ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

---

• Alloy has potential for electronics in oil, gas and geothermal wells
• Under the skin, a tiny laboratory
• Anxiety, depression identify heart disease patients at increased risk of dying
• Heart failure patients with depression have four times risk of death
• For polar bears, it's survival of the fattest
• Test to gauge severity of concussions
• Inherited genetic variations have a major impact on childhood leukemia risk
• Mechanical forces play major role in regulating cells
• Novel discovery reveals signals from brain aid the spread, persistence of pain
• Scientists discover reasons behind snakes' 'shrinking heads'
• Face of the future rears its head: Digital talking head expresses human emotions on demand
• Transportation study reveals potential for deep cuts to petroleum use and carbon emissions
• Fish protein may inhibit cancer metastasis
• Record simulations conducted on Lawrence Livermore supercomputer
• Biennial mammograms best after 50, even for women with dense breasts, experts say
• Fantastic flash memory combines graphene and molybdenite
• More career options may explain why fewer women pursue jobs in science and math
• Promising target for multiple sclerosis treatments identified
• High-carb intake in infancy has lifelong effects, study finds
• Tomatoes that mimic actions of good cholesterol created
• Gene profile may help identify risk for hormone-sensitive, hormone-insensitive breast cancer
• Conscientious people are more likely to have higher GPAs
• Brain-mapping increases understanding of alcohol's effects on first-year college students
• Mechanism of novel biological electron transfer revealed
• DNA catalysts do the work of protein enzymes
• Wireless, implanted sensor broadens range of brain research
• Researchers devise hidden dune filters to treat coastal stormwater runoff
• Brain tumor cells killed by anti-nausea drug
• Tenfold boost in ability to pinpoint proteins in cancer cells
• Laser-like photons signal major step towards quantum 'Internet'
• Sex between monogamous heterosexuals rarely source of hepatitis C infection, study suggests
• Goldstone radar snags images of asteroid 2013 ET
• Sleep study reveals how the adolescent brain makes the transition to mature thinking
• Neanderthal brains focused on vision and movement leaving less room for social networking
• Electrons are not enough: Cuprate superconductors defy convention
• Tiny RNA molecule may have role in polycystic ovary syndrome, insulin resistance
• Living in a sunny climate does not improve vitamin D levels in hip fracture patients
• Cushioned heel running shoes may alter adolescent biomechanics, performance
• How proteins read meta DNA code
• Adoption and risk management in fish: how cichlids prevent their young from being eaten
• New nanomedicine resolves inflammation, promotes tissue healing

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.

Test to gauge severity of concussions Posted: 19 Mar 2013 05:20 PM PDT Neurologists have taken a promising step toward identifying a test that helps support the diagnosis of concussion. Their research has shown that autonomic reflex testing, which measures involuntary changes in heart rate and blood pressure, consistently appear to demonstrate significant changes in those with concussion.

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.

Record simulations conducted on Lawrence Livermore supercomputer Posted: 19 Mar 2013 11:45 AM PDT Researchers have performed record simulations using all 1,572,864 cores of Sequoia, the largest supercomputer in the world. Sequoia, based on IBM BlueGene/Q architecture, is the first machine to exceed one million computational cores. It also is No. 2 on the list of the world's fastest supercomputers, operating at 16.3 petaflops (16.3 quadrillion floating point operations per second).

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.

Mechanism of novel biological electron transfer revealed Posted: 19 Mar 2013 09:43 AM PDT When researchers discovered that the bacterium Geobacter sulfurreducens conducts electricity very effectively along metallic-like "microbial nanowires," they found physicists quite comfortable with the idea of such a novel biological electron transfer mechanism, but not biologists.

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.

Goldstone radar snags images of asteroid 2013 ET Posted: 19 Mar 2013 08:10 AM PDT A sequence of radar images of asteroid 2013 ET was obtained on March 10, 2013, by NASA scientists using the 230-foot (70-meter) Deep Space Network antenna at Goldstone, Calif., when the asteroid was about 693,000 miles (1.1 million kilometers) from Earth, which is 2.9 lunar distances.

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.

Living in a sunny climate does not improve vitamin D levels in hip fracture patients Posted: 19 Mar 2013 06:14 AM PDT While it is well known that a majority of hip fracture patients of all ages and both sexes have insufficient or deficient levels of vitamin D, a new study looks at whether or not living in a warm, sunny climate improves patient vitamin D levels.

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.

You are subscribed to email updates from ScienceDaily: Latest Science News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610