الثلاثاء، 11 فبراير 2014

ScienceDaily: Top News

ScienceDaily: Top News

New advance in 3-D printing and tissue engineering technology

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 03:47 PM PST

Researchers have introduced a unique micro-robotic technique to assemble the components of complex materials, the foundation of tissue engineering and 3-D printing.

Crocodilians can climb trees and bask in the tree crowns

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 03:45 PM PST

When most people envision crocodiles and alligators, they think of them waddling on the ground or wading in water -- not climbing trees. However, a new study has found that the reptiles can climb trees as far as the crowns.

Special glasses help surgeons 'see' cancer​​​​​​​​

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 03:42 PM PST

High-tech glasses may help surgeons visualize cancer cells, which glow blue when viewed through the eyewear. The wearable technology, so new it's yet unnamed, was used during surgery for the first time today at Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine.

Giant mass extinction quicker than previously thought: End-Permian extinction happened in 60,000 years

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 01:13 PM PST

The largest mass extinction in the history of animal life occurred some 252 million years ago, wiping out more than 96 percent of marine species and 70 percent of life on land -- including the largest insects known to have inhabited Earth. Multiple theories have aimed to explain the cause of what's now known as the end-Permian extinction, including an asteroid impact, massive volcanic eruptions, or a cataclysmic cascade of environmental events. But pinpointing the cause of the extinction requires better measurements of how long the extinction period lasted. The end-Permian extinction happened in 60,000 years -- much faster than earlier estimates, according to new research.

Nonflammable lithium ion battery developed

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 01:13 PM PST

Researchers have created a nonflammable lithium-ion battery, a discovery that could renew consumer confidence in a technology that has attracted significant concern after recent lithium battery fires in Boeing 787 Dreamliners and Tesla Model S vehicles.

Flowing water on Mars appears likely but hard to prove: Studies examine puzzling summertime streaks

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 01:12 PM PST

Martian experts have known since 2011 that mysterious, possibly water-related streaks appear and disappear on the planet's surface. These features were given the descriptive name of recurring slope lineae (RSL) because of their shape, annual reappearance and occurrence generally on steep slopes such as crater walls. Researchers have been taking a closer look at this phenomenon, searching for minerals that RSL might leave in their wake, to try to understand the nature of these features: water-related or not?

With their amazing necks, ants don't need 'high hopes' to do heavy lifting

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 01:12 PM PST

Researchers have discovered that the neck joint of a common American field ant can withstand astounding pressures. Similar joints might enable future robots to mimic the ant's weight-lifting ability on earth and in space.

New live-cell printing technology works like ancient Chinese woodblocking

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 01:11 PM PST

With a nod to 3rd century Chinese woodblock printing and children's rubber stamp toys, researchers have developed a way to print living cells onto any surface, in virtually any shape. Unlike recent, similar work using inkjet printing approaches, almost all cells survive the process.

Chips that listen to bacteria: CMOS technology provides new insights into how biofilms form

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 01:11 PM PST

Researchers have shown integrated circuit technology can be used for a most unusual application -- the study of signaling in bacterial colonies. They have developed a chip based on CMOS technology that enables them to electrochemically image the signaling molecules from these colonies spatially and temporally -- they've developed chips that "listen" to bacteria.

High pollutant levels in Guanica Bay 'represent serious toxic threat' to corals

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 11:19 AM PST

Pollutants measured in the sediments of Guanica Bay, Puerto Rico, in a new NOAA study were among the highest concentrations of PCBs, chlordane, chromium and nickel ever measured in the history of NOAA's National Status and Trends monitoring program.

Obese children more likely to have complex elbow fractures, further complications

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 11:01 AM PST

Pediatric obesity is currently an epidemic, with the prevalence having quadruped over the last 25 years. Among other complications, obese children who sustain a supracondylar humeral (above the elbow) fracture can be expected to have more complex fractures and experience more postoperative complications than children of a normal weight, research shows.

How do polar bears stay warm? Research finds an answer in their genes

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 10:58 AM PST

Among polar bears, only pregnant females den up for the colder months. So how do the rest survive the extreme Arctic winters? New research points to one potential answer: genetic adaptations related to production of nitric oxide, a compound cells use to help convert nutrients into energy or heat.

Immune signature discovered that predicts poor outcome in influenza patients

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 10:58 AM PST

Scientists have identified a signature immune response that might help doctors identify which newly diagnosed influenza patients are most likely to develop severe symptoms and suffer poor outcomes. The findings also help explain why infants and toddlers are at elevated risk for flu complications.

Mechanism elucidated: How smell perception influences food intake

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 08:45 AM PST

A research team has succeeded in elucidating how the endocannabinoid system controls food intake through its effects on the perception of smells.

New pain target, discovery for bacterial infections

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 08:45 AM PST

Components in the outer wall of bacteria directly activate pain sensors, triggering immediate pain and inflammatory responses. This finding by a multinational team of researchers sheds new light on pain associated with bacterial infections and reveals a new target for drugs designed to treat them.

EHR-based screening program for aneurysms cuts number of at-risk men by more than half

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 08:45 AM PST

A screening program for abdominal aortic aneurysms, integrated into an electronic health record, dramatically reduced the number of unscreened at-risk men by more than 50 percent within 15 months, according to a Kaiser Permanente study. An abdominal aortic aneurysm is a balloon-like bulge in the aorta, which -- if ruptured -- can result in death. It is estimated that more than one million Americans are living with undiagnosed AAA.

Impact of repetitive heading in soccer needs more research, say experts

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 08:45 AM PST

Researchers warned in a paper published today that not enough attention has been given to the unique aspect of soccer -- the purposeful use of the head to control the ball -- and the long-term consequences of repetitive heading.

Unexpected cell hijack method in pancreatic cancer revealed by research

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 07:21 AM PST

Pancreatic stellate cells, which normally aid tissue repair, unwittingly help pancreatic cancer grow and spread in a method of "cell hijack" only seen before in brain and breast cancer, according to new research.

Threatened eels disappear in the deep ocean on their way to the Sargasso Sea

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 07:19 AM PST

When the threatened European eels cross the Atlantic Ocean to get to the Sargasso Sea to spawn, they swim in deep water. But this does not protect them from predators, researchers report: Even in deep water the eels are hunted and eaten.

Massive neutrinos solve a cosmological conundrum

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 07:19 AM PST

Scientists have solved a major problem with the current standard model of cosmology identified by combining results from the Planck spacecraft and measurements of gravitational lensing in order to deduce the mass of ghostly sub-atomic particles called neutrinos.

Flat-pack lens boosts solar power: Fresnel lens concentrates solar without bulk

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 07:19 AM PST

Micro-machining could be used to create almost flat, Fresnel lenses, that boost the electrical efficiency of solar panels, according to new research.

MRI to offer advances in treatment for chronic kidney disease

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 07:18 AM PST

Detailed structural and functional 'maps' of the human kidney made using advanced scanning technology are to be developed by scientists, in hopes that the effort advances treatment for those suffering from chronic kidney disease.

Newly found tactics in offense-defense struggle with hepatitis C virus

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 06:54 AM PST

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) has a previously unrecognized tactic to outwit antiviral responses and sustain a long-term infection. It also turns out that some people are genetically equipped with a strong countermeasure to the virus' attempt to weaken the attack on it. The details of these findings suggest potential targets for treating HCV.

New maps reveal locations of species at risk as climate changes

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 06:54 AM PST

An international team of scientists has produced global maps showing how fast and in which direction local climates have shifted.

Chronic inflammation: Slowing down immune system when in overdrive

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 06:54 AM PST

Many people suffer from chronic inflammation because their immune systems overreact to 'self' tissue. Scientists believe that a small molecule known as Interleukin 21 is a promising therapeutic target in such cases.

Wheat: Genetic discovery to keep crops disease-free

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 06:54 AM PST

Researchers have found a way to breed disease-resistant wheat with no downside, potentially bringing multi-million dollar savings to Australia's agricultural industry.

Nanomotors are controlled, for the first time, inside living cells

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 06:53 AM PST

Nanomotors have been controlled inside living cells for the first time, report a team of chemists and engineers. The scientists placed tiny rocket-shaped synthetic motors inside live human cells, propelled them with ultrasonic waves and steered them magnetically to spin and to battering against the cell membrane.

Conserved nuclear envelope protein uses shuttle service to travel between job sites

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 06:51 AM PST

Researchers have glimpsed two proteins working together inside living cells to facilitate communication between the cell's nucleus and its exterior compartment, the cytoplasm. The research provides new clues into how a crucial protein that is found in organisms from yeast to humans does its work.

Virtual avatars may impact real-world behavior

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 05:32 AM PST

How you represent yourself in the virtual world of video games may affect how you behave toward others in the real world, according to new research.

Smoking linked with increased risk of most common type of breast cancer

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 05:32 AM PST

Young women who smoke and have been smoking a pack a day for a decade or more have a significantly increased risk of developing the most common type of breast cancer. The study indicates that an increased risk of breast cancer may be another health risk incurred by young women who smoke.

Research reveals give and take of urban temperature mitigating technologies

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 05:32 AM PST

Greenhouse-gas induced warming and megapolitan expansion are both significant drivers of our warming planet. Researchers are now assessing adaptation technologies -- such as cool roofs, green roofs and hybrids of the two -- that could help us acclimate to these changing realities. A team of researchers has begun exploring the relative effectiveness of some of the most common adaptation technologies aimed at reducing warming from urban expansion.

Eucalypt in Ethiopian highlands: Increasing productivity of important tree

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 05:32 AM PST

Researchers are collaborating in a eucalypts breeding program in the Ethiopian highlands which will increase this species productivity.

Defect in Ikaros gene mimics human B cell leukemia

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 05:31 AM PST

Researchers investigated the differentiation of stem cells to mature B cells, and now present, for the first time, molecular details on the role of the Ikaros gene during early B cell development. A defect in Ikaros function causes an early block in B-lymphopoiesis and prevents the development of mature B cells. The cells stay in an aberrant state, which closely resembles that of cells in B-ALL, a special form of human B cell leukemia.

Oil composition boost makes hemp a cooking contender

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 05:31 AM PST

Scientists report the development of hemp plants with a dramatically increased content of oleic acid. The new oil profile results in an attractive cooking oil that is similar to olive oil in terms of fatty acid content, having a much longer shelf life, as well as greater heat tolerance and potentially more industrial applications.

Coffee growing: More biodiversity, better harvest

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 05:30 AM PST

Bees, birds and bats make a huge contribution to the high yields produced by coffee farmers around Mount Kilimanjaro -- an example of how biodiversity can pay off. This effect has been described as result of a study now published, conducted by tropical ecologists.

Aquatic Insects: Tremendous potential for research on diversification

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 05:30 AM PST

Inland waters cover less than 1% of the Earth's surface yet harbor 10% of all known animal species, 60% of them being aquatic insects. Nearly 100,000 species from 12 orders spend one or more life stages in freshwater. Still today, little is known on how this remarkable diversity arose. Scientists therefore investigated the potential of aquatic insects for research on diversification and outline their findings in a new publication.

Genetic origins of high-altitude adaptations in Tibetans

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 05:29 AM PST

Genetic adaptations for life at high elevations found in residents of the Tibetan plateau likely originated around 30,000 years ago in peoples related to contemporary Sherpa. These genes were passed on to more recent migrants from lower elevations via population mixing, and then amplified by natural selection in the modern Tibetan gene pool, according to a new study. The transfer of beneficial mutations between human populations and selective enrichment of these genes in descendent generations represents a novel mechanism for adaptation to new environments.

Astronomers discover oldest star: Formed shortly after the Big Bang 13. 7 billion years ago

Posted: 09 Feb 2014 05:08 PM PST

A team of astronomers has discovered the oldest known star in the Universe, which formed shortly after the Big Bang 13.7 billion years ago. The discovery has allowed astronomers for the first time to study the chemistry of the first stars, giving scientists a clearer idea of what the Universe was like in its infancy.

Hubble looks in on a nursery for unruly young stars

Posted: 09 Feb 2014 04:59 PM PST

A striking new image, captured by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, reveals a star in the process of forming within the Chameleon cloud. This young star is throwing off narrow streams of gas from its poles -- creating this ethereal object known as HH 909A. These speedy outflows collide with the slower surrounding gas, lighting up the region.

Fight or flight? Vocal cues help deer decide during mating season

Posted: 09 Feb 2014 04:23 PM PST

Male fallow deer are sensitive to changes in the groans that rivals make during mating season when competing for the attention of female deer, and can assess the level of threat other males pose simply from vocal cues, according to new research.

Invasive 'demon shrimp' threaten British marine species

Posted: 09 Feb 2014 04:23 PM PST

A species of shrimp, dubbed the 'demon shrimp,' which was previously unknown in British waters, is attacking and eating native shrimp and disrupting the food chain in some of England's rivers and lakes. The problem is contributing to the cost of Invasive non-native species (INNS) to the British economy, which is estimated at a total annual cost of approximately £1.7 billion.

Optogenetic toolkit goes multicolor: Viewing brain functions with light-sensitive proteins

Posted: 09 Feb 2014 12:24 PM PST

Researchers have found new light-sensitive proteins that allow scientists to study how multiple sets of neurons interact with each other.

Seven new genetic regions linked to type 2 diabetes

Posted: 09 Feb 2014 12:24 PM PST

Seven new genetic regions associated with type 2 diabetes have been identified in the largest study to date of the genetic basis of the disease. DNA data was brought together from more than 48,000 patients and 139,000 healthy controls from four different ethnic groups.

Clues for battling aggressive cancers from twin sisters study

Posted: 09 Feb 2014 12:24 PM PST

Analyzing the genomes of twin sisters -- one healthy and one with aggressive leukemia -- led an international team of researchers to identify a novel molecular target that could become a way to treat recurring and deadly malignancies. The study points to a molecular pathway involving a gene called SETD2, which can mutate in blood cells during a critical step as DNA is being transcribed and replicated.

Genome editing goes hi-fi: Innovative stem cell technique

Posted: 09 Feb 2014 12:24 PM PST

Scientists have found a way to efficiently edit the human genome one letter at a time -- not only boosting researchers' ability to model human disease, but also paving the way for therapies that cure disease by fixing these so-called "bugs" in a patient's genetic code.
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