الأربعاء، 26 أكتوبر 2016

ScienceDaily: Top News

ScienceDaily: Top News

3-D-printed structures shrink when heated

Posted: 25 Oct 2016 09:55 AM PDT

Almost all solid materials, from rubber and glass to granite and steel, inevitably expand when heated. Only in very rare instances do certain materials buck this thermodynamic trend and shrink with heat. Engineers are now adding to this curious class of heat-shrinking materials. They have manufactured tiny, star-shaped structures out of interconnected beams, or trusses. The structures, each about the size of a sugar cube, quickly shrink when heated to about 540 degrees Fahrenheit (282 C).

New SIDS research shows carbon dioxide, inner ear damage may play important role

Posted: 25 Oct 2016 09:51 AM PDT

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) may be linked to the build up of carbon dioxide and existing inner ear damage according to a new study. Experts say the finding could help researchers understand the sequence of events and risk factors that lead to SIDS deaths.

Researchers use CRISPR to accelerate search for HIV cure

Posted: 25 Oct 2016 09:51 AM PDT

A newly developed gene-editing system has been used to find gene mutations that make human immune cells resistant to HIV infection.

Scientists root for more cassava research to help meet greater demand for food

Posted: 25 Oct 2016 09:48 AM PDT

Global food demand is expected to grow by 110 per cent over the next 30 to 35 years, and for many of the poorest people on the planet, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, cassava is the most important source of calories. Cassava is also important as a crop that is resistant to climate change, but it has not received the same amount of attention as other staple food crops, say researchers.

3-D-printed magnets: How can you produce a magnet with exactly the right magnetic field?

Posted: 25 Oct 2016 08:57 AM PDT

How can you produce a magnet with exactly the right magnetic field? A research team now has a solution: for the first time, they have created magnets with a 3D printer.

Uranus may have two undiscovered moons

Posted: 25 Oct 2016 08:51 AM PDT

NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft flew by Uranus 30 years ago, but researchers are still making discoveries from the data it gathered then. A new study led by University of Idaho researchers suggests there could be two tiny, previously undiscovered moonlets orbiting near two of the planet's rings.

Towards better metallic glasses

Posted: 25 Oct 2016 08:48 AM PDT

Researchers have used state-of-the-art computer simulation to test a theory from the 1950s that when atoms organize themselves into 3D pentagons they supress crystallisation. The theory has been a cornerstone of metallic glass development ever since from high-tech aerospace materials to the covers of our mobile phones. But until now, the mechanism by which these 3D pentagons could stop the formation of crystal nuclei has been unknown.

Structure of key DNA replication protein solved

Posted: 25 Oct 2016 08:46 AM PDT

A research team has solved the three-dimensional structure of a key protein that helps damaged cellular DNA repair itself. Investigators say that knowing the chemical structure of the protein will likely help drug designers build novel anti-cancer agents.

A complete waste of energy

Posted: 25 Oct 2016 08:45 AM PDT

Americans waste up to $19 billion annually in electricity costs due to "vampire appliances," always-on digital devices in the home that suck power even when they are turned off. But now engineers have come up with a way to produce microscopic electronic switches for appliances and devices that can grow and dissolve wires inside the circuitry that instantly connect and disconnect electrical flow. With this technology, consumer products such as smartphones and computer laptops could run at least twice as long on a single battery charge, and newer all-digital appliances such as televisions and video game consoles could be much more power efficient.

Can the brain feel it? The world's smallest extracellular needle-electrodes

Posted: 25 Oct 2016 08:44 AM PDT

5-?m-diameter needle-electrodes on 1 mm × 1 mm block modules have now been developed by researchers. This tiny needle may help solve the mysteries of the brain and facilitate the development of a brain-machine interface.

Study reveals which genes are critical to a plant's response to drought

Posted: 25 Oct 2016 08:44 AM PDT

Because plants cannot relocate when resources become scarce, they need to efficiently regulate their growth by responding to environmental cues. Drought is the most important cause of reduced plant growth and crop yield, which makes insights into a plant's drought response highly valuable to agriculture. A new study has provided major insights into how plants cope with water-limiting conditions, which can direct advanced breeding and genome engineering efforts to create high-performing, drought-tolerant crop plants.

Teenagers influenced by video games with alcohol, smoking content

Posted: 25 Oct 2016 08:43 AM PDT

Images and references to alcohol and tobacco in popular video games may be influencing UK teens who play the games and the age restriction system is not working, according to a new study.

Carpenter ants: When social instructions may be dangerous

Posted: 25 Oct 2016 08:42 AM PDT

Why do social beings sometimes put their own common sense aside to follow the lead of others, even though by doing so they could be brought to death's door? Research on carpenter ants is the first to show that so-called social information delivered by other ants often overrides an individual's assessment that a certain food source is toxic.

Adolescents do not 'get the gist' when it comes to making risky decisions online

Posted: 25 Oct 2016 08:41 AM PDT

Adolescents are more likely than adults to take online risks, regardless of the gamble involved, according to new research.

Sleep loss tied to changes of the gut microbiota in humans

Posted: 25 Oct 2016 08:41 AM PDT

Curtailing sleep alters the abundance of bacterial gut species that have previously been linked to compromised human metabolic health, results from a new clinical study suggests.

Can a brain-computer interface convert your thoughts to text?

Posted: 25 Oct 2016 08:40 AM PDT

Ever wonder what it would be like if a device could decode your thoughts into actual speech or written words? While this might enhance the capabilities of already existing speech interfaces with devices, it could be a potential game-changer for those with speech pathologies, and even more so for "locked-in" patients who lack any speech or motor function.

How often do quantum systems violate the second law of thermodynamics?

Posted: 25 Oct 2016 08:40 AM PDT

The likelihood of seeing quantum systems violating the second law of thermodynamics has been calculated by scientists. The team determined a more precise version of a basic law of physics - which says that disorder tends to increase with time unless acted on by an outside force - and applied it to the smallest quantum systems.

Accelerated glacier melting in West Antarctica documented

Posted: 25 Oct 2016 08:33 AM PDT

Two new studies have found the fastest ongoing rates of glacier retreat ever observed in West Antarctica and offer an unprecedented look at ice melting on the floating undersides of glaciers. The results highlight how the interaction between ocean conditions and the bedrock beneath a glacier can influence the frozen mass, helping scientists better predict future Antarctica ice loss and global sea level rise.

Halloween candy deconstructed: Ingredients of a few popular Halloween candies

Posted: 25 Oct 2016 06:30 AM PDT

It Halloween time. The costumes, the candy, the candy, the candy, and lots of it. Maybe it's time to forget the calories for a movement and take a look at the ingredients.

Many kids not ready for kindergarten

Posted: 25 Oct 2016 06:29 AM PDT

Many children are still learning to control their behavior as they enter kindergarten and may need educational support to develop that critical skill, indicates one of the most conclusive studies to date of early childhood self-regulation.

More than 50% of Americans now have at least one chronic health condition, mental disorder or substance-use issue

Posted: 25 Oct 2016 06:26 AM PDT

With the future of US healthcare likely to rest on the next presidency, a new study highlights just how complex the medical needs of many Americans now are.

World’s largest study shows effects of long-term exposure to air pollution and traffic noise on blood pressure

Posted: 25 Oct 2016 05:47 AM PDT

Long-term exposure to air pollution is linked to a greater incidence of high blood pressure, according to the largest study to investigate the effects of both air pollution and traffic noise by following over 41,000 people in five different countries for five to nine years.

Dieting success may be hardwired into the brain

Posted: 25 Oct 2016 05:26 AM PDT

Scientists studied the connections between the executive control and reward systems in the brain, and discovered the ability to self-regulate a healthy body weight may be dependent on individual brain structure.

Genetic mutation in whale eyes may increase mortality risks

Posted: 24 Oct 2016 02:18 PM PDT

Difficulty seeing in bright light, which can be linked to a genetic mutation, can also increase baleen whales' susceptibility to fatal entanglements in fishing gear, say researchers.

Semi-volatile organic compounds diffuse between atmospheric particles

Posted: 24 Oct 2016 02:08 PM PDT

Semi-volatile organic compounds can readily diffuse into the billions of tiny atmospheric particles that inhabit the air, easily moving among them, researchers have discovered. The findings provide greater understanding into how organic particles behave in the atmosphere.

Parasitic plants may form weapons out of genes stolen from hosts

Posted: 24 Oct 2016 02:07 PM PDT

Sneaky parasitic weeds may be able to steal genes from the plants they are attacking and then use those genes against the host plant, according to a team of scientists.

Atom-by-atom growth chart for shells helps decode past climate

Posted: 24 Oct 2016 02:06 PM PDT

For the first time scientists can see how the shells of tiny marine organisms grow atom-by-atom, a new study reports. The advance provides new insights into the mechanisms of biomineralization and will improve our understanding of environmental change in Earth's past.

Simple instruction sheet helps patients correctly take regular medications before surgery

Posted: 24 Oct 2016 02:06 PM PDT

Patients may be more likely to take their regularly prescribed medications for chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension correctly before surgery when provided a simple instruction sheet, reveals a study. Taking medication correctly before surgery can improve patient safety and comfort, and reduce day-of-surgery cancellations.

New guidelines published for discontinuing mechanical ventilation in ICU

Posted: 24 Oct 2016 01:25 PM PDT

New guidelines for discontinuing mechanical ventilation in critically ill adults have been published by researchers. The goal of the guidelines is to help physicians and other health care professionals determine when patients with acute respiratory failure can breathe on their own and to provide clinical advice that may increase the chances for successful extubation.

Women who opt for laughing gas during labor may still get an epidural, study shows

Posted: 24 Oct 2016 01:25 PM PDT

The majority of women who chose nitrous oxide (laughing gas) to manage labor pain, ultimately decide to have an epidural, according to new research. Investigators found nitrous oxide provided limited pain relief, with patients reporting no change in average pain scores after its use.

Nanofiber coating prevents infections of prosthetic joints

Posted: 24 Oct 2016 01:24 PM PDT

A novel coating they made with antibiotic-releasing nanofibers has the potential to better prevent at least some serious bacterial infections related to total joint replacement surgery, scientists show in a proof-of-concept study with mice.

Report reveals a big dependence on freshwater fish for global food security

Posted: 24 Oct 2016 01:22 PM PDT

Freshwater fish play a surprisingly crucial role in feeding some of the world's most vulnerable people, according to a new study.

Study links small RNA molecule to pregnancy complication

Posted: 24 Oct 2016 01:22 PM PDT

A family of small RNA molecules affects the development of cells that give rise to the placenta -- an organ that transfers oxygen and nutrients from mother to fetus -- in ways that could contribute to a serious pregnancy complication, researchers report.

Microbe hunters discover long-sought-after iron-munching microbe

Posted: 24 Oct 2016 01:16 PM PDT

A microbe that 'eats' both methane and iron: microbiologists have long suspected its existence, but were not able to find it - until now. Researchers have discovered a microorganism that couples the reduction of iron to methane oxidation, and could thus be relevant in controlling greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.

Scientists uncover why hepatitis C virus vaccine has been difficult to make

Posted: 24 Oct 2016 01:16 PM PDT

Researchers have been trying for decades to develop a vaccine against the globally endemic hepatitis C virus (HCV). Now scientists have discovered one reason why success has so far been elusive.

How even our brains get 'slacker' as we age

Posted: 24 Oct 2016 01:16 PM PDT

Losing the youthful firmness and elasticity in our skin is one of the first outward signs of aging. Now it seems it's not just our skin that starts to sag, but our brains too.

Human-made noise can affect how animals use information from scents

Posted: 24 Oct 2016 10:39 AM PDT

For the first time, research has found that human-made noise can have a detrimental impact on an animal's use of scent – putting them at greater risk of being attacked by predators.

The houseplant with a blueprint for improving energy harvesting

Posted: 24 Oct 2016 10:39 AM PDT

For many people, nanotechnology belongs in the realm of science fiction. Researchers have solved the mystery of the blue sheen on the leaves of some begonias and have found that their chloroplasts have evolved a nanoscale light-trapping structure to help them survive in the darkness of the forest floor.

What proportion of cancer deaths are attributable to smoking around the US?

Posted: 24 Oct 2016 10:37 AM PDT

The proportion of cancer deaths attributable to cigarette smoking varied across the United States but was highest in the South, where nearly 40 percent of cancer deaths in men were estimated to be connected to smoking in some states, according to a new article.

How is health-related quality of life for kids with postconcussion symptoms?

Posted: 24 Oct 2016 10:36 AM PDT

Children with persistent postconcussion symptoms reported lower overall, physical, emotional, social and school quality of life for at least 12 weeks after concussion than children whose concussion symptoms resolved more quickly, although even those children reported lower school quality of life, according to a new article.

What the ancient carbon dioxide record may mean for future climate change

Posted: 24 Oct 2016 10:34 AM PDT

Scientists have reconstructed the ancient atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) record from about 300 million years ago. Their study reveals previously unknown fluctuations of atmospheric CO2 at levels projected for current century, they say. It also highlights the potential impact the loss of tropical forests can have on climate.

Zebrafish want to hang out with moving 3-D robotic models of themselves

Posted: 24 Oct 2016 10:32 AM PDT

Authenticity is an important trait, and zebrafish take it especially seriously. An interdisciplinary team of researchers has discovered that zebrafish engage more with 3D-moving robotic models of themselves than with other stimuli.

Crowdsourcing, cellphone data could help guide urban revitalization

Posted: 24 Oct 2016 08:14 AM PDT

For years, researchers have been developing a database of images captured at regular distances around several major cities. The images are scored according to different visual characteristics -- how safe the depicted areas look, how affluent, how lively, and the like. Now researchers have compared these safety scores to the frequency with which people visited these places, according to cellphone data.
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