11:21 AM PST Coffee and beer are polar opposites in the beverage world -- coffee picks you up, and beer winds you down. Now researchers have discovered that the beverages may also have opposite effects on your genome. Working with a kind of yeast that shares many important genetic similarities with humans, the researchers found that caffeine shortens and alcohol lengthens telomeres -- the end points of chromosomal DNA, implicated in aging and cancer.

Added benefit of saxagliptin as monotherapy not proven Posted: 05 Dec 2013 11:19 AM PST Although the drug manufacturer presented studies for an indirect comparison with sulfonylurea, these were unsuitable because they did not investigate the right patient group. The added benefit of saxaglipton as a monotherapy has not been proven.

Probiotic therapy alleviates autism-like behaviors in mice Posted: 05 Dec 2013 11:19 AM PST Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is diagnosed when individuals exhibit characteristic behaviors, decreased social interactions, and impaired communication. Curiously, many with ASD also suffer from gastrointestinal issues, like abdominal cramps and constipation. Guided by this co-occurrence of brain and gut problems, researchers are investigating a bacterium that alleviates GI and behavioral symptoms in autistic-like mice, introducing a potentially transformative probiotic therapy for autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders.

How mosquitoes are drawn to human skin and breath Posted: 05 Dec 2013 11:18 AM PST Scientists have found that the very receptors in the mosquito's maxillary palp that detect carbon dioxide are ones that detect skin odors as well, thus explaining why mosquitoes are attracted to skin odor -- smelly socks, worn clothes, bedding -- even in the absence of carbon dioxide. Using a chemical computational method they developed, the researchers identified affordable, safe and pleasant-smelling compounds that could find use in mosquito control.

How vision dims: Chemists crack code of cataract creation Posted: 05 Dec 2013 11:16 AM PST Groundbreaking new findings by chemists about how cataracts form could be used to help prevent the world's leading cause of blindness, which currently affects nearly 20 million people worldwide.

Astronomers discover planet that shouldn't be there Posted: 05 Dec 2013 11:16 AM PST Astronomers have discovered the most distantly orbiting planet found to date around a single, sun-like star. Weighing in at 11 times Jupiter's mass and orbiting its star at 650 times the average Earth-Sun distance, planet HD 106906 b is unlike anything in our own Solar System and defies current planet formation theories.

Sharks prefer to sneak up from behind: Caribbean reef sharks can tell if a human is facing toward them Posted: 05 Dec 2013 11:16 AM PST "Never turn your back on a shark" is the message from a new article. Biologists contend that sharks can comprehend body orientation and therefore know whether humans are facing them or not. This ability helps sharks to approach and possibly attack their prey from the blind side -- a technique they prefer.

Electricity from waste heat with more efficient materials Posted: 05 Dec 2013 11:15 AM PST Thermoelectric materials can convert waste heat directly into electricity. Scientists have developed hybrid thermoelectric materials which combine useful properties from different types of materials.

Gene found to be crucial for formation of certain brain circuitry Posted: 05 Dec 2013 11:14 AM PST Using a powerful gene-hunting technique for the first time in mammalian brain cells, researchers report on a gene involved in building the circuitry that relays signals through the brain. The gene is a likely player in the aging process, the researchers say. Additionally, in demonstrating the usefulness of the new method, the discovery paves the way for faster progress toward identifying genes involved in complex mental illnesses such as autism and schizophrenia — as well as potential drugs for such conditions.

New target to treat psoriasis identified Posted: 05 Dec 2013 11:14 AM PST A new study identifies the BTLA inhibitory receptor as a key factor in limiting inflammatory responses, particularly in skin. The research has important implications for psoriasis drug development. By targeting the BTLA receptor, inflammatory responses can be reined to restore immune homeostasis.

Deep-sea study reveals cause of 2011 tsunami: Unusually thin, slippery geological fault found Posted: 05 Dec 2013 11:13 AM PST The tsunami that struck Japan's Tohoku region in 2011 was touched off by a submarine earthquake far more massive than anything geologists had expected in that zone. Now, a team of scientists has shed light on what caused the dramatic displacement of the seafloor.

Experiment is first to simulate warming of Arctic permafrost Posted: 05 Dec 2013 09:34 AM PST Although vegetation growth in the Arctic is boosted by global warming, it's not enough to offset the carbon released by the thawing of the permafrost beneath the surface, researchers have found in the first experiment in the Arctic environment to simulate thawing of permafrost in a warming world.

Priming 'cocktail' shows promise as cardiac stem cell grafting tool Posted: 05 Dec 2013 09:34 AM PST Researchers have identified a new tool that could help facilitate future stem cell therapy for the more than 700,000 Americans who suffer a heart attack each year.

An ecosystem-based approach to protect the deep sea from mining Posted: 05 Dec 2013 07:23 AM PST A new paper describes the expert-driven systematic conservation planning process applied to inform science-based recommendations to the International Seabed Authority for a system of deep-sea marine protected areas to safeguard biodiversity and ecosystem function in an abyssal Pacific region targeted for nodule mining (e.g. the Clarion–Clipperton fracture zone, CCZ).

Crop-infecting virus forces aphids to spread disease Posted: 05 Dec 2013 07:23 AM PST Viruses alter plant biochemistry in order to manipulate visiting aphids into spreading infection.

DNA helicity, elasticity explained on nanoscale Posted: 05 Dec 2013 07:22 AM PST A simple mechanical model to effectively implement the well-known double-stranded structure and the elasticity of DNA on a nano-meter scale has been developed, in an effort to more comprehensively explore the nucleic acid containing genetic material of cells.

Mother lemon sharks 'home' to their birthplace to give birth Posted: 05 Dec 2013 07:22 AM PST Research conducted in Bimini in The Bahamas spanning almost two decades shows that female lemon sharks that were born there returned 15 years later to give birth to their own young, confirming this behavior for the first time in sharks. The study began in 1995, and has resulted in the capture, tagging, and release of more than 2,000 baby sharks.

Studies assess impact of IOM report on nursing reforms Posted: 05 Dec 2013 07:22 AM PST Two new studies examine how well hospitals and other health care facilities are doing when it comes to a call to reform the nursing profession. A 2010 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report warned that the nursing profession must change or it would not be able to meet the growing demands that are emerging as a result of health reform, new technologies and an aging population.

Love connection: Advice for online daters Posted: 05 Dec 2013 07:21 AM PST Most online dating users don't choose a potential mate the same way they choose a movie to watch, but new research suggests they'd be more amorously successful if that's how their dating service operated.

Study points to differences in high-school crack, powder cocaine use Posted: 05 Dec 2013 07:21 AM PST The use of crack and powder cocaine both varies and overlaps among high school seniors, researchers have found. Their findings point to the need to take into account both common and different at-risk factors in developing programming and messaging to stem cocaine use.

New guidelines rule out same-day return to play for athletes with concussion Posted: 05 Dec 2013 07:21 AM PST Any athlete with concussion symptoms should not be allowed to return to play on the same day, according to the latest consensus statement on sports-related concussion.

New vaccination guideline for immunocompromised patients Posted: 05 Dec 2013 06:29 AM PST A new guideline notes that most people with compromised immune systems are especially vulnerable to illness and should receive the flu shot and other vaccinations.

Laser light at useful wavelengths from semiconductor nanowires Posted: 05 Dec 2013 06:29 AM PST Thread-like semiconductor structures called nanowires, so thin that they are effectively one-dimensional, show potential as lasers for applications in computing, communications, and sensing. Scientists have demonstrated laser action in semiconductor nanowires that emit light at technologically useful wavelengths and operate at room temperature. They now have documented this breakthrough and have disclosed further results showing enhanced optical and electronic performance.

Recurring memory traces boost long-lasting memories Posted: 05 Dec 2013 06:27 AM PST While the human brain is in a resting state, patterns of neuronal activity which are associated to specific memories may spontaneously reappear. Scientists performed a memory test on a series of persons while monitoring their brain activity by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The experimental setup comprised several resting states including a nap inside a neuroimaging scanner. The study indicates that resting periods can generally promote memory performance.

Gentler heart surgery remains without signs of dementia Posted: 05 Dec 2013 06:27 AM PST Aortic valve stenosis is the most frequent heart valve defect of older people in Europe. In patients at high and excessive risk, conventional cardiac surgery is often no therapeutic option, leaving only transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) as an option. However, this procedure has major side effects. A long-term study shows that clinicians are able to exclude significant cognitive impairment for the majority of patients undergoing TAVI.

Pulsatile blood flow unmasks new migraine features Posted: 05 Dec 2013 06:22 AM PST With every heartbeat, the blood is sent to all our peripheral tissues, generating changes in pulsatile perfusion. Using these pulsatile changes as a source of information, researchers have developed a new method of 2D mapping of microcirculation, called BPI (Blood Pulsation Imaging). The aim is to use the pulsatile vascular changes detected with BPI for diagnostic purposes.

Brain shape affects children's learning capacities Posted: 05 Dec 2013 06:22 AM PST The anatomy of the brain affects cognitive control, an essential skill for learning and academic success. Scientists in this study showed that an asymmetry of the two brain hemispheres relative to a particular pattern of a cortical region could partly explain the performance of 5-year old children during a task designed to measure cognitive control. According to the research team, and depending on the characteristics of their brains, children may have different pedagogical requirements in terms of learning cognitive control.

The oracle of the T cell Posted: 05 Dec 2013 06:22 AM PST A new online platform predicts how the human immune system reacts to foreign substances.

Better water purification with seeds from moringa trees Posted: 05 Dec 2013 06:20 AM PST Seeds from Moringa oleifera trees can be used to purify water. Scientists discovered that seed material can give a more efficient purification process than conventional synthetic materials in use today.

Soft mini-robots: Micro-robots will become soft and move like biological organisms, experts predict Posted: 05 Dec 2013 06:20 AM PST Increasingly small robots can carry out their functions even inside the human body. No, this isn't a sci-fi dream. The technology is almost ready. However there is still one condition they must meet to be effective: these devices need to have the same "softness" and flexibility as biological tissues.

Geoengineering approaches to reduce climate change unlikely to succeed Posted: 05 Dec 2013 06:20 AM PST Reducing the amount of sunlight reaching the planet's surface by geoengineering may not undo climate change after all. Researchers used a simple energy balance analysis to explain how the Earth's water cycle responds differently to heating by sunlight than it does to warming due to a stronger atmospheric greenhouse effect. Further, they show that this difference implies that reflecting sunlight to reduce temperatures may have unwanted effects on the Earth's rainfall patterns.

Database tracks toxic side effects of pharmaceuticals Posted: 05 Dec 2013 06:18 AM PST Sometimes the cure can be worse than the disease. Pharmaceutical drugs are known for their potential side effects, and now researchers have updated an extensive toxicology database so that it can be used to track information about therapeutic drugs and their unintentional toxic effects.

What do investors and college football pollsters have in common? Posted: 05 Dec 2013 06:18 AM PST When it comes to choosing the best college football teams in the nation or the best companies to invest in, even the experts tend to fall for the same types of biased thinking that the rest of us do.

One in seven vets suffers burn-out within 10 years of qualifying Posted: 04 Dec 2013 05:27 PM PST One in seven vets is likely to be burnt-out within 10 years of qualifying, reveals research published.

Not in the mood but want to be? New studies bring women hope Posted: 04 Dec 2013 03:22 PM PST For women, passing midlife can deal a blow to their sex drive. But two new studies just published offer hope to women who want to get their sexual mojo back.

Origin of Alzheimer's gene mutation discovered Posted: 04 Dec 2013 03:22 PM PST The age and origin of the E280A gene mutation responsible for early-onset Alzheimer's in a Colombian family with an unusually high incidence of the disease has been traced to a single founder dating from the 16th century.

In the case of wholesale food distributors, it's all about location Posted: 04 Dec 2013 03:22 PM PST In all but the shortest supply chains, food travels through wholesale distribution centers on its way from farm to consumer, and the location of these distributors can have a big impact on the efficiency of a food system. Now, a new mathematical model can help business owners and policy makers determine the optimal locations for such distributors.

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