RefBan

Referral Banners

Thursday, November 7, 2013

ScienceDaily: Top News

ScienceDaily: Top News


Breastfeeding possible deterrent to autism

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 05:24 PM PST

The emergence of autism in young children appears to result from dysmyelination of brain neurons, related to inadequate supply of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) in the newborn. The deficiency of IGF in affected infants may be due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors yet to be determined. If this hypothesis is correct, breastfeeding in particular could increase IGF levels, thereby compensating for an inborn deficiency of the growth factor.

Earliest record of copulating insects discovered

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 05:24 PM PST

Scientists have found the oldest fossil depicting copulating insects in northeastern China.

Presence of human settlements has negative impact on tiger connectivity

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 05:22 PM PST

Human settlements and roads place greater barriers on tiger dispersal than distance.

Drilling for hydrocarbons can impact aquatic life

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 05:22 PM PST

The degradation of drilling sumps associated with hydrocarbon extraction can negatively affect aquatic ecosystems.

Clear association between ACE inhibitors, acute kidney injury

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 05:22 PM PST

New research shows clear association between ACE inhibitors -- drugs used to treat high blood pressure and heart disease -- and acute kidney injury. These and similar drugs are the second most prescribed on the National Health Services in England.

Stress makes snails forgetful

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 05:22 PM PST

New research on pond snails has revealed that high levels of stress can block memory processes. Researchers trained snails and found that when they were exposed to multiple stressful events they were unable remember what they had learned.

Children who have autism far more likely to have tummy troubles

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 05:22 PM PST

Children with autism experience gastrointestinal upsets such as constipation, diarrhea and sensitivity to foods six-to-eight times more often than do children who are developing typically, and those symptoms are related to behavioral problems, including social withdrawal, irritability and repetitive behaviors.

Infected butterflies lead geneticists up the garden path

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 05:19 PM PST

For animal species that cannot be distinguished using their external characteristics, genetic techniques such as DNA barcoding can help to identify cryptic species. An international team of researchers has now demonstrated how a bacterial infection can mimic cryptic speciation in butterflies. To avoid false results in the future, scientists recommend more in-depth genetic studies.

Floods didn't provide nitrogen 'fix' for earliest crops in frigid north

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 05:18 PM PST

Floods didn't make floodplains fertile during the dawn of human agriculture in the Earth's far north because the waters were virtually devoid of nitrogen. Instead, the hardy Norsemen and early inhabitants of Russia and Canada can thank cyanobacteria in the floodplains themselves for the abundant grasses that fed game and cattle, a process that continues today.

Russian fireball yields scientific treasure trove: Researchers obtain crucial data from meteoroid impact

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 01:41 PM PST

A team of NASA and international scientists for the first time have gathered a detailed understanding of the effects on Earth from a small asteroid impact. The unprecedented data obtained as the result of the airburst of a meteoroid over the Russian city of Chelyabinsk on Feb. 15, 2013, has revolutionized scientists' understanding of this natural phenomenon.

Rare new microbe found in two spacecraft clean rooms

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 01:26 PM PST

A rare, recently discovered microbe that survives on very little to eat has been found in two places on Earth: spacecraft clean rooms in Florida and South America. Microbiologists often do thorough surveys of bacteria and other microbes in spacecraft clean rooms. Fewer microbes live there than in almost any other environment on Earth, but the surveys are important for knowing what might hitch a ride into space. If extraterrestrial life is ever found, it would be readily checked against the census of a few hundred types of microbes detected in spacecraft clean rooms.

Speaking a second language may delay different dementias

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 01:25 PM PST

In the largest study on the topic to date, research shows that speaking a second language may delay the onset of three types of dementias.

Addicts may be seeking relief from emotional lows more than euphoric highs

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 12:24 PM PST

Researchers are challenging the commonly held view that drug addiction occurs because users are always going after the high. Based on new animal studies, they say the initial positive feelings of intoxication are short lived -- quickly replaced by negative emotional responses which may be more important in understanding substance abuse.

From one collapsing star, two black holes form and fuse

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 12:24 PM PST

Over billions of years, small black holes can slowly grow into supermassive black holes by taking on mass from their surroundings, and also by merging with other black holes. But this slow process can't explain how supermassive black holes existing in the early universe would have formed less than one billion years after the Big Bang. New findings help to test a model that solves this problem.

Bringing sun's light and energy to interior rooms: Innovative solar technology may lead to interior lighting revolution

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 12:24 PM PST

Researchers have seen the light -- a bright, powerful light -- and it just might change the future of how building interiors are brightened. In fact, that light comes directly from the sun. And with the help of tiny, electrofluidic cells and a series of open-air "ducts," sunlight can naturally illuminate windowless work spaces deep inside office buildings and excess energy can be harnessed, stored and directed to other applications.

Threats to cloud data storage, mobile devices

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 12:22 PM PST

As more businesses find their way into the cloud, few engage in security measures beyond those provided by the associated cloud storage firm, a new report notes. Even fewer seek heightened data protection because of concerns that usability and access to remote data would be significantly reduced.

Researchers and clinicians unite to answer what will it take to achieve an AIDS-free world?

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 11:13 AM PST

Since the onset of the AIDS pandemic more than three decades ago, researchers from the lab and physicians in the clinic have been working toward one shared goal: an AIDS-free world. This week leading researchers and clinicians discussed recent findings that could bring hope to the estimated 35 million people world-wide who live with HIV.

Multitasking neurons filter and decide: How neural circuits identify information needed for decisions

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 11:13 AM PST

Using brain recordings and a computer model, an interdisciplinary team confounds the conventional wisdom about how the brain sorts out relevant versus irrelevant sensory inputs in making choices.

A shot in the dark: Detector on the hunt for dark matter

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 11:12 AM PST

Physicists are using a detector to hunt for an elusive particle called an axion, a leading candidate for the makeup of cold dark matter that accounts for about one-quarter of the mass of the universe.

Monkeys use minds to move two virtual arms

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 11:12 AM PST

Monkeys have learned to control the movement of both arms on an avatar using just their brain activity.

Earliest marker for autism found in young infants

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 10:20 AM PST

Eye contact during early infancy may be a key to early identification of autism, according to a new study. The study reveals the earliest sign of developing autism ever observed -- a steady decline in attention to others' eyes within the first two to six months of life.

Carbon nanotube jungles created to better detect molecules

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 10:20 AM PST

Researchers have developed a new method of using nanotubes to detect molecules at extremely low concentrations enabling trace detection of biological threats, explosives and drugs.

Volcanic rock probe helps unlock mysteries of how Earth formed

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 10:19 AM PST

New insights gleaned from volcanic rock are helping scientists better understand how our planet evolved billions of years ago.

Climate change scientists must turn their attention to clean skies, experts urge

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 10:19 AM PST

Natural aerosols, such as emissions from volcanoes or plants, may contribute more uncertainty than previously thought to estimates of how the climate might respond to greenhouse gas emissions.

RNA controls splicing during gene expression, further evidence of 'RNA world' origin in modern life

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 10:19 AM PST

RNA is the key functional component of spliceosomes, molecular machines that control how genes are expressed, report scientists. The discovery establishes that RNA, not protein, is responsible for catalyzing this fundamental biological process and enriches the hypothesis that life on Earth began in a world based solely on RNA.

New explanation for infection susceptibility in newborns: It is all about helping beneficial bacteria colonize the gut

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 10:19 AM PST

Cells that allow helpful bacteria to safely colonize the intestines of newborn infants also suppress their immune systems to make them more vulnerable to infections, according to new research. The study could prompt a major shift in how medicine views the threat of neonatal infections -- and how researchers go about looking for new strategies to stop it, said scientists who conducted the study.

Discovery of HIV 'invisibility cloak' reveals new treatment opportunities

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 10:19 AM PST

Scientists have discovered a molecular invisibility cloak that enables HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, to hide inside cells of the body without triggering the body's natural defense systems.

X-rays reveal inner structure of Earth's ancient magma ocean

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 10:19 AM PST

Using the world's most brilliant X-ray source, scientists have for the first time peered into molten magma at conditions of the deep Earth mantle. The analysis revealed that molten basalt changes its structure when exposed to pressure of up to 60 gigapascals.

Newly discovered predatory dinosaur 'king of gore' reveals the origins of T. rex

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 10:18 AM PST

A dinosaur belonging to the same evolutionary branch as the famous Tyrannosaurus rex has just been discovered. Lythronax argestes possesses several unique features, a short narrow snout with a wide back of the skull with forward-oriented eyes. Lythronax translates as "king of gore."

Clean Air Act has led to improved water quality in the Chesapeake Bay watershed

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 09:21 AM PST

A new study shows that the reduction of pollution emissions from power plants in the mid-Atlantic is making an impact on the quality of the water that ends up in the Chesapeake Bay.

Inkjet-based circuits created at fraction of time and cost

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 09:20 AM PST

Researchers have developed a novel method to rapidly and cheaply make electrical circuits by printing them with commodity inkjet printers and off-the-shelf materials. For about $300 in equipment costs, anyone can produce working electrical circuits in the 60 seconds it takes to print them.

Three-dimensional carbon goes metallic

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 08:41 AM PST

A theoretical, three-dimensional form of carbon that is metallic under ambient temperature and pressure has been discovered by an international research team. The findings may significantly advance carbon science.

Perfect faults: A self-correcting crystal may unleash the next generation of advanced communications

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 08:40 AM PST

Researchers are engineering and measuring a potentially important new class of nanostructured materials for microwave and advanced communication devices. These new multilayered crystalline sandwiches might enable a whole new class of compact, high-performance, high-efficiency components for devices such as cellular phones.

Cocktail novelties inspired by nature's designs

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 08:40 AM PST

A mathematician and a celebrity chef have combined talents to create two culinary novelties inspired by nature.

New compact atomic clock design uses cold atoms to boost precision

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 08:40 AM PST

Physicists have demonstrated a compact atomic clock design that relies on cold rubidium atoms instead of the usual hot atoms, a switch that promises improved precision and stability.

Nature's great diversity: Remarkable 277 new wasp species from Costa Rica

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 08:40 AM PST

Costa Rica reveals astonishing biodiversity of braconid wasps, with 277 new species of the tribe Heterospilini described, from a total of 286 attributed to the group. The study is the second part of an extensive two-part study of the braconid subfamily Doryctinae from Costa Rica, to reveal the great species diversity within such a small territory.

Reforms urgently needed to streamline road to Alzheimer's

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 08:40 AM PST

As the burden of Alzheimer's disease escalates worldwide, efforts to develop effective treatments are failing to keep pace because of the high costs and risks associated with developing Alzheimer's drugs. Reforming Alzheimer's drug development, so it is more streamlined and efficient, would bring down costs and speed progress toward approval of drugs that slow or stop the disease.

Locking down the cloud

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 08:39 AM PST

A software re-encryption system could allow users to pay for and run applications "in the cloud" without revealing their identity to the cloud host. The same approach would also allow the software providers to lock out malicious users.

Negative effects of road noises on migratory birds

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 08:38 AM PST

A new study shows that the negative effects of roads on wildlife are largely because of traffic noise.

Customizing treatments for deadly prostate cancer with tumor genomics

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 08:38 AM PST

A new study is using genomic sequencing to develop customized treatments for men with castration-resistant prostate cancer, a progressive and incurable stage of prostate cancer, which no longer responds to hormone therapies that stop or slow testosterone production.

Genetic aberration paves the way for new treatment of cancer disease

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 07:16 AM PST

Researchers have characterized a genetic aberration on a group of colorectal cancer patients. The discovery gives hope for a new and efficient treatment of colorectal cancer, which is a frequent and often fatal disease.

Personal reflection triggers increased brain activity during depressive episodes

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 07:16 AM PST

Research has found that people experiencing depressive episodes display increased brain activity when they think about themselves.

Volume of nuclear waste could be reduced by 90 percent, says new research

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 07:16 AM PST

Engineers have developed a way to significantly reduce the volume of some higher activity nuclear wastes, which will reduce the cost of interim storage and final disposal.

New report calls for sustained public endorsement, funding for human stem cell research

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 07:16 AM PST

A strategic report from the European Science Foundation examines the key scientific questions for human stem cell research in the context of the rapidly emerging field of regenerative medicine. In parallel to the potential new treatments for incurable diseases resulting from stem cell research, heated ethical and legal debates have arisen across the world.

Identifying young people with type 1 diabetes at risk of heart, kidney disease

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 07:16 AM PST

Using a simple urine test, researchers can now identify young people with type 1 diabetes at risk of heart and kidney disease.

Comprehending comprehension

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 07:16 AM PST

What makes a good reader? First, you have to know how to read the words on a page and understand them -- but there's a higher-level step to reading comprehension. You have to tie together the words over time, maintaining their order and meaning in your memory, so that you can understand phrases, sentences, paragraphs and extended texts.

Determining the quantum geometry of a crystal

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 06:13 AM PST

Physicists have succeeded in measuring geometric properties of energy bands in light crystals.

Audio processing: Computers following the brain's lead

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 05:44 AM PST

When designed to process sound based on familiar patterns, sound recognition by computers becomes more robust.

Holograms set for greatness

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 05:44 AM PST

A new technique that combines optical plates to manipulate laser light improves the quality of holograms.

Severe chronic depression more likely in child sex abuse victims

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 05:44 AM PST

A new study reveals the highest risk variables of chronic depression in the population -- such as having suffered previous episodes of depression, delayed treatment, whether related to other physical or mental health problems, or having suffered sexual abuse during childhood -- affects almost half of patients seeking treatment for depression and carries with it significant problems in terms of disability, suffering and the cost of healthcare.

Unnecessary TB deaths to be thing of the past thanks to mobile drug resistance test device

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 05:44 AM PST

Thousands of deaths from tuberculosis (or TB), an infectious bacterial disease, could be prevented using a new hand-held device that is being developed to detect potentially fatal drug resistance in less than 15 minutes.

Creatures of influence

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 04:39 AM PST

An international research team has developed mathematical tools that can estimate which species are most influential in a food web.

Nanoscale 'tsunami' helps locusts tune in

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 04:39 AM PST

The remarkable mechanism by which the tiny ears of locusts can hear and distinguish between different tones has been discovered by researchers. Understanding how the nanoscale features of the insect eardrum mechanically process sound could open up practical possibilities for the fabrication of embedded signal processing in extremely small microphones.

Male lizards prefer more-feminine lizards to 'bearded ladies'

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 04:39 AM PST

Mating-behavior studies of lizards in three southern US states have revealed which females male lizards find to be the sexiest. The research provides insight into the evolution of male-female differences.

Playing pop and rock music boosts performance of solar cells

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 04:39 AM PST

Playing pop and rock music improves the performance of solar cells, according to new research.

Scientists solve major piece in the origin of biological complexity

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 04:38 AM PST

Scientists have puzzled for centuries over how and why multicellular organisms evolved the almost universal trait of using single cells, such as eggs and sperm, to reproduce. Now researchers have set a big piece of that puzzle into place by applying experimental evolution to transform a single-celled algae into a multicellular one that reproduces by dispersing single cells.

Health benefits of wild blueberries abound

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 04:38 AM PST

New research shows that regular long-term wild blueberry diets may help improve or prevent pathologies associated with the metabolic syndrome, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Sports Decision Review System: Hawk-eye or human eye?

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 04:37 AM PST

For ardent sports fans, decision review technology – popularly known as Hawk-Eye – is having a 'marmite moment'. It's either welcomed as a definitive mechanism to assist a referee make the right decision or an imperfect tool which has done nothing to improve the enjoyment of sporting fixtures.  Now used in a wide range of games including football, tennis, hurling and Gaelic football, it has often proved controversial.   

Astronomers establish the strength of high-inclination asteroids

Posted: 06 Nov 2013 04:35 AM PST

Astronomers have been observing faint asteroids with highly inclined orbits. They found that a smaller fraction of tiny bodies occur among high-inclination asteroids than those near the ecliptic plane. This means that large asteroids in high-velocity collisions between asteroids probably have a greater increase of strength in resisting disruption than those in the present mean-velocity collisions. Clarification of the relationship between collisional velocity and asteroids' disruptive strength is helpful in understanding the collisional evolution of asteroids in the early Solar System.

No comments: