ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Collaborative software helps systems engineers link performance and cost
• Scientists identify key to body's use of free calcium
• Potential drug targets for early onset glaucoma
• Changing climate: How dust changed the face of Earth
• Cheap hydrogen gas? Probing hydrogen catalyst assembly
• New genes spring, spread from non-coding DNA
• Timing is everything: How the brain links memories of sequential events
• Bats use water ripples to hunt frogs
• Los Angeles would experience stronger-than-expected ground motion in major earthquake, virtual earthquake generator shows
• Genome of longest-living cancer: 11,000-year-old living dog cancer reveals its origin, evolution
• When nanotechnology meets quantum physics in one dimension: New experiment supports long-predicted 'Luttinger liquid' model
• Watching molecules morph into memories: Breakthrough allows scientists to probe how memories form in nerve cells
• Morphing bat skull model: Using engineering plus evolutionary analyses to answer natural selection questions
• World's first magma-enhanced geothermal system created in Iceland
• Researchers discover origin of unusual glands in the body
• More benefits emerging for one type of omega-3 fatty acid: DHA
• Scientists map gene changes driving tumors in common pediatric soft-tissue cancer
• Natural History Museum, London, yields remarkable new beetle specimens from Brazil
• Fur and feathers keep animals warm by scattering light
• Arctic inland waters emit large amounts of carbon
• Large and in charge: Study shows size matters in prehistoric seas
• Detecting sickness by smell
• New microscopy technique improves imaging at the atomic scale
• Researchers decipher structure of part of ribosome found in mitochondria
• Near error-free wireless detection made possible
• Ancient forests stabilized Earth’s CO2 and climate
• Tracing unique cells with mathematics
• Carbon dioxide paves the way to unique nanomaterials
• Molecules as circuits? Miniaturization of electronic devices
• Does it pay to be a lover or a fighter? It depends on how you woo females
• Increase in hemlock forest offsetting effect of invasive hemlock woolly adelgid for now
• One quarter of the world's cartilaginous fish, namely sharks and rays, face imminent extinction
• 'Surveillance minimization' needed to restore trust
• Texting changes the way we walk: Walkers swerve and slow down while texting
• A guppy's spots formed by layers of color cells: Multiple pigment cell types create black, blue, orange spots of the guppy
• The Moth versus the Crowd: Tracking an alien invader of conker trees using people power
• Humans can use smell to detect levels of dietary fat
• Computer simulation of blood vessel growth
• Nighttime smartphone use zaps workers' energy
• Athletes' performance declines following contract years
• Scientists offer new insight into neuron changes brought about by aging
• Live feed device monitors drugs in bloodstream in real time
• Unprecedented structural insights: NMDA receptors can be blocked to limit neurotoxicity
• 'Space cops' help control traffic in space
• Toward fixing damaged hearts through tissue engineering
• Seashells inspire new way to preserve bones for archeologists, paleontologists
• Laser scientists create portable sensor for nitrous oxide, methane
• Atomic-scale catalysts may produce cheap hydrogen
• From a carpet of nanorods to a thin film solar cell absorber within a few seconds

Collaborative software helps systems engineers link performance and cost Posted: 23 Jan 2014 12:48 PM PST Researchers have produced an advanced web-based tool that lets physically separated participants collaborate on model-based systems engineering projects. The program utilizes open-source software components to allow users to visualize a system's potential expense alongside its performance, reliability and other factors.

Scientists identify key to body's use of free calcium Posted: 23 Jan 2014 11:20 AM PST Scientists report they have figured out a key step in how "free" calcium -- the kind not contained in bones -- is managed in the body, a finding that could aid in the development of new treatments for a variety of neurological disorders that include Parkinson's disease.

Potential drug targets for early onset glaucoma Posted: 23 Jan 2014 11:20 AM PST Using a novel high-throughput screening process, scientists have for the first time identified molecules with the potential to block the accumulation of a toxic eye protein that can lead to early onset of glaucoma.

Changing climate: How dust changed the face of Earth Posted: 23 Jan 2014 11:20 AM PST In spring 2010, the research icebreaker Polarstern returned from the South Pacific with a scientific treasure -- ocean sediments from a previously almost unexplored part of the South Polar Sea. What looks like an inconspicuous sample of mud to a layman is, to geological history researchers, a valuable archive from which they can reconstruct the climatic history of the polar areas over many years of analysis. This, in turn, is of fundamental importance for understanding global climatic development.

Cheap hydrogen gas? Probing hydrogen catalyst assembly Posted: 23 Jan 2014 11:20 AM PST Biochemical reactions sometimes have to handle dangerous things in a safe way. New work shows how cyanide and carbon monoxide are safely bound to an iron atom to construct an enzyme that can generate hydrogen gas.

New genes spring, spread from non-coding DNA Posted: 23 Jan 2014 11:20 AM PST "Where do new genes come from?" is a long-standing question in genetics and evolutionary biology. A new study shows that new genes can spring from non-coding DNA more rapidly than expected.

Timing is everything: How the brain links memories of sequential events Posted: 23 Jan 2014 11:19 AM PST Suppose you heard the sound of skidding tires, followed by a car crash. The next time you heard such a skid, you might cringe in fear, expecting a crash to follow -- suggesting that somehow, your brain had linked those two memories so that a fairly innocuous sound provokes dread. Scientists have now discovered how two neural circuits in the brain work together to control the formation of such time-linked memories.

Bats use water ripples to hunt frogs Posted: 23 Jan 2014 11:19 AM PST As the male tungara frog serenades females from a pond, he creates watery ripples that make him easier to target by rivals and predators such as bats. He will stop calling if he sees a bat overhead, but ripples continue moving for several seconds after the call ceases. In a new study, researchers found evidence that bats use echolocation to detect these ripples and home in on a frog.

Los Angeles would experience stronger-than-expected ground motion in major earthquake, virtual earthquake generator shows Posted: 23 Jan 2014 11:19 AM PST Scientists have developed a new "virtual earthquake" technique and used it to confirm a prediction that Los Angeles would experience stronger-than-expected ground motion if a major quake occurred along the southern San Andreas Fault.

Genome of longest-living cancer: 11,000-year-old living dog cancer reveals its origin, evolution Posted: 23 Jan 2014 11:17 AM PST A cancer normally lives and dies with a person, however this is not the case with a sexually transmitted cancer in dogs. In a new study, researchers have described the genome and evolution of this cancer that has continued living within the dog population for the past 11,000 years.

When nanotechnology meets quantum physics in one dimension: New experiment supports long-predicted 'Luttinger liquid' model Posted: 23 Jan 2014 11:17 AM PST Scientists have succeeded in conducting a new experiment that supports the existence of the long-sought-after Luttinger liquid state.

Watching molecules morph into memories: Breakthrough allows scientists to probe how memories form in nerve cells Posted: 23 Jan 2014 11:17 AM PST Scientists have used advanced imaging techniques to provide a window into how the brain makes memories. These insights into the molecular basis of memory were made possible by a technological tour de force never before achieved in animals: a mouse model in which molecules crucial to making memories were given fluorescent "tags" so they could be observed traveling in real time in living brain cells.

Morphing bat skull model: Using engineering plus evolutionary analyses to answer natural selection questions Posted: 23 Jan 2014 10:32 AM PST Scientists have built an engineering model of a bat skull that can morph into the shape of any species, and used it to create skulls with all possible combinations of snout length and width. Then they ran engineering analyses on all the models to assess their structural strength and mechanical advantage, a measure of how efficiently and how hard bats can bite.

World's first magma-enhanced geothermal system created in Iceland Posted: 23 Jan 2014 10:32 AM PST In 2009, a borehole drilled at Krafla, northeast Iceland, as part of the Icelandic Deep Drilling Project, unexpectedly penetrated into magma (molten rock) at only 2,100 meters depth, with a temperature of 900-1,000 C.

Researchers discover origin of unusual glands in the body Posted: 23 Jan 2014 09:59 AM PST The thymus gland is a critical component of the human immune system that is responsible for the development of T-lymphocytes, or T-cells, which help organize and lead the body's fighting forces against harmful organisms like bacteria and viruses.

More benefits emerging for one type of omega-3 fatty acid: DHA Posted: 23 Jan 2014 09:59 AM PST A study of the metabolic effects of omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA, concludes that these compounds may have an even wider range of biological impacts than previously considered. They could be of significant value in the prevention of fatty liver disease, but that may also be just the beginning.

Scientists map gene changes driving tumors in common pediatric soft-tissue cancer Posted: 23 Jan 2014 09:59 AM PST Scientists have mapped the genetic changes that drive tumors in rhabdomyosarcoma, a pediatric soft-tissue cancer, and found that the disease is characterized by two distinct genotypes. The genetic alterations identified in this malignancy could be useful in developing targeted diagnostic tools and treatments for children with the disease.

Natural History Museum, London, yields remarkable new beetle specimens from Brazil Posted: 23 Jan 2014 09:58 AM PST Sitting for almost 20 years in the Natural History Museum, London, minute rove beetle specimens of a new genus were discovered. The genus, caught in the 90s in the Brazilian Amazon, shows remarkable sexual dimorphism, with winged, large-eyed males and wingless, tiny-eyed females.

Fur and feathers keep animals warm by scattering light Posted: 23 Jan 2014 09:58 AM PST In work that has major implications for improving the performance of building insulation, scientists have calculated that hairs that reflect infrared light may contribute significant insulating power to the exceptionally warm winter coats of polar bears and other animals.

Arctic inland waters emit large amounts of carbon Posted: 23 Jan 2014 09:58 AM PST Streams and lakes of Northern Sweden are hotspots for emissions of carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere, according to new research.

Large and in charge: Study shows size matters in prehistoric seas Posted: 23 Jan 2014 09:55 AM PST Scientists have started to explain why some prehistoric organisms evolved into larger animals. They suggest that height offered a distinct advantage to the earliest forms of multicellular life.

Detecting sickness by smell Posted: 23 Jan 2014 07:27 AM PST Humans are able to smell sickness in someone whose immune system is highly active within just a few hours of exposure to a toxin, according to new research published.

New microscopy technique improves imaging at the atomic scale Posted: 23 Jan 2014 07:27 AM PST When capturing images at the atomic scale, even tiny movements of the sample can result in skewed or distorted images -- and those movements are virtually impossible to prevent. Now microscopy researchers have developed a new technique that accounts for that movement and eliminates the distortion from the finished product.

Researchers decipher structure of part of ribosome found in mitochondria Posted: 23 Jan 2014 07:27 AM PST Researchers have deciphered the structure of part of the ribosome found in mitochondria, the power plants of the cell. The scientists were able to benefit from advancements in the field of electron microscopy and capture images of the mitochondrial ribosome at a level of resolution never achieved before.

Near error-free wireless detection made possible Posted: 23 Jan 2014 07:27 AM PST A new long-range wireless tag detection system, with potential applications in health care, environmental protection and goods tracking, can pinpoint items with near 100 percent accuracy over a much wider range than current systems.

Ancient forests stabilized Earth’s CO2 and climate Posted: 23 Jan 2014 07:24 AM PST Researchers have identified a biological mechanism that could explain how the Earth's atmospheric carbon dioxide and climate were stabilized over the past 24 million years. When CO2 levels became too low for plants to grow properly, forests appear to have kept the climate in check by slowing down the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Tracing unique cells with mathematics Posted: 23 Jan 2014 04:56 AM PST Stem cells can turn into heart cells, skin cells can mutate to cancer cells; even cells of the same tissue type exhibit small heterogeneities. Scientists use single-cell analyses to investigate these heterogeneities. But the method is still laborious and considerable inaccuracies conceal smaller effects. Scientists have now found a way to simplify and improve the analysis by mathematical methods.

Carbon dioxide paves the way to unique nanomaterials Posted: 23 Jan 2014 04:56 AM PST In common perception, carbon dioxide is just a greenhouse gas, one of the major environmental problems of mankind. For Warsaw chemists CO2 became, however, something else: a key element of reactions allowing for creation of nanomaterials with unprecedented properties.

Molecules as circuits? Miniaturization of electronic devices Posted: 23 Jan 2014 04:55 AM PST Silicon-based electronics has certain limits, in the physical sense of the word: this type of circuit can never become "nano" because of the physical laws governing the flow of electrons. This imposes a halt to the process of miniaturization of electronic devices. One of the possible solutions is to use molecules as circuits, but their poor conduction capabilities make them unlikely candidates. There is, however, a possible way around this, which was investigated in a recent article.

Does it pay to be a lover or a fighter? It depends on how you woo females Posted: 23 Jan 2014 04:55 AM PST As mating season approaches, male animals are faced with a question that can make or break their chances at reproducing: does it pay to be a lover or a fighter? Or both? Researchers found that where animals fall on the lover/fighter scale depends on how much they are able to ensure continued mating rights with females.In species where fighting for the right to mate means greater control of females, such as in the elephant seal, males invest more in weapons and less in testes size.

Increase in hemlock forest offsetting effect of invasive hemlock woolly adelgid for now Posted: 22 Jan 2014 05:23 PM PST In many regions, particularly in the southern Appalachians, the loss of hemlock to hemlock woolly adelgid has been devastating. However, when Forest Service scientists used regional Forest Inventory & Analysis data to get a big picture view of the status of hemlock in the eastern US, the results surprised them.

One quarter of the world's cartilaginous fish, namely sharks and rays, face imminent extinction Posted: 22 Jan 2014 05:23 PM PST One quarter of the world's cartilaginous fish, namely sharks and rays, face extinction within the next few decades, according to the first study to systematically and globally assess their fate.

'Surveillance minimization' needed to restore trust Posted: 22 Jan 2014 05:22 PM PST Surveillance minimization -- where surveillance is the exception, not the rule -- could help rebuild public trust following revelations about the collection of personal data, according to a law academic.

Texting changes the way we walk: Walkers swerve and slow down while texting Posted: 22 Jan 2014 05:22 PM PST Texting on your phone while walking alters posture and balance according to a new study.

A guppy's spots formed by layers of color cells: Multiple pigment cell types create black, blue, orange spots of the guppy Posted: 22 Jan 2014 05:22 PM PST At least three pigment cell types from multiple layers of skin contribute to the color patterns of male guppies.

The Moth versus the Crowd: Tracking an alien invader of conker trees using people power Posted: 22 Jan 2014 05:20 PM PST An army of citizen scientists has helped the professionals understand how a tiny 'alien' moth is attacking the UK's conker (horse-chestnut) trees, and showed that naturally-occurring pest controlling wasps are not able to restrict the moth's impact.

Humans can use smell to detect levels of dietary fat Posted: 22 Jan 2014 05:20 PM PST New research reveals humans can use the sense of smell to detect dietary fat in food. As food smell almost always is detected before taste, the findings identify one of the first sensory qualities that signals whether a food contains fat. Innovative methods using odor to make low-fat foods more palatable could someday aid public health efforts to reduce dietary fat intake.

Computer simulation of blood vessel growth Posted: 22 Jan 2014 05:20 PM PST Bioengineers showed that tiny blood vessels grow better in the laboratory if the tissue surrounding them is less dense. Then the researchers created a computer simulation to predict such growth accurately – an early step toward treatments to provide blood supply to tissues damaged by diabetes and heart attacks and to skin grafts and implanted ligaments and tendons.

Nighttime smartphone use zaps workers' energy Posted: 22 Jan 2014 02:06 PM PST Using a smartphone to cram in more work at night results in less work the next day, indicates new research.

Athletes' performance declines following contract years Posted: 22 Jan 2014 02:06 PM PST A professor has determined that the contract year performance boost is real, but they caution team managers and coaches that it might be followed by a post-contract performance crash -- a two-year pattern they call the "contract year syndrome."

Scientists offer new insight into neuron changes brought about by aging Posted: 22 Jan 2014 12:39 PM PST A new study offers insights into how aging affects the brain's neural circuitry, in some cases significantly altering gene expression in single neurons. These discoveries could point the way toward a better understanding of how aging affects our cognitive ability and new therapeutic targets for the treatment of neurodegenerative disease, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

Live feed device monitors drugs in bloodstream in real time Posted: 22 Jan 2014 10:43 AM PST A device that can monitor the levels of specific drugs as they flow through the bloodstream may soon take the guesswork out of drug dosing and allow physicians to tailor prescriptions to their patients' specific biology. The biosensor combines engineering and biochemistry and has far-reaching potential.

Unprecedented structural insights: NMDA receptors can be blocked to limit neurotoxicity Posted: 22 Jan 2014 10:42 AM PST Structural biologists have obtained important scientific results likely to advance efforts to develop new drugs targeting NMDA receptors in the brain.

'Space cops' help control traffic in space Posted: 22 Jan 2014 10:42 AM PST Scientists are using mini-satellites that work as "space cops" to help control traffic in space.

Toward fixing damaged hearts through tissue engineering Posted: 22 Jan 2014 10:41 AM PST In the US, someone suffers a heart attack every 34 seconds -- their heart is starved of oxygen and suffers irreparable damage. Engineering new heart tissue in the laboratory that could eventually be implanted into patients could help, and scientists are reporting a promising approach tested with rat cells.

Seashells inspire new way to preserve bones for archeologists, paleontologists Posted: 22 Jan 2014 10:41 AM PST Recreating the story of humanity's past by studying ancient bones can hit a snag when they deteriorate, but scientists are now reporting an advance inspired by seashells that can better preserve valuable remains.

Laser scientists create portable sensor for nitrous oxide, methane Posted: 22 Jan 2014 10:41 AM PST Scientists have created a highly sensitive portable sensor to test the air for the most damaging greenhouse gases.

Atomic-scale catalysts may produce cheap hydrogen Posted: 22 Jan 2014 10:40 AM PST Researchers have shown that a one-atom thick film of molybdenum sulfide (MoS2) may work as an effective catalyst for creating hydrogen. The work opens a new door for the production of cheap hydrogen.

From a carpet of nanorods to a thin film solar cell absorber within a few seconds Posted: 22 Jan 2014 10:40 AM PST Scientists have discovered a novel solid state reaction which lets kesterite grains grow within a few seconds and at relatively low temperatures. For this reaction, they exploit a transition from a metastable wurtzite compound in the form of nanorods to the more stable kesterite compound.

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