ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Frogs, salamanders and climate change

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:37:37 EDT

Increasingly erratic rainfall patterns can lead to declines in southeastern frog and salamander populations, but protecting ponds can improve their plight.

Attacking MRSA with metals from antibacterial clays

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:37:37 EDT

Medical researchers have come up with a new approach for developing effective, topical antibacterial agents -- one that draws on a naturally occurring substance recognized since antiquity for its medicinal properties: clay.

Now we know why old scizophrenia medicine works on antibiotics-resistant bacteria

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:37:37 EDT

An old medicine for schizophrenia is effective at treating something completely different than it was designed for: antibiotic-resistant bacteria. So far it has been a mystery how this old schizophrenia medicine works, but now researchers have figured it out. This can lead to a new medicine against the increasingly threatening antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Youth who have their first drink during puberty have higher levels of later drinking

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:37:37 EDT

The earlier the age at which youth take their first alcoholic drink, the greater the risk of later alcohol problems.

College women exceed NIAAA drinking guidelines more frequently than college men

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:37:37 EDT

In 1990, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism issued guidelines that define low-risk drinking, which differ for men and women. New research shows that female college student drinkers exceed NIAAA guidelines for weekly drinking more frequently than their male counterparts.

Individuals who drink heavily and smoke may show 'early aging' of the brain

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:34:34 EDT

Alcohol treatment interventions work best when patients understand and are actively involved in the process. A first-of-its-kind study looks at the interactive effects of smoking status and age on neurocognition in one-month-abstinent alcohol dependent (AD) individuals in treatment. Results show that AD individuals who currently smoke have more problems with memory, ability to think quickly and efficiently, and problem-solving skills than those who do not smoke, effects which seem to become greater with increasing age.

Reading rock to understand how climate change unfolds

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:32:32 EDT

Geologists reads rock, looking for the natural rules that govern the Earth’s climate in the absence of human activity. New work is challenging many assumptions about the ways drastic climate change unfolds – and what to expect next.

For combat veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, 'fear circuitry' in the brain never rests

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:32:32 EDT

Chronic trauma can inflict lasting damage to brain regions associated with fear and anxiety. Previous imaging studies of people with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, have shown that these brain regions can over-or under-react in response to stressful tasks.

Consuming coffee linked to lower risk of an autoimmune liver disease

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:32:32 EDT

Regular consumption of coffee is associated with a reduced risk of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), an autoimmune liver disease.

Ketamine shows significant therapeutic benefit in people with treatment-resistant depression

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:32:32 EDT

Drug associated with rapid antidepressant effect in largest clinical trial to-date.

Mars rover Opportunity examines clay clues in rock

Sat, 18 May 2013 10:06:06 EDT

NASA's senior Mars rover, Opportunity, is driving to a new study area after a dramatic finish to 20 months on "Cape York" with examination of a rock intensely altered by water.

New approach to improving treatment for MS and other conditions

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:24:24 EDT

Working with lab mice models of multiple sclerosis (MS), scientists have detected a novel molecular target for the design of drugs that could be safer and more effective than current FDA-approved medications against MS.

Women's reproductive ability may be related to immune system status

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:24:24 EDT

Anthropologists have showed that a woman's reproductive function may be tied to her immune system's status.

Invasive species: 'Away-field advantage' weaker than ecologists thought

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:23:23 EDT

For decades, ecologists have assumed the worst invasive species—such as brown tree snakes and kudzu—have an “away-field advantage.” They succeed because they do better in their new territories than they do at home. A new study reveals that this fundamental assumption is not nearly as common as people might think.

Nine-year-old Mars rover passes 40-year-old record

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:09:09 EDT

While Apollo 17 astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt visited Earth's moon for three days in December 1972, they drove their mission's Lunar Roving Vehicle 19.3 nautical miles (22.210 statute miles or 35.744 kilometers). That was the farthest total distance for any NASA vehicle driving on a world other than Earth until yesterday.

Genome sequence of Tibetan antelope sheds new light on high-altitude adaptation

Fri, 17 May 2013 10:27:27 EDT

How can the Tibetan antelope live at elevations of 4,000-5,000m on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau? Investigators now provide evidence of genetic factors that may be associated with the species' adaption to harsh highland environments.

New malaria test kit gives a boost to elimination efforts worldwide

Fri, 17 May 2013 10:27:27 EDT

A new, highly sensitive blood test that quickly detects even the lowest levels of malaria parasites in the body could make a dramatic difference in efforts to tackle the disease.

New era of fisheries policy needed to secure nutrition for millions

Fri, 17 May 2013 10:26:26 EDT

A new study argues that for fisheries policies to be effective they must take in to account not just fish stock conservation and environmental issues, but also research data on the patterns and dynamics of fish trade, markets and user consumption.

Electric and magnetic characteristics of a material which could be used in spintronics: Promising doped zirconia

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:46:46 EDT

Materials belonging to the family of dilute magnetic oxides (DMOs) - an oxide-based variant of the dilute magnetic semiconductors - are good candidates for spintronics applications.

Climate change may have little impact on tropical lizards: Study contradicts predictions of widespread extinction

Fri, 17 May 2013 08:58:58 EDT

Climate change may have little impact on many species of tropical lizards, contradicting a host of recent studies that predict their widespread extinction in a rapidly warming planet.

GPS solution provides three-minute tsunami alerts

Fri, 17 May 2013 08:58:58 EDT

Researchers have shown that, by using global positioning systems (GPS) to measure ground deformation caused by a large underwater earthquake, they can provide accurate warning of the resulting tsunami in just a few minutes after the earthquake onset. For the devastating Japan 2011 event the analysis of the GPS data and issue of a detailed tsunami alert would have taken no more than three minutes.

New study recommends using active videogaming ('exergaming') to improve children's health

Fri, 17 May 2013 08:58:58 EDT

Levels of physical inactivity and obesity are very high in children, with fewer than 50 percent of primary school-aged boys and fewer than 28 percent of girls meeting the minimum levels of physical activity required to maintain health. Exergaming, using active console video games that track player movement to control the game, has become popular, and may provide an alternative form of exercise to counteract sedentary behaviors.

Agriculture in China predates domesticated rice: Discovery of ancient diet shatters conventional ideas of how agriculture emerged

Fri, 17 May 2013 08:57:57 EDT

Archaeologists have made a discovery in southern subtropical China which could revolutionize thinking about how ancient humans lived in the region. They have uncovered evidence for the first time that people living in Xincun 5,000 years ago may have practiced agriculture -- before the arrival of domesticated rice in the region.

Clinical support for patient self-management is rhetoric rather than reality, experts say

Fri, 17 May 2013 08:57:57 EDT

The processes to allow people to self-manage their own illness are not being used appropriately by health professionals to the benefit of their patients, new research suggests. Self-management support aims to increase the patient's ability to take ownership over their condition and in some cases, to self-treat.

First ever underwater university lectures

Fri, 17 May 2013 08:57:57 EDT

Students at the University of Essex have taken their lectures to a whole new level -- 18 metres under the sea in remote Indonesia to be precise.

Skydiving is never 'plane sailing'

Fri, 17 May 2013 08:57:57 EDT

Skydivers show the same level of physical stress before every jump whether a first-timer or experienced jumper, say researchers.

Newer diabetes medications may have additional cardiovascular benefits

Fri, 17 May 2013 08:50:50 EDT

A newer class of medications used to control blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetics may also improve cardiovascular health.

Expert questions US public health agency advice on influenza vaccines

Thu, 16 May 2013 21:54:54 EDT

The United States government public health agency, the CDC, pledges "To base all public health decisions on the highest quality scientific data, openly and objectively derived." But experts argue that in the case of influenza vaccinations and their marketing, this is not so.

Breakthrough for IVF? Selecting the most promising embryos

Thu, 16 May 2013 21:54:54 EDT

A recent study on 5-day old human blastocysts shows that those with an abnormal chromosomal composition can be identified by the rate at which they have developed to blastocysts, thereby classifying the risk of genetic abnormality without a biopsy. Now, researchers have undertaken a retrospective study, using their predictive model to assess the likelihood of any embryo transferred resulting in a successful pregnancy, with very encouraging outcomes.

Global health policy fails to address burden of disease on men

Thu, 16 May 2013 21:54:54 EDT

Men experience a higher burden of disease and lower life expectancy than women, but policies focusing on the health needs of men are notably absent from the strategies of global health organizations, according to experts.

World's smallest liquid droplets ever made in the lab, experiment suggests

Thu, 16 May 2013 20:06:06 EDT

Physicists may have created the smallest drops of liquid ever made in the lab. That possibility has been raised by the results of a recent experiment at the Large Hadron Collider, the world's largest and most powerful particle collider located at the European Laboratory for Nuclear and Particle Physics (CERN) in Switzerland. Evidence of the minuscule droplets was extracted from the results of colliding protons with lead ions at velocities approaching the speed of light.

Topography of Eastern Seaboard muddles ancient sea level changes

Thu, 16 May 2013 18:20:20 EDT

The distortion of the ancient shoreline and flooding surface of the US Atlantic Coastal Plain are the direct result of fluctuations in topography in the region and could have implications on understanding long-term climate change, according to a new study.

Stacking 2-D materials produces surprising results

Thu, 16 May 2013 18:20:20 EDT

New experiments reveal previously unseen effects, could lead to new kinds of electronics and optical devices.

How should geophysics contribute to disaster planning?

Thu, 16 May 2013 18:20:20 EDT

Earthquakes, tsunamis, and other natural disasters often showcase the worst in human suffering – especially when those disasters strike populations who live in rapidly growing communities in the developing world with poorly enforced or non-existent building codes. Scientists now illustrate how nearly identical natural disasters can play out very differently depending on where they strike.

NASA's asteroid sample return mission moves into development

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:59:59 EDT

NASA's first mission to sample an asteroid is moving ahead into development and testing in preparation for its launch in 2016.

Team wins Cubesat berth to gather Earth energy imbalance measurements

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:57:57 EDT

A team of scientists has won a berth on a tiny satellite to explore one of NASA's most important frontiers in climate studies: the imbalance in Earth's energy budget and the extent to which fast-changing phenomena, like clouds, contribute to that imbalance.

Galaxy's 'burning ring of fire' is frenetic region of star formation

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:53:53 EDT

Johnny Cash may have preferred this galaxy's burning ring of fire to the one he sang about falling into in his popular song. The "starburst ring" seen at center of a new image in red and yellow hues is not the product of love, as in the song, but is instead a frenetic region of star formation. The galaxy, a spiral beauty called Messier 94, is located about 17 million light-years away.

New method proposed for detecting gravitational waves from ends of universe

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:17:17 EDT

A new window into the nature of the universe may be possible with a device proposed by scientists that would detect elusive gravity waves from the other end of the cosmos.

Physicist's tool has potential for brain mapping

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:17:17 EDT

Physicists are developing a new tool that uses low-energy near-infrared light and fiber optics for optogenetic stimulation of cells. He believes it will be a useful tool for mapping physical and functional connections in the brain.

Add boron for better batteries

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:17:17 EDT

A graphene-boron compound is theoretically capable of storing double the energy of common graphite anodes used in lithium-ion batteries.

Body mass index of low income African-Americans linked to proximity of fast food restaurants

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:17:17 EDT

African-American adults living closer to a fast food restaurant had a higher body mass index than those who lived further away from fast food, according to researchers, and this association was particularly strong among those with a lower income.

Target to prevent hardening of arteries identified

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:17:17 EDT

The gene Dkk1 encodes a protein that plays a key role in increasing the population of connective-tissue cells during wound repair, but prolonged Dkk1 signaling in cells lining blood vessels can lead to fibrosis and a stiffening of artery walls.

Change in cycle track policy needed to boost ridership, public health

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:16:16 EDT

Bicycle engineering guidelines often used by state regulators to design bicycle facilities need to be overhauled to reflect current cyclists' preferences and safety data, according to a new study. They say that US guidelines should be expanded to offer cyclists more riding options and call for endorsing cycle tracks -- physically separated, bicycle-exclusive paths adjacent to sidewalks -- to encourage more people of all ages to ride bicycles.

Brain makes call on which ear is used for cell phone

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:16:16 EDT

If you're a left-brain thinker, chances are you use your right hand to hold your cell phone up to your right ear, according to a newly published study. The study shows a strong correlation between brain dominance and the ear used to listen to a cell phone.

Depression linked to almost doubled stroke risk in middle-aged women

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:16:16 EDT

Depression among women 47-52 years old is associated with an almost doubled risk of stroke. Researchers call for greater awareness of depression as a preventable risk factor for stroke among younger middle-aged women.

Massachusetts' health care reform didn't raise hospital use, costs

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:16:16 EDT

Health care reform in Massachusetts didn't result in substantially more hospitalizations, longer stays or higher costs. There were no significant differences in post-reform hospital use in Massachusetts versus to three other states without reform. There was also no significant increase in use of safety-net hospitals in Massachusetts.

Through the eyes of a burglar: Study provides insights on habits and motivations, importance of security

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:09:09 EDT

One way to understand what motivates and deters burglars is to ask them. A researcher did just that. He led a research team that gathered survey responses from more than 400 convicted offenders that resulted in an unprecedented look into the minds of burglars, providing insight into intruders’ motivations and methods.

Bach to the blues, our emotions match music to colors

Thu, 16 May 2013 15:12:12 EDT

Whether we're listening to Bach or the blues, our brains are wired to make music-color connections depending on how the melodies make us feel, according to new research. For instance, Mozart's jaunty Flute Concerto No. 1 in G major is most often associated with bright yellow and orange, whereas his dour Requiem in D minor is more likely to be linked to dark, bluish gray.

Research into carbon storage in Arctic tundra reveals unexpected insight into ecosystem resiliency

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:27:27 EDT

When a doctoral student and her advisor went north not long ago to study how long-term warming in the Arctic affects carbon storage, they had made certain assumptions.

Gene involved in neurodegeneration keeps clock running: Scientists identify another gene important to morning wake-up call

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:26:26 EDT

Scientists have shown a gene involved in neurodegenerative disease also plays a critical role in the proper function of the circadian clock. In a study of the common fruit fly, the researchers found the gene, called Ataxin-2, keeps the clock responsible for sleeping and waking on a 24-hour rhythm. Without the gene, the rhythm of the fruit fly's sleep-wake cycle is disturbed, making waking up on a regular schedule difficult for the fly.

Can math models of gaming strategies be used to detect terrorism networks?

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:26:26 EDT

Mathematicians have developed a mathematical model to disrupt the flow of information in a complex real-world network, such as a terrorist organization, using minimal resources.

Artificial forest for solar water-splitting: First fully integrated artificial photosynthesis nanosystem

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:26:26 EDT

Researchers have created the first fully integrated artificial photosynthesis nanosystem. While "artificial leaf" is the popular term for such a system, the key to this success was an "artificial forest."

Researchers shocked by new statistics on head injuries among people who are homeless

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:26:26 EDT

Men who are heavy drinkers and homeless for long periods of time have 400 times the number of head injuries as the general population, according to a new study by researchers who said they were shocked by their findings.

World's biggest ice sheets likely more stable than previously believed

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:25:25 EDT

A new study suggests that the previous connections scientists made between ancient shoreline height and ice volumes are erroneous and that perhaps our ice sheets were more stable in the past than we originally thought. The study found that the Earth's hot mantle pushed up segments of ancient shorelines over millions of years, making them appear higher now than they originally were millions of years ago.

World's melting glaciers making large contribution to sea rise

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:25:25 EDT

While 99 percent of Earth's land ice is locked up in the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, the remaining ice in the world's glaciers contributed just as much to sea rise as the two ice sheets combined from 2003 to 2009, says a new study.

Returning genetic incidental findings without patient consent violates basic rights, experts say

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:25:25 EDT

Scientists push back against recent American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics recommendations, and offer compelling reasons why patient autonomy must remain firmly in place as science advances.

Accelerated aging in children: Promising treatment for progeria within reach

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:25:25 EDT

Pharmaceuticals that inhibit a specific enzyme may be useful in treating progeria, or accelerated aging in children. A new study indicates that the development of progeria in mice was inhibited upon reducing the production of this enzyme.

Asian lady beetles use biological weapons against their European relatives

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:25:25 EDT

Once introduced for biological pest control, Asian lady beetle populations have been increasing uncontrollably. Scientists have now found the reason for the animal's success. Its body fluid contains microsporidia, fungus-like protozoa that parasitize body cells and can cause immense harm to their host. The Asian lady beetle is obviously resistant to these parasites. However, transferred to native species, microsporidia can be lethal.

Scientific insurgents say 'Journal Impact Factors' distort science

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:25:25 EDT

An ad hoc coalition of unlikely insurgents -- scientists, journal editors and publishers, scholarly societies, and research funders across many scientific disciplines -- today posted an international declaration calling on the world scientific community to eliminate the role of the journal impact factor in evaluating research for funding, hiring, promotion, or institutional effectiveness.

Beautiful 'flowers' self-assemble in a beaker

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:22:22 EDT

With the hand of nature trained on a beaker of chemical fluid, the most delicate flower structures have been formed in a laboratory -- and not at the scale of inches, but microns. These minuscule sculptures, curved and delicate, don't resemble the cubic or jagged forms normally associated with crystals, though that's what they are. Rather, fields of carnations and marigolds seem to bloom from the surface of a submerged glass slide, assembling themselves a molecule at a time.