ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Engineered spider toxin could be the future of anti-venom vaccines
• Benefit vs. risk of facial recognition technology
• Birthing centers provide equal or better deliveries, study shows
• Game-changing discovery of gene mutation that causes Sturge-Weber syndrome, port-wine stain birthmarks offers new hope
• Two genes that combine to cause rare syndrome identified
• Providing workplace wellness centers could backfire
• Save the parrots: Macaw genome sequenced
• Scientists identify early predictors of disease progression which could speed Huntington's disease drug trials
• PCB concentrations same in urban and rural areas
• Biologist maps the family tree of all known snake and lizard groups
• Exotic atoms hold clues to unsolved physics puzzle at the dawn of the universe
• Human impacts on natural world underestimated
• Four new dinosaur species identified
• New Red List developed for threatened ecosystems
• Setting the standard for sustainable bioenergy crops
• Spintronics discovery: Scientists find new 'magic' in magnetic material
• Dietary flexibility may have helped some large predators survive after last ice age
• Missing link in signals contributes to neurodegeneration
• Researchers find a way to make steel without greenhouse-gas emissions
• People organize daily travel efficiently: Population-level study discovers small-scale details about individuals' choices
• Graphene quantum dots may someday tell if it will rain on Mars
• Cannibal tadpoles key to understanding digestive evolution
• Brain anatomy of dyslexia is not the same in men and women, boys and girls
• Enhanced motion perception in autism may point to an underlying cause of the disorder
• Carnitine supplement may improve survival rates of children with heart defects
• Dramatic decrease in risk of death for children on dialysis
• Lucky bacteria strike it rich during formation of treatment-resistant colonies: Research could help in battle against infections that do not respond to powerful drugs
• How long do insects last?
• First liver transplant in Maryland for bile duct cancer
• Immune cells that suppress genital herpes infections identified
• Astronomers discover surprising clutch of hydrogen clouds lurking among our galactic neighbors
• Coumarin in cinnamon and cinnamon-based products and risk of liver damage
• Early math and reading ability linked to job and income in adulthood
• Improved material for 'laser welding' of tissue in intestinal surgery
• Using 'bacteria-eaters' to prevent infections on medical implant materials
• First biological evidence of a supernova
• Whole walnuts and their extracted oil improve cardiovascular disease risk
• Hit a 90 mph baseball? Scientists pinpoint how we see it coming
• Weeks after stroke, some patients develop chronic, debilitating pain
• Engineers fine-tune the sensitivity of nano-chemical sensor
• Speed test of quantum versus conventional computing: Quantum computer wins
• Soy and tomato may be effective in preventing prostate cancer
• Nearly five million asthmatics worldwide could benefit from antifungal therapy
• Differences between 'marathon mice' and 'couch potato mice' reveal key to muscle fitness
• Biosensor that detects antibiotic resistance brings us one step closer to fighting superbugs
• Bacteria adapt and evade nanosilver's sting
• Mathematical model measures hidden HIV
• Geneticists find causes for severe childhood epilepsies
• Gene offers clues to new treatments for a harmful blood clotting disorder
• Discovery shows fat triggers rheumatoid arthritis: Paves way for new gene therapies
• Quantum optics with microwaves: Hong-Ou-Mandel effect demonstrated
• 'Invisibility cloak' for thermal flow constructed
• Elucidating energy shifts in optical tweezers
• A trick to fold proteins more quickly: 'Clever' technique speeds up the analysis of protein dynamics
• Why family conflict affects some children more than others
• World's most extreme hearing animal: The greater wax moth
• An electronic nose can tell pears and apples apart
• Father and teenagers: Desire for children affects relationship
• Rethinking treatment goals improves results for those with persistent anorexia
• Look! Something shiny! How some textbook visuals can hurt learning

Engineered spider toxin could be the future of anti-venom vaccines Posted: 08 May 2013 06:32 PM PDT New engineered spider protein could be the start of a new generation of anti-venom vaccines, potentially saving thousands of lives worldwide. The new protein is created from parts of a toxin from the reaper spider

Benefit vs. risk of facial recognition technology Posted: 08 May 2013 06:32 PM PDT Law enforcement agencies are using facial recognition software as a crime-fighting tool. Now businesses are looking to use the technology to reach customers. But a professor questions whether customers are ready for it.

Birthing centers provide equal or better deliveries, study shows Posted: 08 May 2013 06:31 PM PDT Low-income women who chose to deliver their baby at a birthing center under the care of a certified nurse-midwife had the same or better birthing experience as women under traditional care with a hospital-based obstetrician, according to a new study.

Game-changing discovery of gene mutation that causes Sturge-Weber syndrome, port-wine stain birthmarks offers new hope Posted: 08 May 2013 06:31 PM PDT Researchers have discovered the cause -- a genetic mutation that occurs before birth -- of Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS) and port-wine stain birthmarks. SWS is a rare disorder affecting approximately one in 20,000 births, while port-wine birthmarks are more common, affecting approximately one million individuals in the United States.

Two genes that combine to cause rare syndrome identified Posted: 08 May 2013 06:31 PM PDT Mutations in genes that regulate cellular metabolism found in families with ataxia, dementia and reproductive failure.

Providing workplace wellness centers could backfire Posted: 08 May 2013 06:30 PM PDT People who signed up for a workplace wellness center but then used it infrequently experienced declines in their mental quality-of-life, finds a new study.

Save the parrots: Macaw genome sequenced Posted: 08 May 2013 06:30 PM PDT In a groundbreaking move that provides new insight into avian evolution, biology and conservation, researchers have successfully sequenced the complete genome of a Scarlet macaw for the first time.

Scientists identify early predictors of disease progression which could speed Huntington's disease drug trials Posted: 08 May 2013 06:30 PM PDT Scientists have identified a set of tests that could help identify whether and how Huntington's disease (HD) is progressing in groups of people who are not yet showing symptoms.

PCB concentrations same in urban and rural areas Posted: 08 May 2013 02:22 PM PDT Despite the expectation of a large environmental exposure difference, researchers report that mothers and children in East Chicago, Ind., and residents in a rural area in Iowa have the same PCB levels in their blood as residents in urbanized East Chicago.

Biologist maps the family tree of all known snake and lizard groups Posted: 08 May 2013 02:22 PM PDT Biologists have created the first large-scale evolutionary family tree for every snake and lizard around the globe.

Exotic atoms hold clues to unsolved physics puzzle at the dawn of the universe Posted: 08 May 2013 02:21 PM PDT An international team of physicists has found the first direct evidence of pear shaped nuclei in exotic atoms. The findings could advance the search for a new fundamental force in nature that could explain why the Big Bang created more matter than antimatter -- a pivotal imbalance in the history of everything.

Human impacts on natural world underestimated Posted: 08 May 2013 02:21 PM PDT A comprehensive five-year study by ecologists -- which included monitoring the activity of wolves, elks, cattle and humans -- indicates that two accepted principles of how ecosystems naturally operate could be overshadowed by the importance of human activity.

Four new dinosaur species identified Posted: 08 May 2013 02:21 PM PDT Just when dinosaur researchers thought they had a thorough knowledge of ankylosaurs, a family of squat, armor-plated, plant-eaters, along comes a graduate student with some other ideas.

New Red List developed for threatened ecosystems Posted: 08 May 2013 02:21 PM PDT Scientists have developed a new Red List system for identifying ecosystems at high risk of degradation, similar to the influential Red List for the world's threatened species.

Setting the standard for sustainable bioenergy crops Posted: 08 May 2013 02:19 PM PDT Bioenergy crops, such as Miscanthus and switchgrass, appear to be promising resources for renewable energy, but these new crops did not come with a manual on how to measure details on their sustainability impacts.

Spintronics discovery: Scientists find new 'magic' in magnetic material Posted: 08 May 2013 02:19 PM PDT Researchers have reported a fundamental finding that will help advance the development of next-generation electronics called "spintronics."

Dietary flexibility may have helped some large predators survive after last ice age Posted: 08 May 2013 12:14 PM PDT During the late Pleistocene, a diverse assemblage of large-bodied mammals inhabited the "mammoth steppe" of northern Eurasia and Beringia. Of the large predators -- wolves, bears, and big cats -- only the wolves and bears were able to maintain their ranges well after the end of the last ice age. A new study suggests that dietary flexibility may have been an important factor giving wolves and bears an edge over saber-toothed cats and cave lions.

Missing link in signals contributes to neurodegeneration Posted: 08 May 2013 12:13 PM PDT In many neurodegenerative diseases the neurons of the brain are over-stimulated and this leads to their destruction. After many failed attempts and much scepticism this process was finally shown last year to be a possible basis for treatment in some patients with stroke. But very few targets for drugs to block this process are known.

Researchers find a way to make steel without greenhouse-gas emissions Posted: 08 May 2013 10:31 AM PDT Steelmaking, a major emitter of climate-altering gases, could be transformed by a new process.

People organize daily travel efficiently: Population-level study discovers small-scale details about individuals' choices Posted: 08 May 2013 10:31 AM PDT Studies of human mobility usually focus on either the small scale -- determining the origins, destinations and travel modes of individuals' daily commutes -- or the very large scale, such as using air-travel patterns to track the spread of epidemics over time. The large-scale studies, most of which are made possible by the vast data generated and collected by new technologies like sensors and cellphones, are very good at describing the big picture, but don't provide much detail at the individual level. Smaller-scale studies have the opposite characteristic: Their findings generally can't be scaled up from the individual to be applied broadly to populations. But a new study bridges that gap.

Graphene quantum dots may someday tell if it will rain on Mars Posted: 08 May 2013 10:18 AM PDT Chemical engineers may be able to improve humidity and pressure sensors, particularly those used in outer space.

Cannibal tadpoles key to understanding digestive evolution Posted: 08 May 2013 10:18 AM PDT A carnivorous, cannibalistic tadpole may play a role in understanding the evolution and development of digestive organs, according to new research.

Brain anatomy of dyslexia is not the same in men and women, boys and girls Posted: 08 May 2013 10:18 AM PDT Using MRI, neuroscientists have found significant differences in brain anatomy when comparing men and women with dyslexia to their non-dyslexic control groups. Their study is the first to directly compare brain anatomy of females with and without dyslexia.

Enhanced motion perception in autism may point to an underlying cause of the disorder Posted: 08 May 2013 10:18 AM PDT Children with autism see simple movement twice as quickly as other children their age, and this hypersensitivity to motion may provide clues to a fundamental cause of the developmental disorder, according to a new study.

Carnitine supplement may improve survival rates of children with heart defects Posted: 08 May 2013 10:18 AM PDT A common nutritional supplement may be part of the magic in improving the survival rates of babies born with heart defects, researchers report.

Dramatic decrease in risk of death for children on dialysis Posted: 08 May 2013 10:18 AM PDT Children on dialysis for severe kidney disease have a dramatically reduced risk of death compared to 20 years ago, a new study shows. The findings are very encouraging for children with end-stage kidney disease. These children face a significantly shortened life expectancy, with dialysis as the only life-saving therapy while they await transplant.

Lucky bacteria strike it rich during formation of treatment-resistant colonies: Research could help in battle against infections that do not respond to powerful drugs Posted: 08 May 2013 10:18 AM PDT Like pioneers in search of a better life, bacteria on a surface wander around and often organize into highly resilient communities, known as biofilms. It turns out that a lucky few bacteria become the elite cells that start the colonies, and they organize in a rich-get-richer pattern similar to the distribution of wealth in the US economy, according to a new study.

How long do insects last? Posted: 08 May 2013 10:17 AM PDT Researchers have shown that although insects are made from one of the toughest natural materials, their legs and wings can wear out over time.

First liver transplant in Maryland for bile duct cancer Posted: 08 May 2013 10:17 AM PDT Transplant surgeons have performed a liver transplant on a patient with hilar cholangiocarcinoma -- a rare, often-lethal bile duct cancer. This marks the first time a patient with this type of cancer has been treated with this protocol in the state of Maryland.

Immune cells that suppress genital herpes infections identified Posted: 08 May 2013 10:17 AM PDT Scientists have identified a class of immune cells that reside long-term in the genital skin and mucosa and are believed to be responsible for suppressing recurring outbreaks of genital herpes. These immune cells also play a role in suppressing symptoms of genital herpes, which is why most sufferers of the disease are asymptomatic when viral reactivations occur. The discovery of this subtype of immune cells, called CD8αα+ T cells, opens a new avenue of research to develop a vaccine to prevent and treat herpes simplex virus type 2, or HSV-2. Identifying these T cells' specific molecular targets, called epitopes, is the next step in developing a vaccine.

Astronomers discover surprising clutch of hydrogen clouds lurking among our galactic neighbors Posted: 08 May 2013 10:17 AM PDT In a dark, starless patch of intergalactic space, astronomers have discovered a never-before-seen cluster of hydrogen clouds strewn between two nearby galaxies, Andromeda (M31) and Triangulum (M33). The researchers speculate that these rarefied blobs of gas -- each about as massive as a dwarf galaxy -- condensed out of a vast and as-yet undetected reservoir of hot, ionized gas, which could have accompanied an otherwise invisible band of dark matter.

Coumarin in cinnamon and cinnamon-based products and risk of liver damage Posted: 08 May 2013 09:31 AM PDT Many kinds of cinnamon, cinnamon-flavored foods, beverages and food supplements in the United States use a form of the spice that contains high levels of a natural substance that may cause liver damage in some sensitive people, scientists are reporting.

Early math and reading ability linked to job and income in adulthood Posted: 08 May 2013 09:31 AM PDT Math and reading ability at age 7 may be linked with socioeconomic status several decades later, according to new research. The childhood abilities predict socioeconomic status in adulthood over and above associations with intelligence, education, and socioeconomic status in childhood.

Improved material for 'laser welding' of tissue in intestinal surgery Posted: 08 May 2013 09:30 AM PDT A new "solder" for laser welding of tissue during surgical operations has the potential to produce stronger seals and expand use of this alternative to conventional sutures and stapling in intestinal surgery, scientists are reporting.

Using 'bacteria-eaters' to prevent infections on medical implant materials Posted: 08 May 2013 09:30 AM PDT Viruses that infect and kill bacteria -- used to treat infections in the pre-antibiotic era a century ago and in the former Soviet Union today -- may have a new role in preventing formation of the sticky "biofilms" of bacteria responsible for infections on implanted medical devices.

First biological evidence of a supernova Posted: 08 May 2013 09:30 AM PDT In fossil remnants of bacteria, researchers have found a radioactive iron isotope that they trace back to a supernova in our cosmic neighborhood. This is the first proven biological signature of a starburst. An age determination showed that the supernova must have occurred about 2.2 million years ago, roughly around the time when the modern human developed.

Whole walnuts and their extracted oil improve cardiovascular disease risk Posted: 08 May 2013 09:30 AM PDT Consumption of whole walnuts or their extracted oil can reduce cardiovascular risk through a mechanism other than simply lowering cholesterol, according to researchers.

Hit a 90 mph baseball? Scientists pinpoint how we see it coming Posted: 08 May 2013 09:30 AM PDT How does San Francisco Giants slugger Pablo Sandoval swat a 95 mph fastball, or tennis icon Venus Williams see the oncoming ball, let alone return her sister Serena's 120 mph serves? For the first time, vision scientists have pinpointed how the brain tracks fast-moving objects.

Weeks after stroke, some patients develop chronic, debilitating pain Posted: 08 May 2013 09:28 AM PDT Nearly 1 in 10 stroke patients suffer chronic and debilitating pain, typically described as sharp, stabbing or burning. It is treatable with medications and magnetic or electrical stimulation of the brain. But physicians often fail to correctly diagnose the condition.

Engineers fine-tune the sensitivity of nano-chemical sensor Posted: 08 May 2013 09:28 AM PDT Researchers have discovered a technique for controlling the sensitivity of graphene chemical sensors.

Speed test of quantum versus conventional computing: Quantum computer wins Posted: 08 May 2013 09:28 AM PDT A quantum computer system is "thousands of times faster" than conventional computing in solving an important problem type, a computer science professor finds.

Soy and tomato may be effective in preventing prostate cancer Posted: 08 May 2013 08:43 AM PDT Tomatoes and soy foods may be more effective in preventing prostate cancer when they are eaten together than when either is eaten alone, said a new study.

Nearly five million asthmatics worldwide could benefit from antifungal therapy Posted: 08 May 2013 08:42 AM PDT An estimated 4,837,000 asthmatics with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) could benefit substantially from antifungal treatment, say researchers.

Differences between 'marathon mice' and 'couch potato mice' reveal key to muscle fitness Posted: 08 May 2013 07:26 AM PDT Using "marathon" and "couch potato" mouse models, researchers have discovered that microRNAs link the defining characteristics of fit muscles: The abilities to burn fuel and switch between muscle fiber types. They also found that active people have higher levels of one microRNA than sedentary people.

Biosensor that detects antibiotic resistance brings us one step closer to fighting superbugs Posted: 08 May 2013 07:25 AM PDT New research demonstrates how a biosensor can detect antibiotic resistance in bacteria. This new technology is a preliminary step in identifying and fighting superbugs, a major public health concern that has led to more deaths than AIDS in the United States in recent years.

Bacteria adapt and evade nanosilver's sting Posted: 08 May 2013 06:30 AM PDT Although nanosilver has effective antimicrobial properties against certain pathogens, it can cause other potentially harmful organisms to rapidly adapt and flourish, a new study reveals.

Mathematical model measures hidden HIV Posted: 08 May 2013 06:30 AM PDT A new mathematical modeling technique reveals HIV virus may be replicating in body even when undetectable in the blood.

Geneticists find causes for severe childhood epilepsies Posted: 08 May 2013 06:30 AM PDT Using a DNA sequencing technique capable of deciphering all human genes at the same time, researchers have discovered genetic mutations underlying seizure disorders in previously undiagnosed children.

Gene offers clues to new treatments for a harmful blood clotting disorder Posted: 08 May 2013 06:30 AM PDT A gene associated with both protection against bacterial infection and excessive blood clotting could offer new insights into treatment strategies for deep-vein thrombosis -- the formation of a harmful clot in a deep vein. The gene produces an enzyme that, if inhibited via a specific drug therapy, could offer hope to patients prone to deep-vein clots, such as those that sometimes form in the legs during lengthy airplane flights or during recuperation after major surgery.

Discovery shows fat triggers rheumatoid arthritis: Paves way for new gene therapies Posted: 08 May 2013 06:30 AM PDT Scientists have discovered that fat cells in the knee secrete a protein linked to arthritis, a finding that paves the way for new gene therapies that could offer relief and mobility to millions of people worldwide.

Quantum optics with microwaves: Hong-Ou-Mandel effect demonstrated Posted: 08 May 2013 06:30 AM PDT Physicists have demonstrated one of the quintessential effects of quantum optics -- known as the Hong-Ou-Mandel effect -- with microwaves, whose frequency is 100,000 times lower than that of visible light. The experiment takes quantum optics into a new frequency regime and could eventually lead to new technological applications.

'Invisibility cloak' for thermal flow constructed Posted: 08 May 2013 06:29 AM PDT By means of special metamaterials, light and sound can be passed around objects. Researchers have now succeeded in demonstrating that the same materials can also be used to specifically influence the propagation of heat. A structured plate of copper and silicon conducts heat around a central area without the edge being affected.

Elucidating energy shifts in optical tweezers Posted: 08 May 2013 06:29 AM PDT Physicists are providing an all-in-one guide to help calculate the effect the use of optical tweezers has on the energy levels of atoms under study. A small piece of paper sticks to an electrically charged plastic ruler. The principle of this simple classroom physics experiment is applied at the microscopic scale by so-called optical tweezers to get the likes of polystyrene micro-beads and even living cells to "stick" to a laser beam, or to trap atoms at ultra-low temperatures.

A trick to fold proteins more quickly: 'Clever' technique speeds up the analysis of protein dynamics Posted: 08 May 2013 06:28 AM PDT Scientists have devised a method to reduce the time used to simulate how proteins take on their signature three-dimensional shape. Such important information to comprehend their function is usually obtained using often very costly experimental techniques.

Why family conflict affects some children more than others Posted: 08 May 2013 06:28 AM PDT New research reveals why some children are badly affected by negative family conflicts while other children survive without significant problems. Researchers found that the way in which children understood the conflicts between their parents had different effects on their emotional and behavioral problems. Where children blamed themselves for the conflicts between their parents, they were more likely to have behavioral problems, such as anti-social behavior. But if their parents' fighting or arguing led to a child feeling threatened, or fearful that the family would split up, the child was more likely to experience emotional problems, such as depression.

World's most extreme hearing animal: The greater wax moth Posted: 08 May 2013 06:28 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that the greater wax moth is capable of sensing sound frequencies of up to 300 kHz -- the highest recorded frequency sensitivity of any animal in the natural world.

An electronic nose can tell pears and apples apart Posted: 08 May 2013 06:28 AM PDT Engineers have created a system of sensors that detects fruit odors more effectively than the human sense of smell. For now, the device can distinguish between the odors compounds emitted by pears and apples. Scientists have created an electronic nose with 32 sensors that can identify the odors given off by chopped pears and apples.

Father and teenagers: Desire for children affects relationship Posted: 08 May 2013 06:28 AM PDT The relationships of fathers to their teenaged children are apparently influenced by the nature of their previous desire for children. The more acute that this feeling is, the more closely fathers engage with their children at an everyday level.

Rethinking treatment goals improves results for those with persistent anorexia Posted: 08 May 2013 06:24 AM PDT Patients with severe and enduring anorexia nervosa stuck with treatments in a clinical trial and made significant improvements with just a slight modification of the standard goals and methods of care. Participants reported improved quality of life, mood and social adjustment.

Look! Something shiny! How some textbook visuals can hurt learning Posted: 08 May 2013 06:24 AM PDT Adding captivating visuals to a textbook lesson to attract children's interest may sometimes make it harder for them to learn, a new study suggests.

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