ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

---

• No-wait data centers: Data-transmission delays across server farms can be reducd by 99. 6 percent
• Alaska's resources and changing climate connect, clash
• Are ants the answer to carbon dioxide sequestration?
• Humans walking on all fours is not backward evolution
• Sharpest map of Mars surface properties
• 70-foot-long, 52-ton concrete bridge survives series of simulated earthquakes
• Indus river dolphin's declining range: Patterns of river fragmentation provide insight into river dolphin conservation
• Whale shark fringe migration: 16-year study suggests Azore islands may play increasing role in whale shark habitat
• Borneo deforested 30 percent over past 40 years
• Tooth plaque provides unique insights into our prehistoric ancestors' diet
• Asteroid Vesta to reshape theories of planet formation
• Brain of world's first known predators discovered
• Scientists find way to trap, kill malaria parasite
• One injection stops diabetes in its tracks: Treatment reverses symptoms of type 2 diabetes in mice without side effects
• Mediterranean diet has varied effects on cognitive decline among different races, study shows
• Poor sleep quality linked to lower physical activity in people with PTSD
• Making a mental match: Pairing mechanical device with stroke patients
• Business groups, capital market participation have complementary effects for Indian companies
• Dispersant from Deepwater Horizon spill found to persist in the environment
• Pregnancy loss, cardiovascular disease connected by new study
• Drug's effect on Alzheimer's may depend on severity of disease
• Cholesterol-lowering drugs may reduce cardiovascular death in type 2 diabetes
• Structures of Huntington's disease protein compared in study
• A natural way to monitor, and possibly control populations of, stink bugs
• Efficient structures help build a sustainable future
• An anti-glare, anti-reflective display for mobile devices?
• Bubble wrap serves as sheet of tiny test tubes in resource-limited regions
• Promising medication counteracts constipation caused by opioid painkillers
• People in leadership positions may sacrifice privacy for security
• Abdominal aortic aneurysms: Surgeon explains who needs screening, treatment
• Improving tumor radiation therapy: When basic ions break DNA down
• Breast cancer: Disease management program is largely consistent with guidelines
• Aqueous two-phase systems enable multiplexing of homogeneous immunoassays
• Supercomputers reveal strange, stress-induced transformations in world's thinnest materials
• Hungry, invasive 'crazy worm' makes first appearance in Wisconsin, threatens forests
• Rising-2 captured highest resolution image of Earth's surface among satellites in its class
• Marijuana dependence alters the brain's response to drug paraphernalia
• New knowledge about brain's effective bouncer
• What do Google searches tell us about our climate change fears?
• Immune response to infectious disease: New findings on properdin
• Health risks posed by 'third hand' tobacco smoke
• Self-assembling nanoparticle could improve MRI scanning for cancer diagnosis
• Eroded swimmeret syndrome, a novel disease of the signal crayfish
• Live kidney donors face 'pointless' insurance troubles
• Tracking the breakup of Arctic summer sea ice
• NOAA's GOES-R satellite Magnetometer ready for spacecraft integration
• NASA's Van Allen Probes show how to accelerate electrons
• Glowing red in the big blue: Red fluorescence at great depths

No-wait data centers: Data-transmission delays across server farms can be reducd by 99. 6 percent Posted: 16 Jul 2014 03:32 PM PDT Big websites usually maintain their own "data centers," banks of tens or even hundreds of thousands of servers, all passing data back and forth to field users' requests. Like any big, decentralized network, data centers are prone to congestion: Packets of data arriving at the same router at the same time are put in a queue, and if the queues get too long, packets can be delayed. Researchers have designed a new network-management system that, in experiments, reduced the average queue length of routers in a Facebook data center by 99.6 percent -- virtually doing away with queues.

Alaska's resources and changing climate connect, clash Posted: 16 Jul 2014 03:31 PM PDT Alaska's natural resources, such as fish, metal ore, and predominately oil, play a pivotal role in the state's economy. With the region's recent climate changes (Alaska is on track to warm 8°F by the last quarter of the century), this has the potential to have major effects on ecosystems, as well as on the people and industries that depend on them. How can the state balance the economic potential of its undeveloped resources with the cost of their use?

Are ants the answer to carbon dioxide sequestration? Posted: 16 Jul 2014 03:31 PM PDT A 25-year-long study provides the first quantitative measurement of in situ calcium-magnesium silicate mineral dissolution by ants, termites, tree roots, and bare ground. This study reveals that ants are one of the most powerful biological agents of mineral decay yet observed. It may be that an understanding of the geobiology of ant-mineral interactions might offer a line of research on how to "geoengineer" accelerated carbon dioxide consumption by Ca-Mg silicates.

Humans walking on all fours is not backward evolution Posted: 16 Jul 2014 12:11 PM PDT Five siblings in the family, who live in a remote corner of Turkey, walk exclusively on their hands and feet. Since they were discovered in 2005, scientists have debated the nature of their disability, with speculation they represent a backward stage of evolution. An anthropologist finds quadrupedal humans with Uner Tan Syndrome do not walk in the diagonal pattern characteristic of nonhuman primates such as apes and monkeys.

Sharpest map of Mars surface properties Posted: 16 Jul 2014 11:13 AM PDT A heat-sensing camera has provided data to create the most detailed global map yet made of Martian surface properties. Surface properties tell geologists about the physical nature of a planet or moon's surface. Is a particular area coated with dust, and if so, how thick is it likely to be? Where are the outcrops of bedrock? How loose are the sediments that fill this crater or that valley? A map of surface properties lets scientists begin to answer questions such as these.

70-foot-long, 52-ton concrete bridge survives series of simulated earthquakes Posted: 16 Jul 2014 11:13 AM PDT A 70-foot-long, 52-ton concrete bridge survived a series of earthquakes in the first multiple-shake-table experiment in the University of Nevada, Reno's new Earthquake Engineering Lab, the newest addition to the world-renowned earthquake and seismic engineering facility.

Indus river dolphin's declining range: Patterns of river fragmentation provide insight into river dolphin conservation Posted: 16 Jul 2014 11:13 AM PDT Removal of river water for irrigation and habitat fragmentation by irrigation dams were shown to be the principal factors contributing to the decline of the Indus river dolphin.

Whale shark fringe migration: 16-year study suggests Azore islands may play increasing role in whale shark habitat Posted: 16 Jul 2014 11:13 AM PDT At the fringe of the whale shark range, the volcanic Azore islands may play an increasing role for the north Atlantic population as sea surface temperatures rise.

Borneo deforested 30 percent over past 40 years Posted: 16 Jul 2014 11:13 AM PDT Forest cover in Borneo may have declined by up to 30% over the past 40 years, according to a new study. he native forests of Borneo have been increasingly impacted by logging, fire, and conversion to plantations since the early 1970s. Borneo lacks island-wide forest clearance and logging documentation, making forest conservation planning difficult, especially for selectively logged forests that have high conservation potential but are vulnerable to being converted to plantations.

Tooth plaque provides unique insights into our prehistoric ancestors' diet Posted: 16 Jul 2014 11:10 AM PDT An international team of researchers has found new evidence that our prehistoric ancestors had a detailed understanding of plants long before the development of agriculture. By extracting chemical compounds and microfossils from dental calculus (calcified dental plaque) from ancient teeth, the researchers were able to provide an entirely new perspective on our ancestors' diets. Their research suggests that purple nut sedge (Cyperus rotundus) -- today regarded as a nuisance weed -- formed an important part of the prehistoric diet.

Asteroid Vesta to reshape theories of planet formation Posted: 16 Jul 2014 10:16 AM PDT Researchers have a better understanding of the asteroid Vesta and its internal structure, thanks to numerical simulations and data from the space mission Dawn. Their findings question contemporary models of rocky planet formation, including that of Earth.

Brain of world's first known predators discovered Posted: 16 Jul 2014 10:16 AM PDT Scientists have found the fossilized remains of the brain of the world's earliest known predators, from a time when life teemed in the oceans but had not yet colonized the land. The discovery reveals a brain much simpler than those known in some of the animal's prey and helps answer questions surrounding the evolution of arthropods.

Scientists find way to trap, kill malaria parasite Posted: 16 Jul 2014 10:15 AM PDT Scientists may be able to entomb the malaria parasite in a prison of its own making, researchers report. As it invades a red blood cell, the malaria parasite takes part of the host cell's membrane to build a protective compartment. The parasite then starts a series of major renovations that transform the red blood cell into a suitable home. But the new research reveals the proteins that make these renovations must pass through a single pore in the parasite's compartment to get into the red blood cell. When the scientists disrupted passage through that pore in cell cultures, the parasite stopped growing and died.

One injection stops diabetes in its tracks: Treatment reverses symptoms of type 2 diabetes in mice without side effects Posted: 16 Jul 2014 10:15 AM PDT In mice with diet-induced diabetes -- the equivalent of type 2 diabetes in humans -- a single injection of the protein FGF1 is enough to restore blood sugar levels to a healthy range for more than two days. The discovery could lead to a new generation of safer, more effective diabetes drugs. The team found that sustained treatment with the protein doesn't merely keep blood sugar under control, but also reverses insulin insensitivity, the underlying physiological cause of diabetes. Equally exciting, the newly developed treatment doesn't result in side effects common to most current diabetes treatments.

Mediterranean diet has varied effects on cognitive decline among different races, study shows Posted: 16 Jul 2014 09:38 AM PDT "In a population of initially well-functioning older adults, we found a significant correlation between strong adherence to the Mediterranean diet and a slower rate of cognitive decline among African American, but not white, older adults. Our study is the first to show a possible race-specific association between the Mediterranean diet and cognitive decline," a researcher outlines.

Poor sleep quality linked to lower physical activity in people with PTSD Posted: 16 Jul 2014 09:38 AM PDT A new study shows that worse sleep quality predicts lower physical activity in people with post-traumatic stress disorder. Results show that PTSD was independently associated with worse sleep quality at baseline, and participants with current PTSD at baseline had lower physical activity one year later. Further analysis found that sleep quality completely mediated the relationship between baseline PTSD status and physical activity at the one-year follow-up, providing preliminary evidence that the association of reduced sleep quality with reduced physical activity could comprise a behavioral link to negative health outcomes such as obesity.

Making a mental match: Pairing mechanical device with stroke patients Posted: 16 Jul 2014 09:38 AM PDT A functional MRI-compatible hemiparesis rehab device that creates a long latency stretch reflex at the exact time as a brain signal has been developed by researchers. It is designed to assist stroke victims. "The device is designed to adapt to people whether they are hyper, normo or hyporeflexive," said one developer.

Business groups, capital market participation have complementary effects for Indian companies Posted: 16 Jul 2014 09:35 AM PDT Being a part of a business group and participating in capital markets can have a significant positive impact on an Indian company's performance in the stock market, according to a new study on Indian entrepreneurship by emerging-economy experts.

Dispersant from Deepwater Horizon spill found to persist in the environment Posted: 16 Jul 2014 09:34 AM PDT Dispersant compound DOSS, which decreases the size of oil droplets and hampers the formation of large oil slicks, remains associated with oil and can persist in the environment for up to four years, a study has demonstrated. The study examined samples collected from deep-sea corals and surrounding sediments collected in Dec. 2010 as well as oil-soaked sand patties found on coastal beaches since July 2010 to the present.

Pregnancy loss, cardiovascular disease connected by new study Posted: 16 Jul 2014 09:34 AM PDT Women with a history of pregnancy loss are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease later in adulthood than other women, research concludes. The association between pregnancy loss and coronary heart disease appeared to be independent of hypertension, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio and white blood cell count.

Drug's effect on Alzheimer's may depend on severity of disease Posted: 16 Jul 2014 09:34 AM PDT A cancer drug that has shown promise against Alzheimer's disease in mice and has begun early clinical trials has yielded perplexing results in a novel mouse model of Alzheimer's disease that mimics the genetics and pathology of the human disease more closely than any other animal model.

Cholesterol-lowering drugs may reduce cardiovascular death in type 2 diabetes Posted: 16 Jul 2014 09:34 AM PDT Heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death and disability among people with Type 2 diabetes. In fact, at least 65 percent of people with diabetes die from some form of heart disease or stroke. However, a new study suggests that the use of cholesterol-lowering statins may help prolong the lives of people with diabetic cardiovascular disease.

Structures of Huntington's disease protein compared in study Posted: 16 Jul 2014 08:28 AM PDT Huntington's disease, an incurable neurodegenerative disorder, starts as a genetic mutation that leads to an overabundance of "huntingtin" protein fragments, which form clumps in the brain. Neutron scattering research has revealed clear structural differences in the normal and pathological forms of a protein involved in Huntington's disease.

A natural way to monitor, and possibly control populations of, stink bugs Posted: 16 Jul 2014 08:27 AM PDT Anyone who has squashed a stink bug knows why they got their name. Although just a nuisance to homeowners, the insects feed on and damage fruits and vegetables, causing significant economic losses for farmers. Now scientists have discovered certain stink bug pheromone components and made them artificially in the lab for the first time, and these substances can be used to monitor and manage their populations.

Efficient structures help build a sustainable future Posted: 16 Jul 2014 08:27 AM PDT Researchers have found that the selection of steel cable structural system for long spans has considerably less environmental impact than a steel truss system to achieve the same structural requirements, through the entire life cycle of the structure. "Thoughtful selection, by the architectural engineer, in the initial stages of the design process, can reduce environmental impact related to the construction process," said one author of the new study.

An anti-glare, anti-reflective display for mobile devices? Posted: 16 Jul 2014 08:27 AM PDT If you've ever tried to watch a video on a tablet on a sunny day, you know you have to tilt it at just the right angle to get rid of glare or invest in a special filter. But now scientists are reporting that they've developed a novel glass surface that reduces both glare and reflection, which continue to plague even the best mobile displays today.

Bubble wrap serves as sheet of tiny test tubes in resource-limited regions Posted: 16 Jul 2014 08:27 AM PDT Popping the blisters on the bubble wrap might be the most enjoyable thing about moving. But now, scientists propose a more productive way to reuse the popular packing material -- as a sheet of small, test tube-like containers for medical and environmental samples. Their report shows that analyses can take place right in the bubbles.

Promising medication counteracts constipation caused by opioid painkillers Posted: 16 Jul 2014 08:27 AM PDT Opioids -- strong morphine-based painkillers -- are widely prescribed to patients experiencing chronic severe pain. While these drugs are very effective for treating and managing pain, they have one particularly bothersome side effect: constipation. A new drug, called naloxegol, could bring relief. In stage 3 trials, international researchers provide new evidence that the drug relieves constipation without dulling opioids' pain-relieving effects.

People in leadership positions may sacrifice privacy for security Posted: 16 Jul 2014 08:27 AM PDT People with higher job status may be more willing to compromise privacy for security reasons and also be more determined to carry out those decisions, according to researchers.

Abdominal aortic aneurysms: Surgeon explains who needs screening, treatment Posted: 16 Jul 2014 08:22 AM PDT An abdominal aortic aneurysm is a potentially life-threatening condition: If the body's major blood vessel ruptures, it can prove deadly. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recently updated its recommendations on screening. Now a surgeon explains who should be watched for abdominal aortic aneurysms, how they are diagnosed and how surgery, which now includes a less invasive endovascular option, is improving survival rates.

Improving tumor radiation therapy: When basic ions break DNA down Posted: 16 Jul 2014 07:17 AM PDT Scientists now have a better understanding of how short DNA strands decompose in microseconds. A research team found new fragmentation pathways that occur universally when DNA strands are exposed to metal ions from a family of alkaline and alkaline earth elements. These ions tend to replace protons in the DNA backbone and at the same time induce a reactive conformation leading more readily to fragmentation.

Breast cancer: Disease management program is largely consistent with guidelines Posted: 16 Jul 2014 06:58 AM PDT There are only few discrepancies between the disease management program for breast cancer and current guidelines. However, some of the guidelines are more detailed. A need for revision may arise if new studies provide new evidence on a disease and its treatment.

Aqueous two-phase systems enable multiplexing of homogeneous immunoassays Posted: 16 Jul 2014 06:58 AM PDT A novel test simplifies disease detection by enabling simultaneous detection of multiple proteins in blood plasma. The test can accurately and simultaneously measure multiple proteins that indicate the presence of diseases like graft-versus-host disease (bone marrow transplant rejection) in only two hours, no washing steps, and using only a minute volume of blood plasma.

Supercomputers reveal strange, stress-induced transformations in world's thinnest materials Posted: 16 Jul 2014 06:57 AM PDT Interested in an ultra-fast, unbreakable, and flexible smart phone that recharges in a matter of seconds? Monolayer materials may make it possible. These atom-thin sheets -- including the famed super material graphene -- feature exceptional and untapped mechanical and electronic properties. But to fully exploit these atomically tailored wonder materials, scientists must pry free the secrets of how and why they bend and break under stress. Supercomputer simulations have revealed unexpected transitions in graphene and other promising super materials under strain.

Hungry, invasive 'crazy worm' makes first appearance in Wisconsin, threatens forests Posted: 16 Jul 2014 06:57 AM PDT Wisconsin's newest invasive species has done its best to stay underground, but the voracious, numerous and mysterious Asian crazy worm has emerged for the first time in the state on the campus of the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Rising-2 captured highest resolution image of Earth's surface among satellites in its class Posted: 16 Jul 2014 06:09 AM PDT Microsatellite Rising-2 succeeded in capturing high precision images of Earth's surface. Using a High Precision Telescope, it captured color images at a spatial resolution of 5m, the highest in the world among 50kg-class satellites.

Marijuana dependence alters the brain's response to drug paraphernalia Posted: 16 Jul 2014 06:08 AM PDT New research demonstrates that drug paraphernalia triggers the reward areas of the brain differently in dependent and non-dependent marijuana users. By letting users handle a marijuana pipe while in an fMRI, researchers found that areas of brain activation in the dependent users suggests a more emotional connection than in non-dependent users. Non-dependent users had greater activations in areas associated with memory and attention.

New knowledge about brain's effective bouncer Posted: 16 Jul 2014 06:08 AM PDT Researchers are shedding new light on the brain's complicated barrier tissue. The blood-brain barrier is an effective barrier which protects the brain, but which at the same time makes it difficult to treat diseases such as Alzheimer's. In an in vitro blood-brain barrier, researchers can recreate the brain's transport processes for the benefit of the development of new pharmaceuticals for the brain.

What do Google searches tell us about our climate change fears? Posted: 16 Jul 2014 06:07 AM PDT Political ideology and education levels affect when people search for climate information, research indicates. Republicans search the net for information about the weather, climate change and global warming during extremely hot or cold spells. Democrats Google these terms when they experience changes in the average temperatures. These are some of the surprising findings from a study that tracked how the temperature fluctuations and rainfall that Americans experience daily in their own cities make them scour the Internet in search of information about climate change and global warming.

Immune response to infectious disease: New findings on properdin Posted: 16 Jul 2014 06:07 AM PDT Knowledge in immunology has been advanced by recent research. A new paper presents significant new findings about the protein properdin -- an important part of the immune system. It is a positive regulator in the alternative pathway of complement activation -- which means it plays a key part in one of the body's main techniques for tackling infections and foreign bodies known as antigens.

Health risks posed by 'third hand' tobacco smoke Posted: 16 Jul 2014 06:07 AM PDT The potential cancer risk in non-smokers -- particularly young children -- of tobacco smoke gases and particles deposited to surfaces and dust in the home has been demonstrated by researchers. Until now, the risks of this exposure known as 'third hand tobacco smoke' have been highly uncertain and not considered in public policy. However, a new study has estimated for the first time the potential cancer risk by age group through non-dietary ingestion and dermal exposure to third hand smoke. The results indicate potentially severe long-term consequences, particularly to children.

Self-assembling nanoparticle could improve MRI scanning for cancer diagnosis Posted: 16 Jul 2014 06:07 AM PDT A new self-assembling nanoparticle has been developed that targets tumors, to help doctors diagnose cancer earlier. The new nanoparticle boosts the effectiveness of MRI scanning by specifically seeking out receptors that are found in cancerous cells. The nanoparticle is coated with a special protein that looks for specific signals given off by tumors. When it finds one, it begins to interact with the cancerous cells; this interaction strips off the protein coating, causing the nanoparticle to self-assemble into a much larger particle so that it is more visible on the scan.

Eroded swimmeret syndrome, a novel disease of the signal crayfish Posted: 16 Jul 2014 06:07 AM PDT Crayfish researchers have discovered, together with Swedish colleagues, a new disease plaguing female signal crayfish. As the name suggests, eroded swimmeret syndrome (ESS) destroys the swimmerets of female crayfish, weakens their reproductive ability and can increase the mortality of mother crayfish. In Finland and Sweden, the observed declines and sudden plunges in natural populations of signal crayfish can, to some extent, be explained by eroded swimmeret syndrome.

Live kidney donors face 'pointless' insurance troubles Posted: 16 Jul 2014 06:05 AM PDT Healthy living kidney donors often face pointless post-donation hurdles when seeking or changing health or life insurance, according to results of a new study. Little evidence suggests any extra health risks or a shortened life span after live kidney donation, but many have stories about insurance troubles after donation. 1,046 people who donated a kidney were asked whether they had initiated or changed health or life insurance in the years after their donation and whether they had any problems with the process. Researchers also explored possible reasons for their problems.

Tracking the breakup of Arctic summer sea ice Posted: 16 Jul 2014 06:05 AM PDT An international team has placed sensors on and under Arctic sea ice to monitor this season's retreat. Scientists hope to understand the physics of the ice edge in order to predict summer conditions in the Arctic Ocean.

NOAA's GOES-R satellite Magnetometer ready for spacecraft integration Posted: 15 Jul 2014 06:43 PM PDT The Magnetometer instrument that will fly on NOAA's GOES-R satellite when it is launched in early 2016 has completed the development and testing phase and is ready to be integrated with the spacecraft.

NASA's Van Allen Probes show how to accelerate electrons Posted: 15 Jul 2014 06:43 PM PDT One of the great, unanswered questions for space weather scientists is just what creates two gigantic donuts of radiation surrounding Earth, called the Van Allen radiation belts. Recent data from the Van Allen Probes -- two nearly identical spacecraft that launched in 2012 -- address this question.

Glowing red in the big blue: Red fluorescence at great depths Posted: 15 Jul 2014 06:42 PM PDT Many fish species glow red and can see red light, even at depths where the red part of the sunlight spectrum has been absorbed by the water above. It was long assumed that red light did not play a role at depths of 10m or more. However, researchers have not only discovered and investigated the phenomenon of red fluorescence; they have now described a new detail which offers important clues to the function of glowing red.

You are subscribed to email updates from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610