ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Cheap, clean ways to produce hydrogen for use in fuel cells? A dash of disorder yields a very efficient photocatalyst
• Scientists unlock the 'gates' on sudden cardiac death
• GRIN plasmonics: A practical path to superfast computing, ultrapowerful optical microscopy and invisibility carpet-cloaking devices
• Powerful 3-D X-rays for kids in braces should be the exception, not the rule
• A clearer picture of how rivers and deltas develop
• New era of advances in brain research: As recording technology rapidly improves, neurons give up their secrets cell by cell
• Gene 'relocation' key to most evolutionary change in bacteria
• Powerful new painkiller with no apparent side effects or addictive qualities, may be ready in a year
• Regenerative medicine advance: New 'cocktails' support long-term maintenance of human embryonic stem cells
• Celiac disease and Crohn's disease share part of their genetic background
• Wheat resistance genes failing, new approach needed to stop flies
• Retired NFL players misuse painkillers more than general population, study finds
• New transistors: An alternative to silicon and better than graphene
• Deficiency of dietary omega-3 may explain depressive behaviors
• Stem cell marker regulates synapse formation
• Key mechanism governing nicotine addiction discovered

Cheap, clean ways to produce hydrogen for use in fuel cells? A dash of disorder yields a very efficient photocatalyst Posted: 30 Jan 2011 02:00 PM PST A little disorder goes a long way, especially when it comes to harnessing the sun's energy. Scientists have jumbled the atomic structure of the surface layer of titanium dioxide nanocrystals, creating a catalyst that is both long lasting and more efficient than all other materials in using the sun's energy to extract hydrogen from water.

Scientists unlock the 'gates' on sudden cardiac death Posted: 30 Jan 2011 02:00 PM PST Australian researchers have come one step closer to understanding how the rhythm of the heartbeat is controlled and why many common drugs, including some antibiotics, antihistamines and anti-psychotics, can cause a potentially fatal abnormal heart rhythm.

GRIN plasmonics: A practical path to superfast computing, ultrapowerful optical microscopy and invisibility carpet-cloaking devices Posted: 30 Jan 2011 02:00 PM PST Researchers have carried out the first experimental demonstration of GRIN plasmonics, a hybrid technology that opens the door to a wide range of exotic applications in optics, including superfast photonic computers, ultra-powerful optical microscopes and "invisibility" carpet-cloaking devices.

Powerful 3-D X-rays for kids in braces should be the exception, not the rule Posted: 30 Jan 2011 02:00 PM PST Some orthodontists may be exposing young patients to unnecessary radiation when they order 3-D X-ray imaging for simple orthodontic cases before considering traditional 2-D imaging, suggests a new article.

A clearer picture of how rivers and deltas develop Posted: 30 Jan 2011 02:00 PM PST By adding information about the subsoil to an existing sedimentation and erosion model, researchers have obtained a clearer picture of how rivers and deltas develop over time. A better understanding of the interaction between the subsoil and flow processes in a river-delta system can play a key role in civil engineering (delta management), but also in geology (especially in the work of reservoir geologists).

New era of advances in brain research: As recording technology rapidly improves, neurons give up their secrets cell by cell Posted: 30 Jan 2011 02:00 PM PST Thanks to improvements in technology and data analysis, our understanding of the functional principles that guide the development and operation of the brain could improve drastically in the next few years, scientists report. The advances could herald a neuroscientific revolution, much as increasing processor speeds paved the way for the computing revolution of the last half century.

Gene 'relocation' key to most evolutionary change in bacteria Posted: 30 Jan 2011 08:00 AM PST Scientists have now shown that bacteria evolve new abilities, such as antibiotic resistance, predominantly by acquiring genes from other bacteria. The researchers new insights into the evolution of bacteria partly contradict the widely accepted theory that new biological functions in bacteria and other microbes arise primarily through the process of gene duplication within the same organism.

Powerful new painkiller with no apparent side effects or addictive qualities, may be ready in a year Posted: 30 Jan 2011 08:00 AM PST A powerful new painkiller with no apparent side effects or addictive qualities, may now be only a year or two from the consumer market.

Regenerative medicine advance: New 'cocktails' support long-term maintenance of human embryonic stem cells Posted: 30 Jan 2011 08:00 AM PST A team of stem cell biologists and engineers, using a feedback system control scheme, has innovatively and efficiently identified an optimal combination and concentration of small molecule inhibitors from a very large pool of possibilities to support the long-term maintenance of human embryonic stem cells. This is a major advancement towards the quest to broadly transition regenerative medicine from the bench top to the clinic.

Celiac disease and Crohn's disease share part of their genetic background Posted: 30 Jan 2011 08:00 AM PST An investigation has found that celiac disease and Crohn's disease, both inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, share at least four genetic risk loci. Researchers performed a combined meta-analysis of genome-wide data for celiac disease and Crohn's disease. This meta-analysis has identified two new shared risk loci and two shared risk loci that had previously been independently identified for each disease.

Wheat resistance genes failing, new approach needed to stop flies Posted: 30 Jan 2011 08:00 AM PST Many of the genes that allow wheat to ward off Hessian flies are no longer effective in the southeastern United States, and care should be taken to ensure that resistance genes that so far haven't been utilized in commercial wheat lines are used prudently, according to scientists.

Retired NFL players misuse painkillers more than general population, study finds Posted: 30 Jan 2011 08:00 AM PST Retired NFL players use painkillers at four times the rate of the general population, according to a new study. The researchers say the brutal collisions and bone-jarring injuries associated with football often cause long-term pain, which contributes to continued use and abuse of pain-killing medications.

New transistors: An alternative to silicon and better than graphene Posted: 29 Jan 2011 09:00 PM PST Smaller and more energy-efficient electronic chips could be made using molybdenite. This material has distinct advantages over traditional silicon or graphene for use in electronics applications.

Deficiency of dietary omega-3 may explain depressive behaviors Posted: 29 Jan 2011 09:00 PM PST How maternal essential fatty acid deficiency impact on its progeny is poorly understood. Dietary insufficiency in omega-3 fatty acid has been implicated in many disorders. Researchers have now studied mice fed on a diet low in omega-3 fatty acid. They discovered that reduced levels of omega-3 had deleterious consequences on synaptic functions and emotional behaviors.

Stem cell marker regulates synapse formation Posted: 29 Jan 2011 09:00 PM PST Among stem cell biologists there are few better-known proteins than nestin, whose very presence in an immature cell identifies it as a "stem cell," such as a neural stem cell. As helpful as this is to researchers, until now no one knew which purpose nestin serves in a cell.

Key mechanism governing nicotine addiction discovered Posted: 29 Jan 2011 09:00 PM PST Scientists have identified a pathway in the brain that regulates an individual's vulnerability to the addictive properties of nicotine. The findings suggest a new target for anti-smoking therapies.

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ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Mini-strokes leave 'hidden' brain damage
• Cocaine production increases destruction of Colombia’s rainforests
• Growth spurt? 'Catch-up' growth signals revealed
• New glasses change lens color on the fly
• Presence of peers heightens teens' sensitivity to rewards of a risk
• Premature infants' lungs may improve with better nutrition
• More frequent drought likely in eastern Africa
• Voice-saver: Light therapy for early-stage laryngeal cancer
• Draft 'genetic road map' of biofuels crop

Mini-strokes leave 'hidden' brain damage Posted: 29 Jan 2011 02:00 PM PST A transient ischemic attack is sometimes known as a mini-stroke. New research shows these attacks may not be transient at all. They in fact create lasting damage to the brain.

Cocaine production increases destruction of Colombia’s rainforests Posted: 29 Jan 2011 02:00 PM PST Scientists are reporting new evidence that cultivating coca bushes, the source of cocaine, is speeding up destruction of rainforests in Colombia and threatening the region's "hotspots" of plant and animal diversity. The findings underscore the need for establishing larger protected areas to help preserve biodiversity.

Growth spurt? 'Catch-up' growth signals revealed Posted: 29 Jan 2011 02:00 PM PST Researchers have uncovered molecular signals that regulate catch-up growth -- the growth spurt that occurs when normal conditions are restored after a fetus, young animal or child has been ill, under stress or deprived of enough food or oxygen to grow properly.

New glasses change lens color on the fly Posted: 29 Jan 2011 02:00 PM PST New protective eyewear will eliminate the need for warfighters to stop to change out colored lenses to accommodate differences in light levels.

Presence of peers heightens teens' sensitivity to rewards of a risk Posted: 29 Jan 2011 02:00 PM PST Teenagers take more risks when they are with their friends. A new study sheds light on why. The findings demonstrate that when teens are with their friends they are more sensitive to the rewards of a risk than when alone.

Premature infants' lungs may improve with better nutrition Posted: 29 Jan 2011 08:00 AM PST Improving lung function in premature babies with a severe lung disease may be linked to their feeding regimen, according to a new study.

More frequent drought likely in eastern Africa Posted: 29 Jan 2011 08:00 AM PST The increased frequency of drought observed in eastern Africa over the last 20 years is likely to continue as long as global temperatures continue to rise, according to new research. This poses increased risk to the estimated 17.5 million people in the Greater Horn of Africa who currently face potential food shortages.

Voice-saver: Light therapy for early-stage laryngeal cancer Posted: 29 Jan 2011 08:00 AM PST A new study finds light, or photodynamic therapy, can help preserve the voice in patients with early stage laryngeal cancer. Photodynamic therapy works by destroying deadly cancer cells without harming surrounding healthy tissue by using a powerful laser and a nontoxic, light-activated drug. It also has fewer side-effects than radiation and surgery.

Draft 'genetic road map' of biofuels crop Posted: 29 Jan 2011 08:00 AM PST The first rough draft of a "genetic road map" of a biomass crop, prairie cordgrass, is giving scientists an inside look at the genes of one of the crops that may help produce the next generation of biofuels.

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ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Infants ascribe social dominance to larger individuals
• Novel surgery removes rare tumor, rebuilds trachea
• Global eruption rocks the Sun: Scientists re-evaluate ideas about solar storms
• Smoking widespread among youth with diabetes, raising heart disease risk
• Air above Dead Sea contains very high levels of oxidized mercury
• The Oscar curse? Oscar win for best actress increases the risk of divorce, study suggests
• Cow rumen enzymes for better biofuels
• Exposure to worm infection in the womb may protect against eczema, study suggests
• Understanding the human neurosystem by researching locust brains
• New therapies and gene target advance the treatment and understanding of hard-to-treat leukemias
• Rivers cut deep notches in the Alps' broad glacial valleys
• Perception of time spent with fathers can lead to bullying
• Cancer drug aids regeneration of spinal cord after injuries
• Age of onset of puberty predicts adult osteoporosis risk: Later puberty results in lower bone mass
• On the hunt for universal intelligence
• Cold cases gone hot: Researchers solve decades-old medical mysteries using genetics
• Unlocking the secrets of DNA
• Social networking provides insights into leadership, trust and mobility
• Cheap, clean ways to produce hydrogen for use in fuel cells? A dash of disorder yields a very efficient photocatalyst
• DNA caught rock 'n rollin': On rare occasions DNA dances itself into a different shape
• Single molecule controlled at room temperature: Tiny magnetic switch discovered
• Powerful new painkiller with no apparent side effects or addictive qualities, may be ready in a year
• Learn more quickly by transcranial magnetic brain stimulation, study in rats suggests
• Helping others helps alcoholics stay on the road to recovery

Infants ascribe social dominance to larger individuals Posted: 28 Jan 2011 05:00 PM PST Psychologists have found that infants less than one year old understand social dominance and use relative size to predict who will prevail when two individuals' goals conflict. The lead author says the work suggests we may be born with -- or develop at a very early age -- some understanding of social dominance and how it relates to relative size, a correlation ubiquitous across human cultures and the animal kingdom.

Novel surgery removes rare tumor, rebuilds trachea Posted: 28 Jan 2011 05:00 PM PST Using a novel surgical approach, it's possible to rebuild the trachea and preserve a patient's voice after removing an invasive throat tumor, according to a new article. This case study is the first of its kind to not only document a successful technique to create a fully functional trachea, or windpipe, but also report a rare type of malignant tumor in an adult's trachea.

Global eruption rocks the Sun: Scientists re-evaluate ideas about solar storms Posted: 28 Jan 2011 05:00 PM PST On August 1, 2010, an entire hemisphere of the sun erupted. Filaments of magnetism snapped and exploded, shock waves raced across the stellar surface, billion-ton clouds of hot gas billowed into space. Astronomers knew they had witnessed something big. It was so big, it may have shattered old ideas about solar activity.

Smoking widespread among youth with diabetes, raising heart disease risk Posted: 28 Jan 2011 05:00 PM PST A study found cigarette smoking is widespread among children and young adults with diabetes yet few health care providers are counseling children and young adults with diabetes to not smoke or stop smoking. Children and young adults with diabetes are already at high risk for heart disease before they take up smoking but few studies have examined the association between cigarette smoking and heart disease risk factors in youth with diabetes.

Air above Dead Sea contains very high levels of oxidized mercury Posted: 28 Jan 2011 05:00 PM PST Measurements show that the sea's salt has profound effects on the chemistry of the air above its surface. The atmosphere over the Dead Sea, researchers have found, is laden with oxidized mercury. Some of the highest levels of oxidized mercury ever observed outside the polar regions exist there.

The Oscar curse? Oscar win for best actress increases the risk of divorce, study suggests Posted: 28 Jan 2011 05:00 PM PST Will Academy Award nominees Nicole Kidman and Annette Bening be at higher risk for a divorce if they win the Oscar for best actress next month? A new study finds that Oscar winners in the Best Actress category are at a higher risk of divorce than nominees who do not win. By contrast, Best Actor winners do not experience an increase in the risk of divorce after an Oscar.

Cow rumen enzymes for better biofuels Posted: 28 Jan 2011 02:00 PM PST When it comes to breaking down plant matter and converting it to energy, the cow has it all figured out. Its digestive system allows it to eat more than 150 pounds of plant matter every day. Now researchers report that they have found dozens of previously unknown microbial enzymes in the bovine rumen -- the cow's primary grass-digestion chamber -- that contribute to the breakdown of switchgrass, a renewable biofuel energy source.

Exposure to worm infection in the womb may protect against eczema, study suggests Posted: 28 Jan 2011 02:00 PM PST Exposure to worm infections in the womb may protect a newborn infant from developing eczema, a new study suggests. A large trial in Uganda showed that treating a pregnant woman for worm infections increased her child's chances of developing the allergic skin disease. This research supports the so-called 'hygiene hypothesis', which proposes that exposure to infections in early childhood can modify the immune system and protect the child from allergies later in life.

Understanding the human neurosystem by researching locust brains Posted: 28 Jan 2011 02:00 PM PST Scientists have successfully cultured brain cells taken from the desert locust to delve deeper into the workings of the mammalian neurosystem. Easier to work with than human neurons, the use of these insect neurons allow the team to observe the neurons form a network, providing enormous benefits to researchers. The cells are basic enough to be applicable to any system, including the human neurosystem, researchers say.

New therapies and gene target advance the treatment and understanding of hard-to-treat leukemias Posted: 28 Jan 2011 02:00 PM PST Over the past decade, significant advances have been made in the treatment of leukemia through the ongoing development of gene-based targeted therapies. New research provides greater understanding of the optimal use of several BCR-ABL inhibitors for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and chronic myeloid leukemia, and how a new gene target functions for several myeloid malignancies.

Rivers cut deep notches in the Alps' broad glacial valleys Posted: 28 Jan 2011 02:00 PM PST New research shows that notches carved by rivers at the bottom of glacial valleys in the Swiss Alps survive from one glacial episode to the next, protected in part by the glaciers themselves.

Perception of time spent with fathers can lead to bullying Posted: 28 Jan 2011 02:00 PM PST Do your children think you work too much and don't spend enough time with them? If so, their perception could lead to bullying behavior, according to new research.

Cancer drug aids regeneration of spinal cord after injuries Posted: 28 Jan 2011 11:00 AM PST After a spinal cord injury a number of factors impede the regeneration of nerve cells. Two of the most important of these factors are the destabilization of the cytoskeleton and the development of scar tissue. While the former prevents regrowth of cells, the latter creates a barrier for severed nerve cells. Scientists have now shown that the cancer drug Taxol reduces both regeneration obstacles.

Age of onset of puberty predicts adult osteoporosis risk: Later puberty results in lower bone mass Posted: 28 Jan 2011 11:00 AM PST Researchers have determined that the onset of puberty was the primary influence on adult bone mineral density, or bone strength.

On the hunt for universal intelligence Posted: 28 Jan 2011 11:00 AM PST How do you use a scientific method to measure the intelligence of a human being, an animal, a machine or an extra-terrestrial? So far this has not been possible, but researchers have taken a first step towards this by presenting the foundations to be used as a basis for this method, and have also put forward a new intelligence test.

Cold cases gone hot: Researchers solve decades-old medical mysteries using genetics Posted: 28 Jan 2011 11:00 AM PST The mystery began in 1976. A patient was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer associated with the occurrence of multiple tumors in his stomach and colon. His medical team was stumped and was unable to answer the most important questions for him and his family: the cause of his disease and the risk for future generations. Now, 35 years later, the answers are at hand thanks to a new genetic study.

Unlocking the secrets of DNA Posted: 28 Jan 2011 11:00 AM PST Neutron scattering has provided the first experimental data showing how DNA structure changes as it 'melts'. This knowledge is a step towards technological applications of DNA, such as computer components.

Social networking provides insights into leadership, trust and mobility Posted: 28 Jan 2011 11:00 AM PST Computer scientists provide insights into how the analysis of our social networking interactions could discover things like the emergence or decline of leadership, changes in trust over time, and migration and mobility within particular communities online.

Cheap, clean ways to produce hydrogen for use in fuel cells? A dash of disorder yields a very efficient photocatalyst Posted: 27 Jan 2011 09:00 PM PST A little disorder goes a long way, especially when it comes to harnessing the sun's energy. Scientists have jumbled the atomic structure of the surface layer of titanium dioxide nanocrystals, creating a catalyst that is both long lasting and more efficient than all other materials in using the sun's energy to extract hydrogen from water.

DNA caught rock 'n rollin': On rare occasions DNA dances itself into a different shape Posted: 27 Jan 2011 09:00 PM PST DNA, that marvelous, twisty molecule of life, has an alter ego, research reveals. On rare occasions, its building blocks "rock and roll," deforming the familiar double helix into a different shape.

Single molecule controlled at room temperature: Tiny magnetic switch discovered Posted: 27 Jan 2011 09:00 PM PST Chemists have succeeded for the first time in directly controlling the magnetic state of a single molecule at room temperature. The switchable molecule could be used both in the construction of tiny electromagnetic storage units and in the medical imaging.

Powerful new painkiller with no apparent side effects or addictive qualities, may be ready in a year Posted: 27 Jan 2011 09:00 PM PST A powerful new painkiller with no apparent side effects or addictive qualities, may now be only a year or two from the consumer market.

Learn more quickly by transcranial magnetic brain stimulation, study in rats suggests Posted: 27 Jan 2011 09:00 PM PST What sounds like science fiction is actually possible: thanks to magnetic stimulation, the activity of certain brain nerve cells can be deliberately influenced. What happens in the brain in this context has been unclear up to now. Medical experts have now shown that various stimulus patterns changed the activity of distinct neuronal cell types. In addition, certain stimulus patterns led to rats learning more easily.

Helping others helps alcoholics stay on the road to recovery Posted: 27 Jan 2011 09:00 PM PST Participating in community service activities and helping others is not just good for the soul; it has a healing effect that helps alcoholics and other addicts become and stay sober, new research shows.

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