ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• 'Microring' device could aid in future optical technologies
• Estrogen works in the brain to keep weight in check, study shows
• New evidence for first production of oxygen on Earth
• False starts can sneak by in women's sprinting, analysis finds
• Magnetic attraction: Microchip demonstrates concept of 'MRAM for biomolecules'
• X-linked mental retardation protein is found to mediate synaptic plasticity in hippocampus
• Math professor announces who deserves the Cy Young and most valuable player awards; calls Rangers solid favorite for World Series
• One size does not fit all for knee replacements and other medical devices, expert says
• Research could lead to new treatments for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and viral infections
• Age a big factor in prostate cancer deaths, study finds
• Stranded dolphins exhibit bubbles, and ability to recover
• Bioluminescence: Explanation for glowing seas suggested
• Pollutants linked to 450 percent increase in risk of birth defects in rural China
• Common link suggested between autism and diabetes: Study implicates hyperinsulinemia in increased incidence of autism
• U.S. rivers and streams saturated with carbon
• Young human-specific genes correlated with brain evolution
• Bridging the gap: Neuroscientists find normal brain communication in people who lack connections between right and left hemispheres
• Computer games help people with Parkinson's disease, pilot study shows
• Using new technique, scientists uncover a delicate magnetic balance for superconductivity
• Fallout of a giant meteorite strike revealed in new model
• Men win humor test (by a hair)
• Antibody treatment protects monkeys from Hendra virus disease
• Solving the mysteries of short-legged Neandertals
• 'Albedo effect' in forests can cause added warming, bonus cooling
• Bolivia's jaguars set a record
• Fiery volcano offers geologic glimpse into land that time forgot
• Spiral arms hint at presence of planets: High resolution image of young star with circumstellar disks verifies predictions
• Planet-sized object as cool as Earth revealed in record-breaking photo
• Key property of potential 'spintronic' material measured
• NASA, Japan release improved topographic map of Earth
• Orion's Belt lights up Cassini's view of Enceladus
• NASA's Spitzer detects comet storm in nearby solar system
• What makes tires grip the road on a rainy day?
• Oldest pigment factory dates back 100,000 years
• The ultimate qPCR based lncRNA profiling platform
• Minimizing chemical pollution from airport de-icing
• Technologies for the city of tomorrow
• Time on your hands: Good or bad?
• World record in 3-D imaging of porous rocks: Stack of 35 million megapixel-photos
• Increased safety using simultaneous techniques for cardiac testing
• New aggression tool predicted violent patients in medical and surgical wards
• Improving training efficiency in horses
• Can breastfeeding reduce pain in preterm infants?
• Glowing beacons reveal hidden order in dynamical systems: Experimental confirmation of a fundamental physical theorem
• Physical appearance perfectionism scale developed
• Internet security: Researchers break W3C standard
• Irish hereditary emphysema rates found to be among highest in the world
• Photosynthesis: Putting light-harvesters on the spot
• Lightning strikes, in the form of bits and bytes
• Delayed vs. immediate coronary stenting
• Cell mechanism that reduces effectiveness of breast cancer treatment identified

'Microring' device could aid in future optical technologies Posted: 19 Oct 2011 11:52 PM PDT Researchers have created a device small enough to fit on a computer chip that converts continuous laser light into numerous ultrashort pulses, a technology that might have applications in more advanced sensors, communications systems and laboratory instruments.

Estrogen works in the brain to keep weight in check, study shows Posted: 19 Oct 2011 11:41 PM PDT A recent study found that estrogen regulates energy expenditure, appetite and body weight, while insufficient estrogen receptors in specific parts of the brain may lead to obesity.

New evidence for first production of oxygen on Earth Posted: 19 Oct 2011 07:19 PM PDT A new study is believed to have resolved a major debate about when oxygen began to be produced on Earth and how long it took before oxygen levels were enough to support the growth of life. Researchers made the discovery by examining key elements in banded iron formations through time.

False starts can sneak by in women's sprinting, analysis finds Posted: 19 Oct 2011 06:36 PM PDT Olympic timing procedures don't accurately detect false starts by female sprinters, according to a new analysis. Under the current rules, a woman can purposely anticipate the gun by up to 20 milliseconds, or one-fiftieth of a second, without getting called for a false start, the researchers say.

Magnetic attraction: Microchip demonstrates concept of 'MRAM for biomolecules' Posted: 19 Oct 2011 06:28 PM PDT Researchers have developed a low-power microchip that uses a combination of microfluidics and magnetic switches to trap and transport magnetic beads. The novel transport chip may have applications in biotechnology and medical diagnostics.

X-linked mental retardation protein is found to mediate synaptic plasticity in hippocampus Posted: 19 Oct 2011 06:22 PM PDT Scientists have solved part of a puzzle concerning the relationship between changes in the strength of synapses -- the tiny gaps across which nerve cells in the brain communicate -- and dysfunctions in neural circuits that have been linked with drug addiction, mental retardation and other cognitive disorders.

Math professor announces who deserves the Cy Young and most valuable player awards; calls Rangers solid favorite for World Series Posted: 19 Oct 2011 06:01 PM PDT With Major League Baseball's World Series set to begin tomorrow, math professor Bruce Bukiet has once again analyzed the players most deserving of winning baseball's most important awards for the 2011 season. He also provides the probability of Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals winning the World Series.

One size does not fit all for knee replacements and other medical devices, expert says Posted: 19 Oct 2011 05:56 PM PDT Undergoing a knee replacement involves sophisticated medical equipment, but innovative prosthetic design may not offer the same benefits for all knee replacement recipients, researchers report.

Research could lead to new treatments for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and viral infections Posted: 19 Oct 2011 05:01 PM PDT The intestinal ecosystem is even more dynamic than previously thought, according to two new studies. The research provides a new understanding of the unique intestinal environment and suggest new strategies for the prevention of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and viral infections, the researchers said.

Age a big factor in prostate cancer deaths, study finds Posted: 19 Oct 2011 04:54 PM PDT Contrary to common belief, men age 75 and older are diagnosed with late-stage and more aggressive prostate cancer and thus die from the disease more often than younger men, according to a new analysis.

Stranded dolphins exhibit bubbles, and ability to recover Posted: 19 Oct 2011 04:13 PM PDT Scientists know that the blood and tissues of some deceased beaked whales stranded near naval sonar exercises are riddled with bubbles. It is also well known that human divers can suffer from bubbles-induced decompression sickness, also known as the bends. What researchers know comparatively little about is how living marine mammals handle the compression of lung gas as they dive deep and then resurface.

Bioluminescence: Explanation for glowing seas suggested Posted: 19 Oct 2011 04:08 PM PDT It has long been known that distinctive blue flashes -- a type of bioluminescence -- that are visible at night in some marine environments are caused by tiny, unicellular plankton known as dinoflagellates. However, a new study has, for the first time, detailed the potential mechanism for this bioluminesence.

Pollutants linked to 450 percent increase in risk of birth defects in rural China Posted: 19 Oct 2011 03:51 PM PDT Pesticides and pollutants are related to an alarming 450 percent increase in the risk of spina bifida and anencephaly in rural China, according to scientists.

Common link suggested between autism and diabetes: Study implicates hyperinsulinemia in increased incidence of autism Posted: 19 Oct 2011 03:46 PM PDT A review of the genetic and biochemical abnormalities associated with autism reveals a possible link between the widely diagnosed neurological disorder and Type 2 diabetes, another medical disorder on the rise in recent decades.

U.S. rivers and streams saturated with carbon Posted: 19 Oct 2011 03:30 PM PDT Rivers and streams in the United States are releasing substantially more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than previously thought, according to researchers. Their findings could change the way scientists model the movement of carbon among land, water and the atmosphere.

Young human-specific genes correlated with brain evolution Posted: 19 Oct 2011 03:20 PM PDT Young genes that appeared since the primate branch split from other mammal species are expressed in unique structures of the developing human brain, a new analysis finds.

Bridging the gap: Neuroscientists find normal brain communication in people who lack connections between right and left hemispheres Posted: 19 Oct 2011 03:18 PM PDT Like a bridge that spans a river to connect two major metropolises, the corpus callosum is the main conduit for information flowing between the left and right hemispheres of our brains. Now, neuroscientists have found that people who are born without that link -- a condition called agenesis of the corpus callosum, or AgCC -- still show remarkably normal communication across the gap between the two halves of their brains.

Computer games help people with Parkinson's disease, pilot study shows Posted: 19 Oct 2011 03:00 PM PDT Playing computer-based physical therapy games can help people with Parkinson's disease improve their gait and balance, according to a new pilot study. More than half the subjects in the three-month research project showed small improvements in walking speed, balance and stride length.

Using new technique, scientists uncover a delicate magnetic balance for superconductivity Posted: 19 Oct 2011 02:43 PM PDT A new imaging technology is giving scientists unprecedented views of the processes that affect the flow of electrons through materials. By modifying a familiar tool in nanoscience -- the scanning tunneling microscope -- researchers have been able to visualize what happens when they change the electronic structure of a "heavy fermion" compound made of uranium, ruthenium and silicon. What they found sheds light on superconductivity -- the movement of electrons without resistance -- which typically occurs at extremely low temperatures and that researchers hope one day to achieve at something close to room temperature, which would revolutionize electronics.

Fallout of a giant meteorite strike revealed in new model Posted: 19 Oct 2011 02:34 PM PDT Seeking to better understand the level of death and destruction that would result from a large meteorite striking Earth, researchers have developed a new model that can not only more accurately simulate the seismic fallout of such an impact, but also help reveal new information about the surface and interior of planets based on past collisions.

Men win humor test (by a hair) Posted: 19 Oct 2011 02:33 PM PDT Men are funnier than women, but only just barely and mostly to other men. So says a new psychology study.

Antibody treatment protects monkeys from Hendra virus disease Posted: 19 Oct 2011 02:28 PM PDT A human antibody given to monkeys infected with the deadly Hendra virus completely protected them from disease, according to a new study. Hendra and the closely related Nipah virus, both rare viruses that are part of the NIH biodefense research program, target the lungs and brain and have human case fatality rates of 60 percent and more than 75 percent, respectively. These diseases in monkeys mirror what happens in humans, and the study results are cause for hope that the antibody, named m102.4, ultimately may be developed into a possible treatment for people who become infected with these viruses.

Solving the mysteries of short-legged Neandertals Posted: 19 Oct 2011 02:21 PM PDT While most studies have concluded that a cold climate led to the short lower legs typical of Neandertals, researchers have found that lower leg lengths shorter than the typical modern human's let them move more efficiently over the mountainous terrain where they lived. The findings reveal a broader trend relating shorter lower leg length to mountainous environments that may help explain the limb proportions of many different animals.

'Albedo effect' in forests can cause added warming, bonus cooling Posted: 19 Oct 2011 02:17 PM PDT Wildfire, insect outbreaks and hurricanes destroy huge amounts of forest every year and increase the amount of carbon dioxide entering the atmosphere, but scientists are now learning more about another force that can significantly affect their climate impact. Researchers conclude in a new study that the albedo effect, which controls the amount of energy reflected back into space, is important in the climatic significance of several types of major forest disturbances.

Bolivia's jaguars set a record Posted: 19 Oct 2011 02:11 PM PDT In a new camera trap survey in the world's most biologically diverse landscape, researchers have identified more individual jaguars than ever before.

Fiery volcano offers geologic glimpse into land that time forgot Posted: 19 Oct 2011 02:04 PM PDT The first scientists to witness exploding rock and molten lava from a deep sea volcano, seen during a 2009 expedition, report that the eruption was near a tear in Earth's crust that is mimicking the birth of a subduction zone.

Spiral arms hint at presence of planets: High resolution image of young star with circumstellar disks verifies predictions Posted: 19 Oct 2011 02:02 PM PDT A new image of the disk of gas and dust around a sun-like star has spiral-arm-like structures. These features may provide clues to the presence of embedded but as-yet-unseen planets.

Planet-sized object as cool as Earth revealed in record-breaking photo Posted: 19 Oct 2011 01:52 PM PDT Scientists are presenting the photo of a nearby star and its orbiting companion -- whose temperature is like a hot summer day in Arizona. The planet-like companion is the coldest object ever directly photographed outside our solar system, researchers say.

Key property of potential 'spintronic' material measured Posted: 19 Oct 2011 01:45 PM PDT An advanced material that could help bring about next-generation "spintronic" computers has revealed one of its fundamental secrets to a team of scientists.

NASA, Japan release improved topographic map of Earth Posted: 19 Oct 2011 01:22 PM PDT NASA and Japan released a significantly improved version of the most complete digital topographic map of Earth on Oct. 17, produced with detailed measurements from NASA's Terra spacecraft. The map, known as a global digital elevation model, was created from images collected by the Japanese Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer, or ASTER, instrument aboard Terra. So-called stereo-pair images are produced by merging two slightly offset two-dimensional images to create the three-dimensional effect of depth. The first version of the map was released by NASA and Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) in June 2009.

Orion's Belt lights up Cassini's view of Enceladus Posted: 19 Oct 2011 01:21 PM PDT NASA's Cassini mission will take advantage of the position of two of the three stars in Orion's belt when the spacecraft flies by Saturn's moon Enceladus on Oct. 19. As the hot, bright stars pass behind the moon's icy jets, Cassini's ultraviolet imaging spectrograph will acquire a two-dimensional view of these dramatic plumes of water vapor and icy material erupting from the moon's southern polar region. This flyby is the mission's first-ever opportunity to probe the jets with two stars simultaneously, a dual stellar occultation.

NASA's Spitzer detects comet storm in nearby solar system Posted: 19 Oct 2011 01:19 PM PDT NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has detected signs of icy bodies raining down in an alien solar system. The downpour resembles our own solar system several billion years ago during a period known as the "Late Heavy Bombardment," which may have brought water and other life-forming ingredients to Earth.

What makes tires grip the road on a rainy day? Posted: 19 Oct 2011 12:45 PM PDT Scientists have recently developed a model to predict the friction occurring when a rough surface in wet conditions (such as a road on a rainy day) is in sliding contact with a rubber material (such as a car tire tread block).

Oldest pigment factory dates back 100,000 years Posted: 19 Oct 2011 12:45 PM PDT How did prehistoric men make their pigments? For the first time, archeologists provide information on the recipes and techniques developed by prehistoric artisans 100,000 years ago or 60,000 years prior to the paintings of the Chauvet Cave.

The ultimate qPCR based lncRNA profiling platform Posted: 19 Oct 2011 09:29 AM PDT lncRNAs represent an emerging important class of regulatory transcribed elements. The study of lncRNAs is timely and relevant, because of their implication in important cellular processes, through new modes of action. The lncRNA genes are generally low abundant, which is exactly why there is a genuine need for a platform with ultimate sensitivity superseding microarray based platforms.

Minimizing chemical pollution from airport de-icing Posted: 19 Oct 2011 09:28 AM PDT In the future, winter temperatures in countries with a typically cold climate may be rising, meaning more frequent conditions near the 0°C point. One of the impacts could be a greater need to de-ice airplanes. Norwegian researchers have studied the potential ramifications of increased use of the chemicals involved.

Technologies for the city of tomorrow Posted: 19 Oct 2011 07:55 AM PDT A city that obtains its power from renewable resources, where electric cars move quietly along the streets and which emits almost no carbon dioxide, is a scenario of a sustainable city of the future. Researchers are demonstrating related technologies that can be implemented today.

Time on your hands: Good or bad? Posted: 19 Oct 2011 07:55 AM PDT What is more desirable: too little or too much spare time on your hands? To be happy, somewhere in the middle, according to researchers. New work shows that materialistic young people with compulsive buying issues need just the right amount of spare time to feel happier.

World record in 3-D imaging of porous rocks: Stack of 35 million megapixel-photos Posted: 19 Oct 2011 07:55 AM PDT Physicists have established a world record in the field of three-dimensional imaging of porous materials. The scientists have generated the largest and most precise three-dimensional image of the pore structure of sandstone. The image was generated within a project of the Simulation Technology Cluster of Excellence, and contains more than 35 trillion (a number with thirteen digits) voxels.

Increased safety using simultaneous techniques for cardiac testing Posted: 19 Oct 2011 07:55 AM PDT Experts have published an article on the safety of cardiac imaging methods. This study is important for patients worried about radiation exposure during X-ray based studies of the heart. X-ray based methods have greatly improved the diagnosis of heart disease, but they can produce significant levels of radiation exposure.

New aggression tool predicted violent patients in medical and surgical wards Posted: 19 Oct 2011 07:55 AM PDT Using a specially designed risk assessment tool within 24 hours of admission was an effective way of identifying which hospital patients in medical and surgical units would become violent. Researchers studied more than 2,000 patients admitted to an acute care hospital over a five-month period. As well as identify the traits that were most likely to lead to violence, they found that a disproportionate number of elderly patients and males became violent.

Improving training efficiency in horses Posted: 19 Oct 2011 07:55 AM PDT People generally exercise to lose fat or build up muscle but it is an unfortunate consequence of hard training that muscle is often lost. To counter this effect, people may elect to take various dietary supplements – legal or otherwise. But what can legally be done to help train sport horses? Recent work has shown that a special mixture of amino acids and proteins is able to prevent muscle breakdown in horses following exercise.

Can breastfeeding reduce pain in preterm infants? Posted: 19 Oct 2011 07:49 AM PDT Poorly managed pain in the neonatal intensive care unit has serious short- and long-term consequences, causing physiological and behavioral instability in preterm infants and long-term changes in their pain sensitivity, stress arousal systems, and developing brains. Researchers report that breastfeeding during minor procedures mitigated pain in preterm neonates with mature breastfeeding behaviors.

Glowing beacons reveal hidden order in dynamical systems: Experimental confirmation of a fundamental physical theorem Posted: 19 Oct 2011 07:49 AM PDT A dynamical system in which repeated measurements on a single particle yield the same mean result as a single measurement of the whole ensemble is said to be ergodic. The ergodic theorem expresses a fundamental physical principle, and its validity for diffusive processes has now been demonstrated.

Physical appearance perfectionism scale developed Posted: 19 Oct 2011 07:49 AM PDT Psychologists have developed a new diagnostic measure to gauge individual differences in people's hopes and concerns about a perfect physical appearance.

Internet security: Researchers break W3C standard Posted: 19 Oct 2011 07:49 AM PDT Standards are supposed to guarantee security, especially in the WWW. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is the main force behind standards like HTML, XML, and XML Encryption. But implementing a W3C standard does not mean that a system is secure. Researchers from the chair of network and data security have found a serious attack against XML Encryption. "Everything is insecure", is the uncomfortable message from the researchers.

Irish hereditary emphysema rates found to be among highest in the world Posted: 19 Oct 2011 07:45 AM PDT RCSI study reveals 90% of people with genetic lung condition are undiagnosed. Researchers have conducted a study which has found that Ireland has one of the highest incidences in the world of a genetic condition that causes severe hereditary emphysema. The study raises the possibility that hundreds of people suffering from chronic lung disease could have this genetic condition but have yet to be diagnosed.

Photosynthesis: Putting light-harvesters on the spot Posted: 19 Oct 2011 07:45 AM PDT Researchers now describe how the light-harvesting complexes required for photosynthesis get to their site of action in the plant cell. The team has demonstrated for the first time that a membrane protein interacts with a single soluble protein to anchor the subunits of the light-harvesting complexes in the membrane. The researchers propose a new model that explains the integration into the membrane through the formation of a pore.

Lightning strikes, in the form of bits and bytes Posted: 19 Oct 2011 07:45 AM PDT Scientists are utilizing a superfast computer system for simulating lightning strikes. Their objectives are arriving at better understandings of the effects of lightning strikes on humans and machinery and better predictions of those effects.

Delayed vs. immediate coronary stenting Posted: 19 Oct 2011 07:45 AM PDT Medical researchers have published an article on the timing of coronary stenting, a thought-provoking paper that challenges one of the dogmas of acute heart attack management today.

Cell mechanism that reduces effectiveness of breast cancer treatment identified Posted: 19 Oct 2011 07:45 AM PDT Researchers have discovered a complex cell mechanism activated by a protein --HOXB9-- that becomes an obstacle for radiation effectiveness.

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