ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Babies remember nothing but a good time, study says

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 11:36 AM PST

Researchers performed memory tests with 5-month-old babies, and found that the babies better remembered shapes that were introduced with happy voices and faces. Past studies have shown that babies are very tuned to emotions, including the emotions of animals.

Physicists and chemists work to improve digital memory technology

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 11:36 AM PST

Researchers are studying graphene and ammonia to develop high-speed, high-capacity random access memory. The team engineered and tested improvements in the performance of a memory structure known as a ferroelectric tunnel junction.

Ultra-short X-ray pulses explore the nano world

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 11:36 AM PST

Ultra-short and extremely strong X-ray flashes, as produced by free-electron lasers, are opening the door to a hitherto unknown world. Scientists are using these flashes to take 'snapshots' of the geometry of tiniest structures, for example the arrangement of atoms in molecules. To improve not only spatial but also temporal resolution further requires knowledge about the precise duration and intensity of the X-ray flashes. An international team of scientists has now tackled this challenge.

New bird species confirmed 15 years after first observation

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 11:36 AM PST

Biologists have confirmed the discovery of a new bird species more than 15 years after the elusive animal was first seen.

Most older adults qualify for statin therapy under new cholesterol guidelines, study show

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 11:36 AM PST

Nearly all individuals in their late 60s and early 70s now qualify for a statin medication to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease under the recently released cholesterol guidelines from the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association, an expert outlines.

Asteroid impacts on Earth make structurally bizarre diamonds

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:56 AM PST

Scientists have settled a longstanding controversy over a purported rare form of diamond called lonsdaleite -- a type of diamond formed by impact shock, but which lacks the three-dimensional regularity of ordinary diamond.

Preconception care for diabetic women could potentially save $5.5 billion

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:56 AM PST

Pregnant women with diabetes are at an increased risk for many adverse birth outcomes. Preconception care (PCC) can significantly lower these risks by helping pregnant mothers with diabetes control their glucose levels, resulting in healthier babies and less money spent on complicated deliveries and lifelong medical complications, researchers say, adding that this care could avert an estimated $5.5 billion in health expenditures and lost employment productivity over affected children's lifetimes.

Provider-focused intervention improves HPV vaccination rates

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:56 AM PST

Changing the way doctors practice medicine is difficult, however a new study has shown that combining traditional education with quality improvement and incentives improves Human Papilloma virus vaccination rates in boys and girls. The study has the potential to produce sustained improvements in these vaccination rates.

Avoiding ecosystem collapse: Experts Weigh in

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:56 AM PST

From coral reefs to prairie grasslands, some of the world's most iconic habitats are susceptible to sudden collapse due to seemingly minor events. A classic example: the decimation of kelp forests when a decline of otter predation unleashes urchin population explosions. Three studies hold the promise of helping resource managers predict, avoid, and reverse the tipping points that lead to degraded habitats, economic losses, and social upheaval.

Cell's skeleton is never still

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:55 AM PST

Computer models show how microtubules age. The models reported by researchers help explain the dynamic instability seen in microtubules, essential elements in cells' cytoskeletons.

Global warming skeptics unmoved by extreme weather

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:54 AM PST

What will it take to convince skeptics of global warming that the phenomenon is real? Surely, many scientists believe, enough droughts, floods and heat waves will begin to change minds. But a new study throws cold water on that theory.

Selenium compounds boost immune system to fight against cancer

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:54 AM PST

Cancer types such as melanoma, prostate cancer and certain types of leukemia weaken the body by over-activating the natural immune system. Researchers have now demonstrated that selenium -- naturally found in, e.g., garlic and broccoli -- slows down the immune over-response. In the long term, this may improve cancer treatment.

Important element in fight against sleeping sickness found

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:54 AM PST

Researchers have now uncovered how parasites that cause the deadly sleeping sickness in Africa absorb an important nutrient from the human blood stream. The result may help the development of more effective drugs to fight the disease.

Many animals steal defenses from bacteria: Microbe toxin genes have jumped to ticks, mites and other animals

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:54 AM PST

Bacteria compete for resources in the environment by injecting deadly toxins into their rivals. Researcher have now discovered that many animals steal toxins from bacteria to fight unwanted microbes growing on them. Genes for these toxins have jumped from bacterial to animals. These genes are now permanently incorporated into the genomes of these animals. Deer ticks, which can carry Lyme disease, are one of the many diverse organisms in which toxin gene transfers from bacteria to animal has occurred.

Masking HIV target cells prevents viral transmission in animal model

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:54 AM PST

Cloaking immune cells with antibodies that block T cell trafficking to the gut can substantially reduce the risk of viral transmission in a non-human primate model of HIV infection, scientists report.

Pain and itch in a dish: Skin cells converted into pain sensing neurons

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:53 AM PST

After more than six years of intensive effort, and repeated failures that made the quest at times seem futile, researchers have successfully converted mouse and human skin cells into pain sensing neurons that respond to a number of stimuli that cause acute and inflammatory pain.

Enabling biocircuits: New device could make large biological circuits practical

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:53 AM PST

Researchers have made great progress in recent years in the design and creation of biological circuits -- systems that, like electronic circuits, can take a number of different inputs and deliver a particular kind of output. But while individual components of such biological circuits can have precise and predictable responses, those outcomes become less predictable as more such elements are combined. Scientists have now come up with a way of greatly reducing that unpredictability, introducing a device that could ultimately allow such circuits to behave nearly as predictably as their electronic counterparts.

Excessive contact between cellular organelles disrupts metabolism in obesity

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:53 AM PST

Researchers have found a novel mechanism causing type 2 diabetes that could be targeted to prevent or treat the disease. The research highlights a previously unrecognized molecular pathway that contributes to the malfunction of liver cells in obesity, leading to insulin resistance and diabetes.

Magnetic fields and lasers elicit graphene secret

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:53 AM PST

Scientists have studied the dynamics of electrons from the 'wonder material' graphene in a magnetic field for the first time. This led to the discovery of a seemingly paradoxical phenomenon in the material. Its understanding could make a new type of laser possible in the future.

Underwater robot sheds new light on thick, deformed, Antarctic sea ice

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:53 AM PST

The first detailed, high-resolution 3-D maps of Antarctic sea ice have been developed using an underwater robot. Scientists say the new technology provides accurate ice thickness measurements from areas that were previously too difficult to access.

Cataloguing 10 million human gut microbial genes: Unparalleled accomplishment

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:51 AM PST

Over the past several years, research on bacteria in the digestive tract (gut microbiome) has confirmed the major role they play in our health. An international consortium has developed the most complete database of microbial genes ever created. The catalogue features nearly ten million genes and will constitute a reference for all research on gut bacteria.

Sleep apnea linked to poor aerobic fitness

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:50 AM PST

People with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea may have an intrinsic inability to burn high amounts of oxygen during strenuous aerobic exercise, according to a new study.

U.S. attracting fewer educated, highly skilled migrants, report says

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:50 AM PST

A new study using data from the social networking site LinkedIn showed a sharp drop-off in the proportional number of skilled workers migrating to the United States. The study is believed to be the first ever to measure global migration of professionals to the U.S.

Experience with family verbal conflict as a child can help in stressful situations as an adult

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 08:18 AM PST

Individuals who were exposed to intense verbal aggression as children are able to handle intense conflict later in life, new research suggests. "Conflict experiences can be beneficial, by alleviating tension and avoiding conflict escalation, reducing communication apprehension, and contributing to closeness within the relationship," said an author of the study. "Given the diversity of outcomes associated with interpersonal conflict, efforts to understand variation in the experienced negativity of conflict experiences are extremely important in helping people navigate these interactions."

An inside job: Designer nanoparticles infiltrate, kill cancer cells from within

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 08:18 AM PST

Nanoparticle designs target and treat early stage cancer cells by killing those cells with heat, delivered from inside the cell itself. Normal cells are thus left unaffected by the treatment regimen.

Legendary snowmastodon fossil site in Colorado

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 08:18 AM PST

Four years ago, a bulldozer turned over some bones at Ziegler Reservoir near Snowmass Village, Colorado. Scientists were called to the scene and confirmed the bones were those of a Columbian mammoth, setting off a frenzy of excavation, scientific analysis, and international media attention. This dramatic and unexpected discovery culminates this month with the publication of the Snowmastodon Project Science Volume.

Cooling with the coldest matter in the world

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 08:18 AM PST

Physicists have developed a new cooling technique for mechanical quantum systems. Using an ultracold atomic gas, the vibrations of a membrane were cooled down to less than 1 degree above absolute zero. This technique may enable novel studies of quantum physics and precision measurement devices.

How our bodies keep unwelcome visitors out of cell nuclei

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 08:18 AM PST

The structure of pores found in cell nuclei has been uncovered by a team of scientists, revealing how they selectively block certain molecules from entering, protecting genetic material and normal cell functions. The discovery could lead to the development of new drugs against viruses that target the cell nucleus and new ways of delivering gene therapies, say the scientists behind the study.

The charming, useful ladybug

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 08:11 AM PST

During the warm months of the year, ladybugs are delightful to have around. Then fall arrives and the ladybugs need to find warmth, which is most available inside people's homes – where they often descend in large numbers. Suddenly they're not as cute to many people as they seemed outdoors. But an insect expert says having ladybugs indoors serves a very useful purpose, and humans should welcome their temporary houseguests.

Full speed ahead: The physical art of sailing

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 08:11 AM PST

Olympic sailors tip their masts precariously close to the water's surface while turning, right their vessels at what looks like the last possible moment, and bounce up and down over the edge of their boats on the straightaways. Every aspiring Olympic sailor must master these unsteady sail propulsion techniques, but there is no scientific literature that explains exactly how the moves increase a boat's speed. Scientists are working to change that.

Developing noninvasive test for endometriosis

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 07:32 AM PST

Patterns of genetic activity that can be used to diagnose endometriosis and its severity have been identified by researchers, a finding that may offer millions of women an alternative to surgery through a simple noninvasive procedure.

Sorting through recycling bins to learn about alcohol use

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 07:32 AM PST

When researchers wanted to verify alcohol-use survey results at a senior housing center, they came up with a novel way to measure residents' drinking: Count the empty bottles in recycling bins.

Breaking with tradition: 'Personal touch' is key to cultural preservation

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 07:32 AM PST

'Memes' transfer cultural information like rituals in much the way that genes inherit biological properties. Now a study provides insight into the building blocks of cultural replication and the different ways they're used to preserve traditional rituals and practices.

Threats of terrorism perceived differently depending on identification within a group

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 07:32 AM PST

People who see their group as more homogenous -- for instance, the more one thinks Americans are similar to each other -- are less likely to be influenced by external terrorist threat alerts, according to research.

Educating on sickle cell risk in sub-Saharan Africa

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 07:32 AM PST

Members of the public in sub-Saharan Africa who are carriers of the hereditary disease sickle cell disease must be educated aggressively through public health campaigns to raise awareness of the risks of parenting offspring with the disease if their partner is also a carrier, according to research.

End to end 5G for super, superfast mobile

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 07:32 AM PST

Computer scientists are investigating how software-defined cellular networking might be used to give smart phone users the next generation of super-superfast broadband, 5G.

Football players found to have brain damage from mild 'unreported' concussions

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 07:32 AM PST

There wasn't a diagnostic capability to identify mild brain injury early after the trauma until recently. In the NFL, other professional sports and especially school sports, concern has grown about the long-term neuropsychiatric consequences of repeated mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) and specifically sports-related concussive and sub-concussive head impacts.'

Turtles and dinosaurs: Scientists solve reptile mysteries with landmark study on the evolution of turtles

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 07:32 AM PST

A team of scientists has reconstructed a detailed 'tree of life' for turtles. Next generation sequencing technologies have generated unprecedented amounts of genetic information for a thrilling new look at turtles' evolutionary history. Scientists place turtles in the newly named group 'Archelosauria' with their closest relatives: birds, crocodiles, and dinosaurs.

Ultrafast, low-cost DNA sequencing technology a step closer to reality

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 07:32 AM PST

A prototype DNA reader that could make whole genome profiling an everyday practice in medicine has been developed by researchers. "Our goal is to put cheap, simple and powerful DNA and protein diagnostic devices into every single doctor's office," said one researcher. Such technology could help usher in the age of personalized medicine.

Teens prescribed anxiety, sleep medications likelier to illegally abuse them later

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 07:31 AM PST

The medical community may be inadvertently creating a new generation of illegal, recreational drug users by prescribing anti-anxiety or sleep medications to teenagers, say researchers.

Does dip decrease or deepen addiction to nicotine?

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 07:31 AM PST

Smokeless tobacco products are marketed as a way for smokers to cut back on the negative effects of tobacco, while still being able to use it. Is that really the case? A new study investigates whether smokers are using smokeless tobacco products as a replacement, or supplement to cigarettes.

For important tumor-suppressing protein, context is key

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 06:24 AM PST

New details about how an important tumor-suppressing protein, called p53, binds to the human genome have been detected by researchers. As with many things in life, they found that context makes a big difference.

Fiddler crab migrating north, possibly from climate change

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 06:24 AM PST

The fiddler crab, Uca pugnax, has migrated nearly 50 miles north of its supposed natural range along the US East Coast. This may be another sign of climate change, experts say.

Protein that rouses brain from sleep may be target for Alzheimer's prevention

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 06:24 AM PST

A protein that stimulates the brain to awaken from sleep may be a target for preventing Alzheimer's disease, a study suggests. The new research, in mice, demonstrates that eliminating that protein -- called orexin -- made mice sleep for longer periods of time and strongly slowed the production of brain plaques.

Declining loneliness among American teenagers

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 06:24 AM PST

In an effort to study the societal trend of loneliness, researchers conducted an analysis of data on high school and college students in the United States, and come up with some encouraging results.

Study supports free 'Super WiFi'

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 06:24 AM PST

The need for the wireless transfer of data will increase significantly in the coming years. Scientists therefore propose to turn some of the TV frequencies that will become free into common property and to use it to extend existing wireless networks (WiFi) instead of using the frequencies for mobile communications. Their study recommends that the additional frequencies not be marketed but made available to the population and companies at no cost.

Neurodegenerative diseases: Has a possible new lead been found?

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 06:24 AM PST

Good communication between brain cells is vital for optimal (mental) health. Mutations in the TBC1D24 gene inhibit this process, thereby causing neurodegeneration and epilepsy. Fruit flies with a defect in Skywalker, the fruit fly variant of TBC1D24, are being used as a model for neurodegeneration. Researchers have succeeded in completely suppressing neurodegeneration in such fruit flies, by partially inhibiting the breakdown of 'defective' proteins in brain cells.

Scientists do glass a solid, with new theory on how it transitions from a liquid

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 06:23 AM PST

How does glass transition from a liquid to its familiar solid state? How does this common material transport heat and sound? And what microscopic changes occur when a glass gains rigidity as it cools? A team of researchers offers a theoretical explanation for these processes.

The sound of status: People know high-power voices when they hear them

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 05:10 AM PST

Being in a position of power can fundamentally change the way you speak, altering basic acoustic properties of the voice, and other people are able to pick up on these vocal cues to know who is really in charge, according to new research.

Mutant protein takes babies' breath away

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 05:10 AM PST

Researchers had never shown exactly how cells in the brain stem detect carbon dioxide and regulate breathing in humans. After taking a mutation from a two-month-old baby and expressing it in human astrocytes, they did exactly that -- and the research may lead to an early warning system to save premature infants with breathing trouble.

Healthy gut microbiota can prevent metabolic syndrome, researchers say

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 05:10 AM PST

Promoting healthy gut microbiota, the bacteria that live in the intestine, can help treat or prevent metabolic syndrome, a combination of risk factors that increases a person's risk for heart disease, diabetes and stroke, according to researchers.

Schizophrenia may be triggered by excess protein during brain development

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 05:10 AM PST

A gene associated with schizophrenia plays a role in brain development and may help to explain the biological process of the disease, according to new research. Researchers saytoo much protein expressed by the NOS1AP gene, which has been associated with schizophrenia, causes abnormalities in brain structure and faulty connections between nerve cells that prevent them from communicating properly.

Motor coordination issues in autism are caused by abnormal neural connections

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 05:10 AM PST

Abnormal connections between neurons are the likely cause of motor coordination issues seen in autism spectrum disorder. Using a mouse model of autism, scientists identified a malfunctioning neural circuit associated with reduced capacity for motor learning. This appears to arise from an inability to eliminate unneeded neural connections in the brain.

Adult survivors of childhood eye cancer experience few cognitive or social setbacks

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 05:10 AM PST

Adult survivors of retinoblastoma, a type of eye cancer that usually develops in early childhood, have few cognitive or social problems decades following their diagnosis and treatment, researchers report. The findings offer good news for patients, but it's important to continue to monitor for long-term effects as the brain changes throughout life.

Universal health coverage for US military veterans within reach, but many still lack coverage

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 05:09 AM PST

Over a million US military veterans lacked healthcare coverage in 2012, according to new estimates published in The Lancet. While many people believe that all veterans are covered by the Veterans Affairs health care system, less than half (8.9 million) of the 22 million veterans in the US are covered by VA health benefits, and most veterans are covered by private health insurance. Uninsured veterans are more likely to be young, single, African American, and veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mimics do not substitute for the 'real thing' for bomb-sniffing dogs

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 05:09 AM PST

Canines trained on pseudo-explosives could not reliably identify the genuine article (and vice versa). When it comes to teaching dogs how to sniff out explosives, there's nothing quite like the real thing to make sure they're trained right.

Damage caused by geothermal probes is rare

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 05:09 AM PST

Soil settlements or upheavals and resulting cracks in monuments, floodings, or dried-up wells: Reports about damage caused by geothermal probes have made the population feel insecure. In fact, the probability of damage occurring in Baden-Württemberg is lower than 0.002% per year.

Primates indispensable for regeneration of tropical forests

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 05:09 AM PST

Primatologist and plant geneticists have studied the dispersal of tree seeds by New World primates. Primates can influence seed dispersal and spatial genetic kinship structure of plants that serve as their food source.

Gas cloud in the galactic center is part of a larger gas streamer

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 05:09 AM PST

Astronomers have presented new observations of the gas cloud G2 in the galactic center originally discovered in 2011. These data are in remarkably good agreement with an on-going tidal disruption. As a complete surprise came the discovery that the orbit of G2 matches that of another gas cloud detected a decade ago, suggesting that G2 might actually be part of a much more extensive gas streamer. This would also match some of the proposed scenarios that try to explain the presence of G2. One such model is that G2 is originating from the wind from a massive star.

Bad news for kids: Parents do not defend their offspring at all cost, bird study shows

Posted: 24 Nov 2014 05:09 AM PST

Do parents defend their offspring whenever necessary, and do self-sacrificing parents really exist? To answer this question, researchers examined defense behaviors of parent blue tits. They investigated whether birds would risk everything to protect their young from predators. Their conclusion: parents weigh the risks. It is not only the risk to the nestlings, but also their own risk that plays a role when defending their nests.