ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Engineers create light-activated 'curtains'

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 04:26 PM PST

Forget remote-controlled curtains. A new development could lead to curtains and other materials that move in response to light, no batteries

E-whiskers: Highly sensitive tactile sensors developed for robotics and other applications

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 04:14 PM PST

From the world of nanotechnology we've gotten electronic skin, or e-skin, and electronic eye implants or e-eyes. Now we're on the verge of electronic whiskers. Researchers have created

Large amounts of folic acid shown to promote growth of breast cancer in rats

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 03:34 PM PST

Folic acid supplements at levels consumed by breast cancer patients and survivors in North America promoted the growth of existing breast cancer in rats, new research

How the genetic blueprints for limbs came from fish

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 03:34 PM PST

Our first four-legged land ancestor came out of the sea some 350 million years ago. Watching a lungfish, our closest living fish relative, crawl on its four pointed fins gives us an idea of what the

Elevated blood pressure at home but not in clinic can indicate increased heart attack risk

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 03:34 PM PST

Patients with masked hypertension, or normal BP in clinic but elevated BP when measured at home, had an increased risk of death and cardiovascular events compared with those who had normal BP in both

Study: Electric drive vehicles have little impact on US pollutant emissions

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 11:38 AM PST

A new study indicates that even a sharp increase in the use of electric drive passenger vehicles by 2050 would not significantly reduce emissions of high-profile air pollutants carbon dioxide, sulfur

Cochrane Review of malaria medication

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 11:38 AM PST

Dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine is more effective than artemether-lumefantrine as a malaria medication, and has fewer side effects than artesunate-mefloquine' concludes a systematic review

Gay-straight alliances in schools reduce suicide risk for all students

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 10:10 AM PST

Canadian schools with explicit anti-homophobia interventions such as gay-straight alliances may reduce the odds of suicidal thoughts and attempts among both sexual minority and straight students,

Different sponge species have highly specific, stable microbiomes

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 10:10 AM PST

Scientists have shown that different species of Hexadella sponges each have a highly specific and stable microbiome, not only in terms of the most abundant members of the associated microbial

Where do international students of higher education come from; where do they go?

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 10:10 AM PST

The level of development of countries has a direct influence on the education system. By way of example, it is clear that the investment that countries like India and China have made in education

Depression higher than previously reported in people with severe rheumatoid arthritis

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 10:09 AM PST

Levels of depression and anxiety in people with severe rheumatoid arthritis are higher than previously reported, according to new research. As a result of their findings, a multi-center team says

Researchers discover an epigenetic lesion in hippocampus of Alzheimer's

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 10:09 AM PST

New research demonstrates, for the first time, the existence of an epigenetic lesion in the hippocampus of the brain of patients with Alzheimer's

Economic history: The long shadow of World War II

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 10:07 AM PST

World War II ravaged much of Europe, and its long-term effects are still being felt. A new survey shows that elderly people who experienced the war as children are more likely to suffer from

Care managers in patient-centered medical homes increase improvements in diabetes patient outcomes, study shows

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 10:06 AM PST

Patient centered medical homes have been found to be an effective way to help care for patients with chronic diseases such as

Air pollution from Asia affecting world's weather

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 10:00 AM PST

Extreme air pollution in Asia is affecting the world's weather and climate patterns, according to a new study. Using climate models and data collected about aerosols and meteorology over the past

Colonoscopy withdrawal times linked to polyp detection rates

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 10:00 AM PST

Researchers find a statistically significant correlation between longer normal withdrawal time and higher (overall) polyp detection rates, adenoma detection rates, and serrated polyp detection

Possible new druggable target in Ewing's Sarcoma

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 10:00 AM PST

A new study shows that downstream from the oncogenic fusion of genes EWS with FLI1 is a signaling chain that includes microRNA-22 and the gene KDM3A. By targeting these links, researchers hope to

Engineering new properties on ultra-thin nanomaterials: Tool opens door for design of new phases of materials

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 08:37 AM PST

Physicists have engineered novel magnetic and electronic phases in the ultra-thin films of in a specific electronic magnetic material, opening the door for researchers to design new classes of

Understanding the functioning of a new type of solar cell

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 08:34 AM PST

Scientists have uncovered the mechanism by which novel, revolutionary solar cells based on lead iodide perovskite light-absorbing semiconductor transfer electrons along their surface. The finding

Bio-inspired robotic device could aid ankle-foot rehabilitation

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 08:34 AM PST

A soft, wearable device that mimics the muscles, tendons and ligaments of the lower leg could aid in the rehabilitation of patients with ankle-foot disorders such as drop foot, said a robotics

Hospital water taps contaminated with bacteria

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 08:34 AM PST

New research finds significantly higher levels of infectious pathogens in water from faucet taps with aerators compared to water from deeper in the plumbing system. Contaminated water poses an

Training the brain using neurofeedback

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 08:34 AM PST

A new brain-imaging technique enables people to "watch" their own brain activity in real time and to control or adjust function in predetermined brain regions. The study is the first to

Depressive symptoms linked to adult-onset asthma in African-American women

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 08:34 AM PST

According to a new study, African-American women who reported high levels of depressive symptoms had a greater likelihood of adult-onset asthma compared to women who reported fewer depressive

Turkeys inspire smartphone-capable early warning system for toxins

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 08:34 AM PST

Bioengineers looked to turkeys for inspiration when developing a new type of biosensor that changes color when exposed to chemical vapors. They mimicked the way turkey skin changes color to create

Seeing things: A new transparent display system could provide heads-up data

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 08:34 AM PST

Scientists have developed a new approach to produce transparent projection screens. Their result paves the way for a new class of transparent displays with many attractive features, including wide

Physicists quantify temperature changes in metal nanowires

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 08:33 AM PST

Physicists have demonstrated the capability of measuring temperature changes in very small 3-D regions of

Baseball: Not safe at home

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 08:33 AM PST

Tag plays at home plate have the highest injury rate in professional baseball, occurring 4.3 times more often than other base-running plays, according to

Study finds decreased life expectancy for MS patients

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 07:42 AM PST

The first large scale study in the US on the mortality of patients with multiple sclerosis has been published and provides new information about the life expectancy of people with the

Ivory Burning and Cartels: Are Anti-Poaching Efforts Repeating the Mistakes of the 'War on Drugs'?

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 07:42 AM PST

Illegal poaching, fueled by the demand for alternative 'medicines' and luxury goods in Asian markets, continues unabated. In response, unprecedented levels of funding are being invested in

Anti-swine flu vaccination linked to increased risk of narcolepsy in young adults

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 07:41 AM PST

Pandemrix is an influenza vaccination, created in 2009 to combat H1N1, known as Swine Flu. Now, a team of clinicians testing the vaccine for links to immune-related or neurological diseases have

Staying cool in the nanoelectric universe by getting hot

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 07:41 AM PST

As smartphones, tablets and other gadgets become smaller and more sophisticated, the heat they generate while in use increases. This is a growing problem because it can cause the electronics inside

How to improve HPV vaccination rates? It starts with physicians

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 07:41 AM PST

The risk of developing cervical cancer can be significantly decreased through HPV vaccination. Despite calls for universal vaccination for girls ages 11-12, the most recently published U.S. data

Energy-dense sugar battery created

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 06:30 AM PST

A new sugar battery that could be on the market and powering the world's gadgets in three years has an energy density and order of magnitude higher than

High-protein diets, like the popular Dr. Dukan diet, increase the risk of developing kidney disease in rats, study suggests

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 06:30 AM PST

An experiment done in rats shows a high-protein diet increases the chance of developing kidney stones and other renal

Changing landscapes not global warming to blame for increased flood risk

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 06:29 AM PST

A timely article considers the findings of an international report on flood risk, and the possible linkage with climate change/global warming and an increase in global and regional

Constructed wetlands save frogs, birds threatened with extinction

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 06:29 AM PST

Over the last few decades, several thousands of wetlands have been constructed in Sweden in agricultural landscapes. The primary reason is that the wetlands prevent a surfeit of nutrients from

The brain's RAM: Rats, like humans, have a 'working memory'

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 06:29 AM PST

Thousands of times a day, the brain stores sensory information for very short periods of time in a working memory, to be able to use it later. A research study has shown, for the first time, that

Longer screening intervals possible with HPV-based tests

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 06:29 AM PST

A new study finds that testing for human papilloma virus (HPV) allows for longer time between screening tests when compared to cytology-based

Combining health, environment in food production

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 06:29 AM PST

Healthy food products that are produced in an environmentally-friendly manner will boost the health of the Swiss population while protecting natural resources. A new study also aims to identify new

New infection control recommendations could make white coats obsolete

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 06:27 AM PST

In a move to reduce health care associated infections, certain attire for health care professionals, including the traditional white coat, could become a thing of the

Patients suffering from chronic pain should question certain tests, treatments

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 06:27 AM PST

Not prescribing opioids first or as a long-term therapy for chronic, non-cancer pain and avoiding MRIs, CTs and X-rays for low-back pain are among the tests and treatments that are commonly ordered

Glaucoma: The 'silent thief' begins to tell its secrets

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 06:27 AM PST

Glaucoma is a stealthy disease. It can cause irreparable damage to the eyes before there is any vision loss. It also has been known since antiquity, but its cause is a mystery in most cases. Glaucoma

Quinoa well tolerated in patients with celiac disease

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 06:27 AM PST

Adding quinoa to the gluten-free diet of patients with celiac disease is well-tolerated, and does not exacerbate the condition, according to new

Great lakes evaporation study dispels misconceptions, points to need for expanded monitoring program

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 06:27 AM PST

The recent Arctic blast that gripped much of the nation will likely contribute to a healthy rise in Great Lakes water levels in 2014, new research shows. But the processes responsible for that

A 21st century adaptation of the Miller-Urey origin of life experiments

Posted: 21 Jan 2014 06:27 AM PST

Scientists have developed a modern approach to a famed experiment that explored one of the most intriguing research questions facing scientists today —- the origin of life on

Rosetta: 'Sleeping beauty' wakes up from deep space hibernation

Posted: 20 Jan 2014 08:11 AM PST

It was a fairy-tale ending to a tense chapter in the story of the Rosetta space mission this evening as the European Space Agency heard from its distant spacecraft for the first time in 31

British Muslims with diabetes need more healthcare support during Ramadan

Posted: 20 Jan 2014 04:24 PM PST

British Muslims with diabetes may avoid attending GP surgeries to discuss fasting during the holy month of Ramadan – with potentially serious consequences for their future health, new research

Dispersal patterns key to invasive species' success

Posted: 20 Jan 2014 02:36 PM PST

Using synthetic biology, engineers have tested the limits of the Allee effect, where a certain number of individuals are needed for a group to survive. While intuition suggests that the more places a

Middle-school girls continue to play soccer with concussion symptoms

Posted: 20 Jan 2014 02:34 PM PST

Concussions are common among middle-school girls who play soccer, and most continue to play with symptoms, according to a

Boosting vitamin D could slow progression, reduce severity of multiple sclerosis

Posted: 20 Jan 2014 02:34 PM PST

For patients in the early stages of multiple sclerosis, low levels of vitamin D were found to strongly predict disease severity and hasten its

Schizophrenia in the limelight: Film-industry technology provides insights

Posted: 20 Jan 2014 02:34 PM PST

The first 30 seconds of a social encounter is crucial for people with symptoms of schizophrenia for establishing contact with people, according to new research. Using motion capture technology more

Made in China for us: Air pollution tied to exports

Posted: 20 Jan 2014 02:34 PM PST

Chinese air pollution blowing across the Pacific is often caused by manufacturing of goods for export to the US and Europe, according to

Access to guns increases risk of suicide, homicide

Posted: 20 Jan 2014 02:34 PM PST

Someone with access to firearms is three times more likely to commit suicide and nearly twice as likely to be the victim of a homicide as someone who does not have access, according to a

Uninsured patients less likely to be transferred between hospitals, researchers find

Posted: 20 Jan 2014 02:34 PM PST

Uninsured patients with a variety of common medical diagnoses are significantly less likely to be transferred between hospitals for treatment, according to a new study. They also found that women,

Vancouver: Nearby Georgia basin may amplify ground shaking from next quake

Posted: 20 Jan 2014 02:34 PM PST

Tall buildings, bridges and other long-period structures in Greater Vancouver may experience greater shaking from large earthquakes than previously thought due to the amplification of surface waves

Murder mystery remains: DNA rules out Briggs as Blazing Car victim

Posted: 20 Jan 2014 02:33 PM PST

Investigation of the Blazing Car Murder of 1930 continues, with DNA evidence providing some useful

Cocaine users enjoy social interactions less

Posted: 20 Jan 2014 02:33 PM PST

Regular cocaine users have difficulties in feeling empathy for others and they exhibit less prosocial behavior. A study now suggests that cocaine users have social deficits because social contacts