ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Diagnostic errors more common, costly and harmful than treatment mistakes
• Scientists advance understanding of human brown adipose tissue and grow new cells
• Screening detects ovarian cancer using neighboring cells
• For development in Brazil, two crops are better than one
• Emotional intelligence trumps IQ in dentist-patient relationship
• Health impact assessments prove critical public health tool: Best way to gauge impact of gas drilling on communities
• Alternative therapies may help lower blood pressure
• Scientist identifies protein molecule used to maintain adult stem cells in fruit flies
• Gone, but not forgotten: Scientists recall EP, perhaps the world’s second-most famous amnesiac
• Scientists map all possible drug-like chemical compounds: Library of millions of small, carbon-based molecules chemists might synthesize
• Scientists cage dead zebras in Africa to understand the spread of anthrax
• Fish was on the menu for early flying dinosaur
• Sporting events: Clear your memory to pick a winner
• Biological activity alters the ability of sea spray to seed clouds
• Geochemical method finds links between terrestrial climate and atmospheric carbon dioxide
• Hepatitis C-like viruses identified in bats and rodents
• Special E. coli bacteria produce diesel on demand
• New light shed on early stage Alzheimer's disease
• Antibody transforms stem cells directly into brain cells
• Radioactive bacteria targets metastatic pancreatic cancer
• Physicists find right (and left) solution for on-chip optics: Nanoscale router converts and directs optical signals efficiently
• Method makes it easier to separate useful stem cells from 'problem' ones for therapies
• Physicians less likely to 'bond' with overweight patients
• Mushrooms can provide as much vitamin D as supplements
• Some visible signs of Lyme disease are easily missed or mistaken
• The human immune system in space
• Rivers act as 'horizontal cooling towers' for power plants, study finds
• Genetic circuit allows both individual freedom, collective good
• Using black holes to measure the universe's rate of expansion
• Near-field behavior of semiconductor plasmonic microparticles measured
• Can the friend of my friend be my enemy? Choice affects stability of the social network, animal study shows
• Lazy eye disorder treated with video game Tetris
• Discovery of new genes will help childhood arthritis treatment
• NASA successfully launches three smartphone satellites
• Grains of sand from ancient supernova found in meteorites: Supernova may have been the one that triggered the formation of the solar system
• Grape intake may protect against metabolic syndrome-related organ damage
• Study shows reproductive effects of pesticide exposure span generations
• Putting the brakes on Parkinson's
• Long-lost giant fish from Amazon rediscovered
• Experimental therapy saves child born 'without bones'
• Combating H7N9: Using Lessons Learned from recent studies on H5N1
• 40 percent of parents give young kids cough/cold medicine that they shouldn't
• Nearly half of U.S. veterans found with blast concussions might have hormone deficiencies
• Cutting back on sleep harms blood vessel function and breathing control
• New immune cells hint at eczema cause
• Earth's current warmth not seen in the last 1,400 years or more, says study
• Green spaces may boost wellbeing for city dwellers
• Change diet, exercise habits at same time for best results, study says
• Metastasis stem cells in the blood of breast cancer patients discovered
• Formula can calculate a person's speed by just looking at their footprints
• Using nitrous oxide for anesthesia doesn't increase -- and may decrease -- complications and death, studies suggest
• Ant family tree constructed: Confirms date of evolutionary origin, underscores importance of Neotropics
• Germanium is now laser compatible
• Cocktail of multiple pressures combine to threaten the world's pollinating insects
• Particular DNA changes linked with prostate cancer development and lethality
• New agent might control breast-cancer growth and spread
• Even a few cigarettes a day increases risk of rheumatoid arthritis
• Mephedrone boosts illegal drug use
• Prehistoric metalwork discovered at Iron Age site, along with gaming pieces
• Red light increases alertness during 'post-lunch dip'

Diagnostic errors more common, costly and harmful than treatment mistakes Posted: 22 Apr 2013 06:17 PM PDT In reviewing 25 years of U.S. malpractice claim payouts, researchers found that diagnostic errors — not surgical mistakes or medication overdoses — accounted for the largest fraction of claims, the most severe patient harm, and the highest total of penalty payouts. Diagnosis-related payments amounted to $38.8 billion between 1986 and 2010, they found.

Scientists advance understanding of human brown adipose tissue and grow new cells Posted: 22 Apr 2013 02:58 PM PDT Scientists have reported significant findings about the location, genetic expression and function of human brown adipose tissue (BAT) and the generation of new BAT cells.

Screening detects ovarian cancer using neighboring cells Posted: 22 Apr 2013 02:58 PM PDT Pioneering biophotonics technology detects the early presence of ovarian cancer in humans by examining cells easily brushed from the neighboring cervix or uterus, not the ovaries themselves. The results have the potential to translate into a minimally invasive early detection method using cells collected by a swab, exactly like a pap smear.

For development in Brazil, two crops are better than one Posted: 22 Apr 2013 02:57 PM PDT Brazil is in the midst of an explosion of agricultural production, but who is profiting from that production -- wealthy land owners and investors or average Brazilians is the subject of debate. New research suggests that at least one type of agricultural intensification -- double cropping -- is associated with increases in development measures for rural Brazilians.

Emotional intelligence trumps IQ in dentist-patient relationship Posted: 22 Apr 2013 02:57 PM PDT IQ directly relates to how students perform on tests in the first two years of dental school. But emotional 'intelligence' trumps IQ in how well dental students work with patients, report researchers.

Health impact assessments prove critical public health tool: Best way to gauge impact of gas drilling on communities Posted: 22 Apr 2013 02:57 PM PDT As natural gas drilling expands, policymakers, communities and public health experts are turning to health impact assessments to predict the effects of gas drilling on communities, according to a new study.

Alternative therapies may help lower blood pressure Posted: 22 Apr 2013 02:57 PM PDT Alternative therapies such as aerobic exercise, resistance or strength training and isometric hand grip exercises could help people reduce blood pressure. Biofeedback and device-guided slow breathing reduced blood pressure a small amount. Due to their modest effects, alternative therapies can be used with -- not as a replacement for -- standard treatment.

Scientist identifies protein molecule used to maintain adult stem cells in fruit flies Posted: 22 Apr 2013 12:49 PM PDT Understanding exactly how stem cells form into specific organs and tissues is the holy grail of regenerative medicine. Now a researcher has added to that body of knowledge by determining how stem cells produce different types of "daughter" cells in Drosophila (fruit flies).

Gone, but not forgotten: Scientists recall EP, perhaps the world’s second-most famous amnesiac Posted: 22 Apr 2013 12:49 PM PDT Neuroscientists have described for the first time, in exhaustive detail, the underlying neurobiology of an amnesiac who suffered from profound memory loss after damage to key portions of his brain.

Scientists map all possible drug-like chemical compounds: Library of millions of small, carbon-based molecules chemists might synthesize Posted: 22 Apr 2013 12:49 PM PDT Drug developers may have a new tool to search for more effective medications and new materials. It's a computer algorithm that can model and catalog the entire set of lightweight, carbon-containing molecules that chemists could feasibly create in a lab.

Scientists cage dead zebras in Africa to understand the spread of anthrax Posted: 22 Apr 2013 12:49 PM PDT Scavengers might not play as key a role in spreading anthrax through wildlife populations as previously assumed, according to findings from a small study conducted in Etosha National Park in northern Namibia.

Fish was on the menu for early flying dinosaur Posted: 22 Apr 2013 12:49 PM PDT New research reveals that Microraptor, a small flying dinosaur, was a complete hunter -- able to swoop down and pick up fish.

Sporting events: Clear your memory to pick a winner Posted: 22 Apr 2013 12:49 PM PDT Predicting the winner of a sporting event with accuracy close to that of a statistical computer program could be possible with proper training, according to researchers.

Biological activity alters the ability of sea spray to seed clouds Posted: 22 Apr 2013 12:49 PM PDT Ocean biology alters the chemical composition of sea spray in ways that influence their ability to form clouds over the ocean. That's the conclusion of a team of scientists using a new approach to study tiny atmospheric particles called aerosols that can influence climate by absorbing or reflecting sunlight and seeding clouds.

Geochemical method finds links between terrestrial climate and atmospheric carbon dioxide Posted: 22 Apr 2013 12:49 PM PDT Scientists used a new chemical technique to measure the change in terrestrial temperature associated with a major shift in global atmospheric CO2 concentrations nearly 34 million years ago. Their results provide further evidence that the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide and Earth's surface temperature are inextricably linked.

Hepatitis C-like viruses identified in bats and rodents Posted: 22 Apr 2013 12:49 PM PDT Investigators report the discovery of hepaciviruses and pegiviruses -- close relatives of HCV -- in rodents and bats. The viruses are similar to those that infect humans and may therefore provide insights into the origins of HCV, as well as the mechanisms behind animal-to-human transmission. It may also enable development of new animal models.

Special E. coli bacteria produce diesel on demand Posted: 22 Apr 2013 12:49 PM PDT It sounds like science fiction but scientists have developed a method to make bacteria produce diesel on demand. While the technology still faces many significant commercialization challenges, the diesel, produced by special strains of E. coli bacteria, is almost identical to conventional diesel fuel and so does not need to be blended with petroleum products as is often required by biodiesels derived from plant oils.

New light shed on early stage Alzheimer's disease Posted: 22 Apr 2013 12:48 PM PDT The disrupted metabolism of sugar, fat and calcium is part of the process that causes the death of neurons in Alzheimer's disease. Researchers have now shown, for the first time, how important parts of the nerve cell that are involved in the cell's energy metabolism operate in the early stages of the disease. These somewhat surprising results shed new light on how neuronal metabolism relates to the development of the disease.

Antibody transforms stem cells directly into brain cells Posted: 22 Apr 2013 12:47 PM PDT In a serendipitous discovery, scientists have found a way to turn bone marrow stem cells directly into brain cells.

Radioactive bacteria targets metastatic pancreatic cancer Posted: 22 Apr 2013 12:47 PM PDT Researchers have developed a therapy for pancreatic cancer that uses Listeria bacteria to selectively infect tumor cells and deliver radioisotopes into them. The experimental treatment dramatically decreased the number of metastases (cancers that have spread to other parts of the body) in a mouse model of highly aggressive pancreatic cancer without harming healthy tissue.

Physicists find right (and left) solution for on-chip optics: Nanoscale router converts and directs optical signals efficiently Posted: 22 Apr 2013 11:33 AM PDT Scientists have created a new type of nanoscale device that converts an optical signal into waves that travel along a metal surface. Significantly, the device can recognize specific kinds of polarized light and accordingly send the signal in one direction or another.

Method makes it easier to separate useful stem cells from 'problem' ones for therapies Posted: 22 Apr 2013 11:33 AM PDT Pluripotent stem cells can turn (differentiate) into any cell type in the body, such as nerve, muscle or bone, but inevitably some of these stem cells fail to differentiate and end up mixed in with their newly differentiated daughter cells. Scientists have discovered a new agent that may be useful in strategies to kill off pluripotent stem cells from differentiated daughter cells.

Physicians less likely to 'bond' with overweight patients Posted: 22 Apr 2013 11:33 AM PDT In a small study of 39 primary care doctors and 208 of their patients, researchers have found that physicians built much less of an emotional rapport with their overweight and obese patients than with their patients of normal weight.

Mushrooms can provide as much vitamin D as supplements Posted: 22 Apr 2013 10:28 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that eating mushrooms containing Vitamin D2 can be as effective at increasing and maintaining vitamin D levels (25–hydroxyvitamin D) as taking supplemental vitamin D2 or vitamin D3.

Some visible signs of Lyme disease are easily missed or mistaken Posted: 22 Apr 2013 10:25 AM PDT With Lyme disease season now beginning, doctors are urged to consider Lyme disease as the underlying cause when presented with skin lesions that resemble conditions such as contact dermatitis, lupus, common skin infections, or insect or spider bites, especially where Lyme disease is endemic. New analysis establishes patients with those symptoms, rather than the classic Lyme "bulls-eye" lesion, to have been infected with the Lyme bacterium.

The human immune system in space Posted: 22 Apr 2013 10:25 AM PDT When the space shuttle Atlantis touched down in the summer of 2011 at Cape Canaveral, closing the book on the U.S. shuttle program, a team of U.S. Army researchers stood at the ready, eager to get their gloved hands on a small device in the payload that housed a set of biological samples. Results from studying these samples shed light on how the human immune system responds to stress and assaults while in space – and maybe here on Earth.

Rivers act as 'horizontal cooling towers' for power plants, study finds Posted: 22 Apr 2013 09:30 AM PDT Running two computer models in tandem, scientists have detailed for the first time how thermoelectric power plants interact with climate, hydrology, and aquatic ecosystems throughout the northeastern US and show how rivers serve as "horizontal cooling towers" that provide an important ecosystem service to the regional electricity sector -- but at a cost to the environment.

Genetic circuit allows both individual freedom, collective good Posted: 22 Apr 2013 09:30 AM PDT An investigation of the ways bacteria engage in collective decision-making has led researchers to suggest new principles for collective decisions that allow both random behavior by individuals and nonrandom outcomes for the population as a whole. The research suggests that the principles governing bacterial decisions could be relevant for the study of cancer tumorigenesis and collective decision-making by humans.

Using black holes to measure the universe's rate of expansion Posted: 22 Apr 2013 09:30 AM PDT Scientists have developed a method that uses black holes to measure distances of billions of light years with a high degree of accuracy. The ability to measure these distances will allow scientists to see further into the past of the universe than ever before.

Near-field behavior of semiconductor plasmonic microparticles measured Posted: 22 Apr 2013 09:30 AM PDT For the first time, researchers have measured nanometer-scale infrared absorption in semiconductor plasmonic microparticles using a technique that combines atomic force microscopy with infrared spectroscopy.

Can the friend of my friend be my enemy? Choice affects stability of the social network, animal study shows Posted: 22 Apr 2013 09:29 AM PDT Just as humans can follow complex social situations in deciding who to befriend or to abandon, it turns out that animals use the same level of sophistication in judging social configurations, according to a new study that advances our understanding of the structure of animal social networks.

Lazy eye disorder treated with video game Tetris Posted: 22 Apr 2013 09:29 AM PDT Scientists have used the popular puzzle video game Tetris in an innovative approach to treat adult amblyopia, commonly known as "lazy eye." By distributing information between the two eyes in a complementary fashion, the video game trains both eyes to work together, which is counter to previous treatments for the disorder (e.g., patching).

Discovery of new genes will help childhood arthritis treatment Posted: 22 Apr 2013 09:29 AM PDT Scientists have identified 14 new genes which could have important consequences for future treatments of childhood arthritis.

NASA successfully launches three smartphone satellites Posted: 22 Apr 2013 08:29 AM PDT Three smartphones destined to become low-cost satellites rode to space April 21, 2013 aboard the maiden flight of Orbital Science Corp.'s Antares rocket from NASA's Wallops Island Flight Facility in Virginia. The trio of "PhoneSats" is operating in orbit, and may prove to be the lowest-cost satellites ever flown in space. The goal of NASA's PhoneSat mission is to determine whether a consumer-grade smartphone can be used as the main flight avionics of a capable, yet very inexpensive, satellite.

Grains of sand from ancient supernova found in meteorites: Supernova may have been the one that triggered the formation of the solar system Posted: 22 Apr 2013 08:12 AM PDT Scientists have discovered two tiny grains of silica (SiO2; the most common constituent of sand) in meteorites that fell to earth in Antarctica. Because of their isotopic composition these two grains are thought to be pure samples from a massive star that exploded before the birth of the solar system, perhaps the supernova whose explosion is thought to have triggered the collapse of a giant molecular cloud, giving birth to the Sun.

Grape intake may protect against metabolic syndrome-related organ damage Posted: 22 Apr 2013 08:12 AM PDT Consuming grapes may help protect against organ damage associated with the progression of metabolic syndrome, according to research presented this week at the Experimental Biology conference in Boston.

Study shows reproductive effects of pesticide exposure span generations Posted: 22 Apr 2013 08:12 AM PDT Researchers studying aquatic organisms called Daphnia have found that exposure to a chemical pesticide has impacts that span multiple generations -- causing the so-called "water fleas" to produce more male offspring, and causing reproductive problems in female offspring.

Putting the brakes on Parkinson's Posted: 22 Apr 2013 08:11 AM PDT The earliest signs of Parkinson's disease can be deceptively mild. The first thing that movie star Michael J. Fox noticed was twitching of the little finger of his left hand. For years, he made light of the apparently harmless tic. But such tremors typically spread, while muscles stiffen up and directed movements take longer to carry out. Research groups have developed a chemical compound that slows down the onset and progression of Parkinson's disease in mice. The scientists hope that this approach will give them a way to treat the cause of Parkinson's and so arrest its progress.

Long-lost giant fish from Amazon rediscovered Posted: 22 Apr 2013 08:11 AM PDT Scientists have put aside nearly a century and a half of conventional wisdom with the rediscovery of a species of giant Amazonian fish whose existence was first established in a rare 1829 monograph only to be lost to science some 40 years later.

Experimental therapy saves child born 'without bones' Posted: 22 Apr 2013 08:11 AM PDT Four years ago, Janelly Martinez-Amador was confined to a bed, unable to move even an arm or lift her head. At age 3, the fragile toddler had the gross motor skills of a newborn and a ventilator kept her alive. She was born with thin, fragile bones, and by 3, she had no visible bones on X-rays. Initially, doctors weren't sure she would survive her first birthday. In May, Janelly will turn 7, and is developing bone with the help of an experimental drug therapy.

Combating H7N9: Using Lessons Learned from recent studies on H5N1 Posted: 22 Apr 2013 08:10 AM PDT Researchers have developed a series of messages for policy makers that are highly relevant to the current outbreak.

40 percent of parents give young kids cough/cold medicine that they shouldn't Posted: 22 Apr 2013 07:20 AM PDT Children can get five to 10 colds each year, so it's not surprising that adults often turn to over-the-counter cough and cold medicines to relieve their little ones' symptoms. But a new poll shows that many are giving young kids medicines that they should not use.

Nearly half of U.S. veterans found with blast concussions might have hormone deficiencies Posted: 22 Apr 2013 07:20 AM PDT Up to 20 percent of veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq have experienced at least one blast concussion. A new study finds about 42% of screened veterans with blast injuries have irregular hormone levels indicative of hypopituitarism. Many conditions associated with hypopituitarism mimic other common problems that veterans can suffer, such as PTSD and depression.

Cutting back on sleep harms blood vessel function and breathing control Posted: 22 Apr 2013 07:20 AM PDT Researchers have tested the effects of partial sleep deprivation on blood vessels and breathing control and found that reducing sleep length over two consecutive nights leads to less healthy vascular function and impaired breathing control. The findings could help explain why sleep deprivation is associated with cardiovascular disease.

New immune cells hint at eczema cause Posted: 22 Apr 2013 07:13 AM PDT Researchers have discovered a new type of immune cell in skin that plays a role in fighting off parasitic invaders such as ticks, mites, and worms, and could be linked to eczema and allergic skin diseases.

Earth's current warmth not seen in the last 1,400 years or more, says study Posted: 22 Apr 2013 07:13 AM PDT Fueled by industrial greenhouse gas emissions, Earth's climate warmed more between 1971 and 2000 than during any other three-decade interval in the last 1,400 years, according to new regional temperature reconstructions covering all seven continents.

Green spaces may boost wellbeing for city dwellers Posted: 22 Apr 2013 07:13 AM PDT New research has found that people living in urban areas with more green space tend to report greater wellbeing than city dwellers that don't have parks, gardens, or other green space nearby.

Change diet, exercise habits at same time for best results, study says Posted: 22 Apr 2013 07:13 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that focusing on changing exercise and diet at the same time gives a bigger boost than tackling them sequentially. They also found that focusing on changing diet first -- an approach that many weight-loss programs advocate -- may actually interfere with establishing a consistent exercise routine.

Metastasis stem cells in the blood of breast cancer patients discovered Posted: 22 Apr 2013 07:12 AM PDT Scientists have been the first to detect cancer cells that can initiate metastasis in the blood of breast cancer patients. Patients with large numbers of these cells found in their blood show a rather unfavorable disease progression. The characteristic surface molecules of these cells may therefore be used as a biomarker for disease progression or as targets for specific therapies for patients with advanced breast cancer.

Formula can calculate a person's speed by just looking at their footprints Posted: 22 Apr 2013 07:12 AM PDT Scientists have designed an equation that provides a highly accurate estimate of an individual's speed based on stride length. They used data from professional athletes and walking and running experiments on a beach in order to come up with the equation. The result has applications in the study of fossil trackways of human footprints.

Using nitrous oxide for anesthesia doesn't increase -- and may decrease -- complications and death, studies suggest Posted: 22 Apr 2013 07:12 AM PDT Giving nitrous oxide as part of general anesthesia for noncardiac surgery doesn't increase the rate of complications and death -- and might even decrease the risk of such events, according to a pair of new studies.

Ant family tree constructed: Confirms date of evolutionary origin, underscores importance of Neotropics Posted: 22 Apr 2013 07:12 AM PDT Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the higher species numbers in the tropics, but these hypotheses have never been tested for the ants, which are one of the most ecologically and numerically dominant groups of animals on the planet. New research is helping answer these questions.

Germanium is now laser compatible Posted: 22 Apr 2013 07:11 AM PDT Good news for the computer industry: a team of researchers has managed to make germanium suitable for lasers. This could enable microprocessor components to communicate using light in future, which will make the computers of the future faster and more efficient.

Cocktail of multiple pressures combine to threaten the world's pollinating insects Posted: 22 Apr 2013 07:11 AM PDT A new review of insect pollinators of crops and wild plants has concluded they are under threat globally from a cocktail of multiple pressures, and their decline or loss could have profound environmental, human health and economic consequences.

Particular DNA changes linked with prostate cancer development and lethality Posted: 22 Apr 2013 07:11 AM PDT A new analysis has found that the loss or amplification of particular DNA regions contributes to the development of prostate cancer, and that patients with two of these DNA changes have a high likelihood of dying from the disease. The study provides valuable information on the genetics of prostate cancer and offers insights into which patients should be treated aggressively.

New agent might control breast-cancer growth and spread Posted: 22 Apr 2013 07:11 AM PDT A new study suggests that an unusual experimental drug can reduce breast-cancer aggressiveness, reverse resistance to the drug fulvestrant and perhaps improve the effectiveness of other breast-cancer drugs. The findings suggest a new strategy for treating breast cancer.

Even a few cigarettes a day increases risk of rheumatoid arthritis Posted: 22 Apr 2013 07:10 AM PDT Number of cigarettes smoked a day and the number of years a person has smoked both increase the risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), finds new research. The risk decreases after giving up smoking but, compared to people who have never smoked, this risk is still elevated 15 years after giving up.

Mephedrone boosts illegal drug use Posted: 22 Apr 2013 07:10 AM PDT Experienced clubbers are more likely to add the former 'legal high' mephedrone to their drug repertoires rather than use it to replace popular established club drugs such as ecstasy and cocaine, according to new research.

Prehistoric metalwork discovered at Iron Age site, along with gaming pieces Posted: 22 Apr 2013 07:09 AM PDT Archaeologists from the University of Leicester in the UK have uncovered one of the biggest groups of Iron Age metal artefacts to be found in the region -- in addition to finding dice and gaming pieces.

Red light increases alertness during 'post-lunch dip' Posted: 22 Apr 2013 07:08 AM PDT Acute or chronic sleep deprivation resulting in increased feelings of fatigue is one of the leading causes of workplace incidents and related injuries. More incidents and performance failures, such as automobile accidents, occur in the mid-afternoon hours known as the "post-lunch dip." A new study shows that exposure to certain wavelengths and levels of light has the potential to increase alertness during the post-lunch dip.

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