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Wednesday, March 20, 2013

ScienceDaily: Most Popular News

ScienceDaily: Most Popular News


Alloy has potential for electronics in oil, gas and geothermal wells

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 05:24 PM PDT

An alloy that may improve high-temperature electronics in oil, gas and geothermal wells fills a unique niche.

Under the skin, a tiny laboratory

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 05:21 PM PDT

Scientists have developed a tiny, portable personal blood testing laboratory: a minuscule device implanted just under the skin provides an immediate analysis of substances in the body, and a radio module transmits the results to a doctor over the cellular phone network. This feat of miniaturization has many potential applications, including monitoring patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Anxiety, depression identify heart disease patients at increased risk of dying

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 05:21 PM PDT

Heart disease patients who have anxiety have twice the risk of dying from any cause compared to those without anxiety. Patients with both anxiety and depression had triple the risk of dying. The findings suggest more frequent monitoring is needed for heart patients with anxiety and depression.

Heart failure patients with depression have four times risk of death

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 05:21 PM PDT

Moderate-to-severe depression quadruples the death rate among heart failure patients. Patients who have heart failure and are also moderately or severely depressed are twice as likely to go the emergency room or require hospitalization. Heart failure patients who report feeling mildly depressed also had an increased risk of death.

For polar bears, it's survival of the fattest

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 05:20 PM PDT

One of the most southerly populations of polar bears in the world – and the best studied – is struggling to cope with climate-induced changes to sea ice, new research reveals. Based on over 10 years' data the study sheds new light on how sea ice conditions drive polar bears' annual migration on and off the ice.

Inherited genetic variations have a major impact on childhood leukemia risk

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 05:19 PM PDT

A new study links inherited variations in a few genes to a substantially increased risk of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and helps to explain ethnic differences in the cancer's incidence.

Mechanical forces play major role in regulating cells

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 05:19 PM PDT

Researchers have for the first time shown that mechanical forces can control the depolymerization of actin, a protein critical to cells. The research suggests that forces applied externally and internally may play a larger role than previously believed in regulating a range of processes inside cells.

Novel discovery reveals signals from brain aid the spread, persistence of pain

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 05:19 PM PDT

Treatments for pain at the site of an injury may not always be good enough, according to a novel study. The study results could change conventional thinking about pain management, they say.

Scientists discover reasons behind snakes' 'shrinking heads'

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 01:04 PM PDT

Scientists have uncovered how some sea snakes have developed 'shrunken heads' -- or smaller physical features than their related species.

Face of the future rears its head: Digital talking head expresses human emotions on demand

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 01:00 PM PDT

Meet Zoe: a digital talking head which can express human emotions on demand with "unprecedented realism" and could herald a new era of human-computer interaction.

Transportation study reveals potential for deep cuts to petroleum use and carbon emissions

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 12:56 PM PDT

Scientists have completed an assessment of avenues to reach deep cuts in petroleum use and greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector.

Fish protein may inhibit cancer metastasis

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 12:56 PM PDT

Researchers have identified a peptide, or protein, derived from Pacific cod that may inhibit prostate cancer and possibly other cancers from spreading, according to preclinical research.

Biennial mammograms best after 50, even for women with dense breasts, experts say

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 11:45 AM PDT

Screening for breast cancer every two years appears just as beneficial as yearly mammograms for women ages 50 to 74, with significantly fewer "false positives" -- even for women whose breasts are dense or who use hormone therapy for menopause.

Fantastic flash memory combines graphene and molybdenite

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 11:45 AM PDT

Scientists have combined two materials with advantageous electronic properties -- graphene and molybdenite -- into a flash memory prototype that is very promising in terms of performance, size, flexibility and energy consumption.

More career options may explain why fewer women pursue jobs in science and math

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 11:44 AM PDT

Women may be less likely to pursue careers in science and math because they have more career choices, not because they have less ability, according to a new study.

Promising target for multiple sclerosis treatments identified

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 11:44 AM PDT

Medical researchers have identified an elevated presence in MS patients of a type of white blood cell (CD4 T cell) that expresses NKG2C, a highly-toxic molecule harmful to brain tissues.

High-carb intake in infancy has lifelong effects, study finds

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 11:44 AM PDT

Consumption of foods high in carbohydrates immediately after birth programs individuals for lifelong increased weight gain and obesity, an animal study has found, even if caloric intake is restricted in adulthood for a period of time.

Tomatoes that mimic actions of good cholesterol created

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 11:41 AM PDT

Researchers have genetically engineered tomatoes to produce a peptide that mimics the actions of good cholesterol when consumed. In this early study, mice that were fed these tomatoes in freeze-dried, ground form had less inflammation and plaque build-up in their arteries.

Gene profile may help identify risk for hormone-sensitive, hormone-insensitive breast cancer

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 11:41 AM PDT

The overexpression or underexpression of a newly identified set of genes related to lipid metabolism may help physicians identify whether or not a woman is at risk for hormone receptor-positive or hormone receptor-negative breast cancer and to subsequently tailor prevention strategies appropriately, according to new data.

Conscientious people are more likely to have higher GPAs

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 09:43 AM PDT

Conscientious people are more likely to have higher grade point averages, according to new research.

Brain-mapping increases understanding of alcohol's effects on first-year college students

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 09:43 AM PDT

Scientists have completed a first-of-its-kind longitudinal pilot study aimed at better understanding how the neural processes that underlie responses to alcohol-related cues change during students' first year of college.

DNA catalysts do the work of protein enzymes

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 09:42 AM PDT

Chemists have used DNA to do a protein's job, creating opportunities for DNA to find work in more areas of biology, chemistry and medicine than ever before.

Wireless, implanted sensor broadens range of brain research

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 09:42 AM PDT

A compact, self-contained sensor recorded and transmitted brain activity data wirelessly for more than a year in early stage animal tests, according to a new study.

Researchers devise hidden dune filters to treat coastal stormwater runoff

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 09:42 AM PDT

When it rains, untreated stormwater can sweep pollutants into coastal waters, potentially endangering public health. Now researchers have developed low-cost filtration systems that are concealed beneath sand dunes and filter out most of the bacteria that can lead to beach closures.

Brain tumor cells killed by anti-nausea drug

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 09:42 AM PDT

New research has shown for the first time that the growth of brain tumors can be halted by a drug currently being used to help patients recover from the side effects of chemotherapy.

Tenfold boost in ability to pinpoint proteins in cancer cells

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 09:42 AM PDT

A new method for color-coding cells allows cancer researchers to illuminate 100 biomarkers, a ten-time increase from the current standard. This helps to analyze individual cells from cultures or tissue biopsies.

Laser-like photons signal major step towards quantum 'Internet'

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 09:42 AM PDT

The realization of quantum networks is one of the major challenges of modern physics. Now, new research shows how high-quality photons can be generated from "solid-state" chips, bringing us closer to the quantum "Internet."

Sex between monogamous heterosexuals rarely source of hepatitis C infection, study suggests

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 09:41 AM PDT

Individuals infected by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) have nothing to fear from sex in a monogamous, heterosexual relationship. Transmission of HCV from an infected partner during sex is rare according to new research.

Sleep study reveals how the adolescent brain makes the transition to mature thinking

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 07:27 AM PDT

A new study conducted by monitoring the brain waves of sleeping adolescents has found that remarkable changes occur in the brain as it prunes away neuronal connections and makes the major transition from childhood to adulthood.

Neanderthal brains focused on vision and movement leaving less room for social networking

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 06:36 AM PDT

Neanderthal brains were adapted to allow them to see better and maintain larger bodies, according to new research. Although Neanderthals' brains were similar in size to their contemporary modern human counterparts, fresh analysis of fossil data suggests that their brain structure was rather different. Results imply that larger areas of the Neanderthal brain, compared to the modern human brain, were given over to vision and movement and this left less room for the higher level thinking required to form large social groups.

Electrons are not enough: Cuprate superconductors defy convention

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 06:17 AM PDT

To engineers, it's a tale as old as time: Electrical current is carried through materials by flowing electrons. But physicists have now found that for copper-containing superconductors, known as cuprates, electrons are not enough to carry the current.

Tiny RNA molecule may have role in polycystic ovary syndrome, insulin resistance

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 06:17 AM PDT

A group of tiny RNA molecules with a big role in regulating gene expression also appear to have a role in causing insulin resistance in woman with polycystic ovary syndrome and, perhaps, in all women, researchers report.

Cushioned heel running shoes may alter adolescent biomechanics, performance

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 06:14 AM PDT

Many of today's running shoes feature a heavy cushioned heel. New research found that these shoes may alter an adolescent runner's biomechanics (the forces exerted by muscles and gravity on the skeletal structure) and diminish performance.

How proteins read meta DNA code

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 06:12 AM PDT

Scientists have accurately calculated the sliding mechanism for deciphering the second genetic code written within the DNA base pair sequence.

Adoption and risk management in fish: how cichlids prevent their young from being eaten

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 06:11 AM PDT

For a variety of reasons, many humans choose to adopt children.  More surprisingly, adoption is fairly widespread in the animal kingdom, even though it would seem to counteract the basic premise of Darwin's theory of evolution, which suggests that animals should raise as many of their own offspring as possible.  Understanding the rationale for adoption has challenged theorists for generations. Scientists now describe a new approach to the problem.

New nanomedicine resolves inflammation, promotes tissue healing

Posted: 19 Mar 2013 06:10 AM PDT

Researchers have developed biodegradable nanoparticles that are capable of delivering inflammation-resolving drugs to sites of tissue injury. The nanoparticles, which were successfully tested in mice, have potential for the treatment of a wide array of diseases characterized by excessive inflammation, such as atherosclerosis.

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