ScienceDaily: Latest Science News


New poison dart frog species discovered in Donoso, Panama

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 06:36 PM PDT

A bright orange poison dart frog with a unique call has been discovered in Donoso, Panama. Because this new frog species appears to be found in only a very small area, habitat loss and collecting for the pet trade are major threats to its existence. The authors recommend the formulation of special conservation plans to guarantee its survival.

New molecule found in space connotes life origins

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 06:36 PM PDT

Hunting from a distance of 27,000 light years, astronomers have discovered an unusual carbon-based molecule contained within a giant gas cloud in interstellar space. The discovery suggests that the complex molecules needed for life may have their origins in interstellar space.

Countries must work together to stop organ traffickers, says researcher

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 06:36 PM PDT

The author of new research into organ trafficking has called for a concerted international effort to confront the problem. Although there is no internationally agreed definition, 'organ trafficking' is broadly defined as situations in which people are tricked into giving up organs, may sell them for financial gain but are not paid for as agreed.

Policies of NIH, other funders, have improved data-sharing by life-science investigators

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 12:04 PM PDT

Policies put into place by major funding agencies like the National Institutes of Health, and to a lesser extent by scientific journals, appear to be meeting the goal of increasing the sharing of scientific resources among life science investigators, experts say.

Preference for built-up habitats could explain rapid spread of tree bumblebee in UK

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 12:04 PM PDT

Tree bumblebee populations could be spreading because the bees readily live alongside humans in towns and villages. This sets the species apart from other common British bumblebees -- which could explain how tree bumblebees have managed to colonize much of the UK while many other bumblebee species have been declining.

Child maltreatment underreported in medicaid claims, study finds

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 12:04 PM PDT

Medicaid claims are a poor way to identify child abuse and neglect at a population level, according to a study. Previous research has documented the reasons clinicians may not enter maltreatment codes while billing Medicaid, but the magnitude at a national level has not been known.

Many Patients Excluded From Lung Cancer Clinical Trials Due to Prior Cancer, Study Finds

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 12:04 PM PDT

Lung cancer clinical trials exclude a substantial proportion of patients due to a history of prior cancer, research shows. "The resulting impact on study accrual is sobering," said one author who projected that the effects of these exclusions will only increase with time; there are currently more than 13 million cancer survivors in the U.S., which is a four-fold increase over the past 30 years.

Scarring effects of primary-grade retention?

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 11:11 AM PDT

The effect of scarring in the educational career in the case of primary-grade retention has been explored in a new article. Research found that primary-grade retention has lasting effects on educational attainments well after a student is initially retained: Retaining a child in early primary school reduces his or her odds of high school completion by about 60 percent in propensity score matching and sibling fixed-effects models.

Cardiology leaders call for global prevention of heart disease, stroke

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 11:11 AM PDT

Heart disease and stroke contribute to 30 percent of global deaths, more than all infectious and parasitic diseases combined, and 11 cardiovascular organizations are calling for the United Nations to address prevention of heart disease and other non-communicable diseases.

New tool assesses skill development in robotic microsurgery

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 11:11 AM PDT

A new standardized assessment provides a useful tool for tracking surgeons' progress as they develop the skills needed to perform robot-assisted microsurgery.

Scanning babies' fingerprints could save lives through vaccination tracking

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 11:10 AM PDT

Each year 2.5 million children die worldwide because they do not receive life-saving vaccinations at the appropriate time. Now researchers are developing a fingerprint-based recognition method to track vaccination schedules for infants and toddlers, which will increase immunization coverage and save lives.

Poor fish harvests more frequent now off California coast

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 11:10 AM PDT

In the past 600 years off the California coast, occasional episodes of diminished ocean upwelling that cause fish populations to crash have occurred naturally. The poor yearly fish harvests seen in the last 60 years aren't any worse in severity than earlier, but are happening more frequently.

Severe periodontitis: Sixth most prevalent health condition in the world

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 11:10 AM PDT

There is an enormous public health challenge posed by severe periodontitis and are a microcosm of the epidemiologic transition to non-communicable diseases occurring in many countries, experts say. In 2010, severe periodontitis was the sixth most prevalent condition in the world affecting 743 million people worldwide. Between 1990 and 2010, the global age-standardized prevalence of severe periodontitis was static at 11.2%.

Key reaction for producing 'atmosphere's detergent' observed

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 11:10 AM PDT

A rapid atmospheric reaction critical to breaking down pollution in the lab has been observed by chemists. They identify an important intermediate molecule and track its transformation to hydroxyl radicals, also demonstrating the amount of energy necessary for the reaction to take place.

COPD patients breathe easier with lung flute, study shows

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 11:07 AM PDT

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) report improved symptoms and health status when they use a hand-held respiratory device called the Lung Flute®, according to a new study.

Disease Without Borders: bioregional guide aims to improve human, environmental health

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 11:07 AM PDT

A bioregional guide that merges place-based (territorial) city planning and ecosystem management along the United States-Mexico border has been launched by experts as way to improve human and environmental health.

New tool assesses skill development in robotic microsurgery

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 11:07 AM PDT

A new standardized assessment provides a useful tool for tracking surgeons' progress as they develop the skills needed to perform robot-assisted microsurgery, reports a study.

Decision Analysis Can Help Women Make Choices about Breast Reconstruction

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 11:07 AM PDT

Decision analysis techniques can help surgeons and patients evaluate alternatives for breast reconstruction—leading to a "good decision" that reflects the woman's preferences and values, according to a study.

Researchers contribute to study of trained immunity

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 08:21 AM PDT

Support for a new -- and still controversial -- understanding of the immune system has been released in a new study. Epigenetic profiling experiments identified genes involved in glucose metabolism as being critical for trained immunity. These findings have potential implications both for the prevention and treatment of inflammatory diseases and for bolstering the immune response to pathogens in situations where the immune system is not functioning properly.

Studying nanocrystals by passing them through tiny pores

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 08:21 AM PDT

Researchers have now applied a cutting-edge technique for rapid gene sequencing toward measuring other nanoscopic structures. By passing nanoscale spheres and rods through a tiny hole in a membrane, the team was able to measure the electrical properties of those structures' surfaces. Their findings suggest new ways of using this technique, known as 'nanopore translocation,' to analyze objects at the smallest scale.

Football-size robot can skim discreetly along a ship's hull to seek hollow compartments concealing contraband

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 08:21 AM PDT

Football-size robot can skim discreetly along a ship's hull to seek hollow compartments concealing contraband.

Unexpected clue to peripheral neuropathies found

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 08:21 AM PDT

Disrupting the molecular function of a tumor suppressor causes improper formation of a protective insulating sheath on peripheral nerves -- leading to neuropathy and muscle wasting in mice similar to that in human diabetes and neurodegeneration. A new study also suggests that normal molecular function of the tumor suppressor gene Lkb1 is essential to the formation process.

Young sea stars suffer more from ocean acidification than adults

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 08:21 AM PDT

Young sea stars from the Baltic Sea suffer more from the effects of ocean acidification than adults. In a laboratory experiment, scientists showed that younger animals already eat less and grow more slowly at only slightly elevated carbon dioxide concentrations.

Strategy to reduce side effects in modern cancer therapy

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 08:21 AM PDT

A new strategy for reducing the often serious side effects of an important class of modern anticancer drugs -- tyrosine kinase inhibitors has been developed by an international team of researchers. The novel drug is supposed to restrict its activity with high selectivity to the malignant tumor.

'Multi-spectra glasses' for scanning electron microscopy

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 08:21 AM PDT

Reflection zone plates enable lighter elements in material samples will be efficiently and precisely detected using scanning electron microscopy by providing high resolution in the range of 50-1120 eV.

Neuroscientists use morphed images of Hollywood celebrities to reveal how neurons make up your mind

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 08:21 AM PDT

Morphed images of celebrities such as Angelina Jolie, Halle Berry, Bob Marley, Sylvester Stallone, Uma Thurman, Nicole Kidman, Whoopi Goldberg, Bill Clinton and George Bush, and others were shown to participants in a recent study. The study found that neurons fire in line with conscious recognition of images rather than the actual images seen, thereby leading scientists to believe that neurons play a key role in the formation of memory.

Minority background, low education, and low income negatively influence HPV vaccine series completion

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 08:21 AM PDT

Only 60% of young US women who received the first dose of the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine went on to complete the three-dose vaccine series, research shows. The study found that minority backgrounds, low income, and low education were associated with non-completion.

New technology may lead to prolonged power in mobile devices

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 08:20 AM PDT

Researchers have created technology that could be the first step toward wearable computers with self-contained power sources or, more immediately, a smartphone that doesn't die after a few hours of heavy use.

With few data, Arctic carbon models lack consensus

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 07:18 AM PDT

As climate change grips the Arctic, how much carbon is leaving its thawing soil and adding to Earth's greenhouse effect? The question has long been debated by scientists. A new study conducted as part of NASA's Carbon in Arctic Reservoirs Vulnerability Experiment (CARVE) shows just how much work still needs to be done to reach a conclusion on this and other basic questions about the region where global warming is hitting hardest.

Nanocomposites toughen up

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 07:17 AM PDT

An alternative fabrication route improves the properties of aluminum-based nanocomposites with great potential for vehicles of the future.

Overcome noise problems in ultrasensitive measurements of tiny amounts of compounds

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 07:17 AM PDT

As the sensitivity of plasmonic sensors reaches new heights, so does the challenge of using tiny sample volumes. Scientists have devised an innovative way to improve sensor accuracy by exploiting the unique properties of quantum optics.

NASA rover drill pulls first taste from Mars mountain

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 07:15 AM PDT

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has collected its first taste of the layered mountain whose scientific allure drew the mission to choose this part of Mars as a landing site.

High-throughput cell-sorting method can separate 10 billion bacterial cells in 30 minutes

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 07:10 AM PDT

A new, high-throughput method for sorting cells has been developed, capable of separating 10 billion bacterial cells in 30 minutes. The finding has already proven useful for studying bacterial cells and microalgae, and could one day have direct applications for biomedical research and environmental science -- basically any field in which a large quantity of microbial samples need to be processed.

No sign of health or nutrition problems from GMO livestock feed, study finds

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 07:10 AM PDT

A new review study finds there is no evidence in earlier scientific studies indicating that genetically engineered feed crops harmed the health or productivity of livestock and poultry, and that food products from animals consuming such feeds were nutritionally the same as products from animals that ate non-GMO feeds.

Can cartoons be used to teach machines to understand the visual world?

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 07:09 AM PDT

An enormous gap exists between human abilities and machine performance when it comes to understanding the visual world from images and videos. Humans are still way out in front.

Guideline for management of atopic dermatitis focuses on prevention of flares, long-term disease management

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 07:08 AM PDT

Newly updated guideline of care for the management of adult and pediatric atopic dermatitis focuses on the management and control of the condition, the co-existence of allergic disease, and the use of alternative approaches to supplement medical therapies. This evidence-based guideline is the final section of a four-part series on the care and management of atopic dermatitis developed by dermatologists who are experts in the diagnosis and treatment of this condition.

Biochemists solve 'address problem' in cells that leads to lethal kidney disease

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 06:13 AM PDT

Research published by biochemists may lead to a new treatment, or even a cure, for a rare, genetic kidney disease that afflicts children, and may provide important insights into treatments for Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and other degenerative diseases.

Suomi NPP satellite data used for mitigating aviation-related volcanic hazards

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 06:13 AM PDT

A joint NOAA/NASA satellite is one of several satellites providing valuable information to aviators about volcanic hazards.

Protecting the body from itself: How defense cells fight disease, but not themselves

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 06:13 AM PDT

A clearer relationship between two cells that serve our body's natural defense mechanisms against diseases and infections has now been gained through new research. The findings will help the medical community better understand autoimmunity and could pave the way for treatment of autoimmune diseases.

Exploring connection between empathy, neurohormones and aggression

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 06:13 AM PDT

Researchers examined whether assessed or elicited empathy would lead to situation-specific aggression on behalf of another person, and to explore the potential role of two neurohormones in explaining a connection between empathy and aggression.

Secret to raising well behaved teens? Maximize their zzzzz's

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 05:58 AM PDT

While American pediatricians warn sleep deprivation can stack the deck against teenagers, a new study reveals youth's irritability and laziness aren't down to attitude problems but lack of sleep. This paper exposes the negative consequences of sleep deprivation caused by early school bells, and shows that altering education times not only perks up teens' mood, but also enhances learning and health.

Fertilizer and fuel: Nitrogen-fixing enzyme also produces hydrocarbons

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 05:58 AM PDT

Plants need nitrogen and carbon to grow. Photosynthesis allows them to take in the latter directly from the air, but they have to procure nitrogen through their roots in the form of organic molecules like ammonia or urea. Even though nitrogen gas makes up approximately 80 percent of Earth's atmosphere, the plant can only access it in a bound - or 'fixed' - form. Farmers thus use fertilizers to provide their crops with nitrogen. The only living beings that can convert nitrogen from the air into usable molecules are microorganisms - for example nodule bacteria.

Turning the Moon into a cosmic ray detector

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 05:58 AM PDT

Scientists are to turn the Moon into a giant particle detector to help understand the origin of Ultra-High-Energy (UHE) cosmic rays -- the most energetic particles in the Universe. The origin of UHE cosmic rays is one of the great mysteries in astrophysics. Nobody knows where these extremely rare cosmic rays come from or how they get their enormous energies. Physicists detect them on Earth at a rate of less than one particle per square kilometer per century.

Antibacterial resistance a cause for major concern, cystic fibrosis experts say

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 05:58 AM PDT

In a new paper, world-leading cystic fibrosis experts have called for greater research to address the major concern of antibacterial resistance.

Rare type of pollen observed at record levels in air for first time in forty years in U.K.

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 05:58 AM PDT

Ragweed, which grows in late-summer and early autumn, is one of the most notorious hayfever-causing plants in North America, but is rarely found in the United Kingdom as it requires long-lasting autumns before the first winter frost to grow and survive. Now, record levels have been recorded for the first time in four decades, say researchers, who warn that mild autumn could mean more misery for hayfever sufferers.

Skin pigment renders sun's UV radiation harmless using projectiles

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 05:58 AM PDT

The pigment of the skin protects the body from the sun's dangerous UV rays, but researchers have not until recently known how this works. Now they report that skin pigment converts the UV radiation into heat through a rapid chemical reaction that shoots protons from the molecules of the pigment.

Green light for clever algae

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 05:58 AM PDT

Phytoplankton not only constitutes the foundation of the food chain in the oceans, it also fixes carbon through photosynthesis and generates oxygen with the help of solar energy. A considerable part of phytoplankton is made up of cryptophytes, complex single-cell algae. In the course of evolution, these algae have adapted their light-harvesting mechanisms to their environment and have thus become capable of utilizing green light.

How plankton gets jet lagged: Hormone that govern sleep and jet lag in humans also drives mass migration of plankton

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 05:56 AM PDT

A hormone that governs sleep and jet lag in humans may also drive the mass migration of plankton in the ocean, scientists have found. The molecule in question, melatonin, is essential to maintain our daily rhythm, and scientists have now discovered that it governs the nightly migration of a plankton species from the surface to deeper waters. The findings indicate that melatonin's role in controlling daily rhythms probably evolved early in the history of animals, and hold hints to how our sleep patterns may have evolved.

Conflictive animations support the development of programming skills

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 05:56 AM PDT

Traditional educational tools present information to students in a conventional way: what they present is true and students are expected to learn what is presented. Educators have now developed a tool that tricks students during their learning process. They use "conflictive animations" to teach computer programming, which is a very challenging topic for students due to its abstract nature.

Experts call for widening the debate on climate change

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 05:56 AM PDT

Environmental scientists are being urged to broaden the advice they give on global climate change, say experts who are also frustrated that decision makers are not taking enough action.

Computational model: Ebola could infect more than 1.4 million people by end of January 2015

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 05:55 AM PDT

The Ebola epidemic could claim hundreds of thousands of lives and infect more than 1.4 million people by the end of January, according to a statistical forecast released this week by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC forecast supports the drastically higher projections released earlier by a group of scientists, including epidemiologists with the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute, who modeled the Ebola spread as part of a National Institutes of Health-sponsored project called Midas, short for Models of Infectious Disease Agent Study.

Discrepancies in access to new cancer drugs revealed

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 05:55 AM PDT

Access to potentially life-extending cancer drugs varies significantly in different regions of the world, two new studies show. Researchers say the results demonstrate the need for better collaboration between doctors and health authorities on an international scale, to ensure patients have access to the best treatments.

More than 70% of young oncologists in Europe suffer symptoms of burnout

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 05:55 AM PDT

Across Europe, more than 70% of young cancer specialists are showing signs of burnout, the largest survey of its kind has revealed. The results have prompted calls for serious action to address the issue at all levels. Burnout could lead to serious personal consequences for the doctor such as anxiety, depression, alcohol or substance abuse and suicide, researchers warned.

Protein 'map' could lead to potent new cancer drugs

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 05:55 AM PDT

Chemists have gained fresh insights into how a disease-causing enzyme makes changes to proteins and how it can be stopped. The scientists hope their findings will help them to design drugs that could target the enzyme, known as N-myristoyltransferase (NMT), and potentially lead to new treatments for cancer and inflammatory conditions.

Graphene looks promising as a flexible, low-cost touchscreen solution

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 05:55 AM PDT

New research suggests that graphene-treated nanowires could soon replace current touchscreen technology, significantly reducing production costs and allowing for more affordable, flexible displays.

New study lists top psychologists of modern era

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 05:54 AM PDT

A new study ranks the top 200 psychologists from recent decades. The researchers say the list serves educational, administrative and scholarly purposes, identifying the psychologists who have had the most effect on the profession, and the types of contributions that receive recognition. It also identifies gender and ethnic disparities.

Experts call for moratorium on use of new internet domain .health

Posted: 25 Sep 2014 05:58 PM PDT

As the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers moves forward with plans to launch health-related generic top-level domains, such as .health and .doctor, a coalition of health policy academics and clinicians are raising concerns about a process they say 'favor[s] business interests and the generation of profits over the future integrity of the Health Internet.'

Turmeric compound boosts regeneration of brain stem cells

Posted: 25 Sep 2014 05:58 PM PDT

A bioactive compound found in turmeric promotes stem cell proliferation and differentiation in the brain, reveals new research. The findings suggest aromatic turmerone could be a future drug candidate for treating neurological disorders, such as stroke and Alzheimer's disease.

Leading health experts urge European governments to 'mobilize all possible resources' to fight Ebola epidemic

Posted: 25 Sep 2014 05:57 PM PDT

Leading health experts urge EU Member States to "mobilize all possible resources" to assist West Africans in controlling the Ebola epidemic. They call for European countries to take specific measures, including allowing health professionals to volunteer for temporary leave to assist with the crisis, and incentivising private companies to reverse travel restrictions to affected regions.

Talk therapy – not medication – best for social anxiety disorder, large study finds

Posted: 25 Sep 2014 05:56 PM PDT

While antidepressants are the most commonly used treatment for social anxiety disorder, new research suggests that cognitive behavioral therapy is more effective and, unlike medication, can have lasting effects long after treatment has stopped.