ScienceDaily: Most Popular News

Small satellites soar in high-altitude demonstration

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:26:26 EDT

Four tiny spacecraft soared over the California desert June 15 in a high-altitude demonstration flight that tested the sensor and equipment designs created by NASA engineers and student launch teams.

Finding all asteroid threats to human populations: NASA announces asteroid grand challenge

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:20:20 EDT

NASA has announced a Grand Challenge focused on finding all asteroid threats to human populations and knowing what to do about them. The challenge is a large-scale effort that will use multi-disciplinary collaborations and a variety of partnerships with other government agencies, international partners, industry, academia, and citizen scientists. It complements NASA's recently announced mission to redirect an asteroid and send humans to study it.

Cassini probe to take photo of Earth from deep space

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:19:19 EDT

NASA's Cassini spacecraft, now exploring Saturn, will take a picture of our home planet from a distance of hundreds of millions of miles on July 19. NASA is inviting the public to help acknowledge the historic interplanetary portrait as it is being taken.

Tiny batteries: 3-D printing could lead to miniaturized medical implants, compact electronics, tiny robots

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:14:14 EDT

Three-dimensional printing can now be used to print lithium-ion microbatteries the size of a grain of sand. The printed microbatteries could supply electricity to tiny devices in fields from medicine to communications, including many that have lingered on lab benches for lack of a battery small enough to fit the device, yet provide enough stored energy to power them.

Personality test finds some mouse lemurs shy, others bold

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:14:14 EDT

In the last 10 years the study of animal personality has gained ground with behavioral ecologists. Researchers have now found distinct personalities in the grey mouse lemur, the tiny, saucer-eyed primate native to the African island of Madagascar.

Chemical probe confirms that body makes its own rotten egg gas, H2S, to benefit health

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:18:18 EDT

A new study confirms directly what scientists previously knew only indirectly -- that poisonous "rotten egg" gas hydrogen sulfide is generated by the body's blood vessel cells. Researchers made the confirmation by developing a chemical probe that lights up in reaction to rotten egg gas. The scientists observed the process in real-time through a microscope.

Fiber-optic pen helps see inside brains of children with learning disabilities

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:18:18 EDT

For less than $100, researchers have designed a computer-interfaced drawing pad that helps scientists see inside the brains of children with learning disabilities while they read and write.

Getting enough sleep could help prevent type 2 diabetes

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:18:18 EDT

Getting more sleep increases insulin sensitivity and reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Early-life air pollution linked with childhood asthma in minorities

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:18:18 EDT

Scientists have found that exposure in infancy to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a component of motor vehicle air pollution, is strongly linked with later development of childhood asthma among African Americans and Latinos.

Small dam construction to reduce greenhouse emissions is causing ecosystem disruption

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:51:51 EDT

Researchers conclude in a new report that a global push for small hydropower projects, supported by various nations and also the Kyoto Protocol to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, may cause unanticipated and potentially significant losses of habitat and biodiversity.

Herbal extract boosts fruit fly lifespan by nearly 25 percent

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:51:51 EDT

The herbal extract of a yellow-flowered mountain plant long used for stress relief was found to increase the lifespan of fruit fly populations by an average of 24 percent, according to researchers.

Timing of calcium and vitamin D supplementation may affect how bone adapts to exercise

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:50:50 EDT

Taking calcium and vitamin D before exercise may influence how bones adapt to exercise, according to a new study.

Beliefs about causes of obesity may impact weight, eating behavior

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:38:38 EDT

Whether a person believes obesity is caused by overeating or by a lack of exercise predicts his or her actual body mass, according to new research.

New resistance mechanism to chemotherapy in breast and ovarian cancer

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:38:38 EDT

A new study explains why tumors with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations stop responding to PARP inhibitor drugs.

It's the way you tell em': Study discovers how the brain controls accents and impersonations

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:38:38 EDT

A study has identified the brain regions and interactions involved in impersonations and accents.

Nanog protein promotes growth of head and neck cancer

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:38:38 EDT

Researchers have identified a biochemical pathway in cancer stem cells that is essential for promoting head and neck cancer. The study shows that a protein called Nanog, which is normally active in embryonic stem cells, promotes the growth of cancer stem cells in head and neck cancer. The findings provide information essential for designing novel targeted drugs that might improve the treatment of head and neck cancer.

Seismic gap outside of Istanbul: Is this where the expected Marmara earthquake will originate from?

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:37:37 EDT

Earthquake researchers have now identified a 30 kilometers long and ten kilometers deep area along the North Anatolian fault zone just south of Istanbul that could be the starting point for a strong earthquake. The group of seismologists say that this potential earthquake source is only 15 to 20 kilometers from the historic city center of Istanbul.

New approach to battling tuberculosis

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:36:36 EDT

Scientists have discovered a drug that cripples tuberculosis bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) in a novel way, by dissolving the protecting fatty coating of the bacteria. The drug killed the bacterium in culture without the emergence of drug resistance.

Parenting and home environment influence children's exercise and eating habits

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:36:36 EDT

Kids whose moms encourage them to exercise and eat well, and model those healthy behaviors themselves, are more likely to be active and healthy eaters, according to researchers. Their findings remind parents that they are role models for their children, and underscore the importance of parental policies promoting physical activity and healthy eating.

Iodine in bread not enough for pregnant women

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:36:36 EDT

Iodized salt used in bread is not enough to provide healthy levels of iodine for pregnant women and their unborn children, new research shows.

Working backward: Computer-aided design of zeolite templates

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:20:20 EDT

Taking a page from computer-aided drug designers, researchers have developed a computational method that chemists can use to tailor the properties of zeolites, one of the world's most-used industrial minerals. The method allows chemists to work backward by first considering the type of zeolite they wish to make and then creating the organic template needed to produce it.

New virus isolated from patients with severe brain infections

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:17:17 EDT

A new study describes a new virus isolated from patients with severe brain infections. Further research is needed to determine whether the virus is responsible for the symptoms of disease.

Which qubit my dear? New method to distinguish between neighboring quantum bits

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:17:17 EDT

Researchers have proposed a new way to distinguish between quantum bits that are placed only a few nanometers apart in a silicon chip, taking them a step closer to the construction of a large-scale quantum computer. In a significant feat of atomic engineering, they were also able to read-out the spins of individual electrons on a cluster of phosphorus atoms that had been placed precisely in silicon.

Exposure to high pollution levels during pregnancy may increase risk of having child with autism

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:17:17 EDT

Women in the US exposed to high levels of air pollution while pregnant were up to twice as likely to have a child with autism as women who lived in areas with low pollution.

A microphone that listens with light: microphones have hyper-acute hearing and a sense of direction

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:16:16 EDT

A new sensor will help to make microphones hypersensitive: "Think of traditional videoconference equipment. Several people are sitting around the table, but the microphone has been placed where its sound reception is less than optimal. With technology of this sort, a microphone will be able to "see" where the sound comes from, pick up the voice of the person speaking, and filter out other sources of noise in the room," explains one of the researchers.

Chemical nanoengineering: Designing drugs controlled by light

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:15:15 EDT

A new breakthrough will help with the development of light-regulated therapeutic molecules.

Potential genetic drivers behind male heart disease risk

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:15:15 EDT

University of Leicester scientists have discovered a potential genetic contributor to the increased risk of heart disease among men.

Aspirin may fight cancer by slowing DNA damage

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:11:11 EDT

Aspirin is known to lower risk for some cancers, and a new study points to a possible explanation, with the discovery that aspirin slows the accumulation of DNA mutations in abnormal cells in at least one pre-cancerous condition.

IQ link to baby's weight gain in first month

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:11:11 EDT

New research shows that weight gain and increased head size in the first month of a baby's life is linked to a higher IQ at early school age.

Observation is safe, cost-saving in low-risk prostate cancer, study suggests

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 20:27:27 EDT

Researchers find many men with low-risk, localized prostate cancers can safely choose observation instead of undergoing immediate treatment and a have better quality of life while reducing health care costs.

Treating infection may have sting in the tail, parasite study shows

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 20:27:27 EDT

Using drugs to treat an infection could allow other co-existing conditions to flourish, a study in wild animals has shown.

Promising biomarker for predicting HPV-related oropharynx cancer

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:31:31 EDT

Researchers have found that antibodies against the human papillomavirus may help identify individuals who are at greatly increased risk of HPV-related cancer of the oropharynx, which is a portion of the throat that contains the tonsils.

'Undruggable' cancer may be druggable after all: New target identified

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:31:31 EDT

Researchers have identified in the most aggressive forms of cancer a gene known to regulate embryonic stem cell self-renewal, beginning a creative search for a drug that can block its activity.

Quality of waking hours determines ease of falling sleep

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:31:31 EDT

The quality of wakefulness affects how quickly a mammal falls asleep, researchers report in a study that identifies two proteins never before linked to alertness and sleep-wake balance.

New compound excels at killing persistent and drug-resistant tuberculosis

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:31:31 EDT

Scientists have identified a highly promising new anti-tuberculosis compound that attacks the tuberculosis bacterium in two different ways.

Researchers demonstrate use of stem cells to analyze causes, treatment of diabetes

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:31:31 EDT

Scientists have generated patient-specific beta cells, or insulin-producing cells, that accurately reflect the features of maturity-onset diabetes of the young.

Diet may affect Alzheimer's disease risk

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:28:28 EDT

The lipidation states (or modifications) in certain proteins in the brain that are related to the development of Alzheimer disease appear to differ depending on genotype and cognitive diseases, and levels of these protein and peptides appear to be influenced by diet, according to a new report.

Directed in vitro technique may increase insulin resistance among offspring

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:28:28 EDT

A special type of in vitro fertilization, or IVF, may increase the risk for insulin resistance among children conceived in this way, according to a new study from Greece.

Obesity leads to brain inflammation, and low testosterone makes it worse

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:28:28 EDT

Low testosterone worsens the harmful effects of obesity in the nervous system, a new study in mice finds.

Predators affect the carbon cycle, study shows

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:09:09 EDT

A new study shows that the predator-prey relationship can affect the flow of carbon through an ecosystem. This previously unmeasured influence on the environment may offer a new way of looking at biodiversity management and carbon storage for climate change.

New way to improve antibiotic production

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:09:09 EDT

New research findings could reduce production times and therefore costs for antibiotic producers.

Study finds the sweet spot -- and the screw-ups -- that make or break environmental collective actions

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:08:08 EDT

Sustainability programs are a Goldilocks proposition -- some groups are too big, some are too small, and the environment benefits when the size of a group of people working to save it is just right. Scientists have found a sweet spot -- a group size at which the action is most effective. More importantly, the work revealed how behaviors of group members can pull bad policy up or drag good policy down.

Four microphones and a computer algorithm are enough to produce a 3-D model of a simple, convex room

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:08:08 EDT

An algorithm makes it possible to measure the dimensions of a room using just a few microphones and a snap of your fingers. There are many promising applications on the horizon.

Voices may not trigger brain's reward centers in children with autism

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:08:08 EDT

In autism, brain regions tailored to respond to voices are poorly connected to reward-processing circuits, according to a new study.

Underwater springs reveal how coral reefs respond to ocean acidification

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:08:08 EDT

Ocean acidification due to rising carbon dioxide levels will reduce the density of coral skeletons, making coral reefs more vulnerable to disruption and erosion, according to a new study of corals growing where submarine springs naturally lower the pH of seawater. The study is the first to show that corals are not able to fully acclimate to low pH conditions in nature.

New drug reverses loss of brain connections in Alzheimer's

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:08:08 EDT

The first experimental drug to boost brain synapses lost in Alzheimer's disease has been developed by researchers. The drug, called NitroMemantine, combines two FDA-approved medicines to stop the destructive cascade of changes in the brain that destroys the connections between neurons, leading to memory loss and cognitive decline.

Pesticides significantly reduce biodiversity in aquatic environments

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:07:07 EDT

The pesticides, many of which are currently used in Europe and Australia, are responsible for reducing the regional diversity of invertebrates in streams and rivers by up to 42 percent, researchers report.

Improving overall employee wellness could yield multiple benefits

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:07:07 EDT

Controlling health care costs is crucial for manufacturers to remain competitive. That's why researchers are working with manufacturers to determine if employee wellness programs will cut costs and improve productivity.

Obesity associated with hearing loss in adolescents

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:07:07 EDT

Obese adolescents are more likely than their normal-weight counterparts to have hearing loss, according to results of a new study. Findings showed that obese adolescents had increased hearing loss across all frequencies and were almost twice as likely to have unilateral (one-sided) low-frequency hearing loss.

New medication treats drug-resistant prostate cancer in the laboratory

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:07:07 EDT

A new drug called pyrvinium pamoate inhibits aggressive forms of prostate cancer that are resistant to standard drugs, according to a study conducted in an animal model.

'Chemical architects' build materials with potential applications in drug delivery and gas storage

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:23:23 EDT

Home remodelers understand the concept of improving original foundations with more modern elements. Using this same approach -- but with chemistry -- researchers have now designed a family of materials that could make drug delivery, gas storage, and gas transport more efficient and at a lower cost.

Preventing eggs' death from chemotherapy: Scientists discover cause of immature eggs' death from cancer drug and how to prevent it

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:23:23 EDT

Young women who have cancer treatment often lose their fertility because chemotherapy and radiation can damage or kill their immature ovarian eggs, called oocytes. Now, scientists have found the molecular pathway that can prevent the death of immature ovarian eggs due to chemotherapy, potentially preserving fertility and endocrine function. Scientists achieved this in mice by adding a currently approved chemotherapy drug, imatinib mesylate, to another chemotherapy drug cisplatin.

Doctors in veterinary, human medicine team to give burned horse a second chance

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:20:20 EDT

The unlikely pairing of an equine veterinarian and a burn surgeon is providing a second chance at a normal life for a horse that was doused in flammable liquid and set on fire late last summer.

Testosterone therapy may help improve pain in men with low testosterone

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:20:20 EDT

Testosterone therapy is associated with decreased pain perception in men with low testosterone levels related to opioid (narcotic) pain relievers (analgesics), a new study finds.

Testosterone improves verbal learning and memory in postmenopausal women

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:20:20 EDT

Postmenopausal women had better improvement in verbal learning and memory after receiving treatment with testosterone gel, compared with women who received sham treatment with a placebo, a new study found.

Rotavirus vaccine given to newborns in africa is effective

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:20:20 EDT

Scientists have shown that a vaccine given to newborns is at least 60 percent effective against rotavirus in Ghana. Rotavirus causes fever, vomiting and diarrhea, which in infants can cause severe dehydration. In developed nations, the condition often results in an emergency room visit or an occasional hospitalization, but is rarely fatal. In developing countries, however, rotavirus-related illness causes approximately 500,000 deaths per year.

Naturally occurring hormone induces egg maturation

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:20:20 EDT

The naturally occurring hormone kisspeptin effectively induces egg maturation during infertility treatment, according to a clinical in vitro fertilization (IVF) study.

High-fat diet during pregnancy contributes to offspring's increased weight

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:20:20 EDT

Exposure to a high-fat diet in the womb and after birth can permanently change the cells in the brain that control food intake, predisposing monkeys to overeating and an increased preference for fatty and sugary foods, a new study finds.

NASA's 2013 HS3 hurricane mission to delve into Saharan dust

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:05:05 EDT

NASA's 2013 Hurricane and Severe Storms Sentinel or HS3 mission will investigate whether Saharan dust and its associated warm and dry air, known as the Saharan Air Layer or SAL, favors or suppresses the development of tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean. The effects of Saharan dust on tropical cyclones is a controversial area of science. During the 2012 campaign, NASA's Global Hawk unmanned aircraft gathered valuable data on the dust layer that swirled around Tropical Storm Nadine for several days.

Rett Syndrome protein surrenders some of its secrets

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:25:25 EDT

Discovery of a mutant gene responsible for a disease is a milestone, but for most conditions, it may be only a first step towards a treatment or cure. Understanding Rett Syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder, is further complicated by the fact that the implicated gene controls a suite of other genes. Two papers, published in today's Nature Neuroscience and Nature, reveal key steps in how mutations in the gene for methyl CpG-binding protein cause the condition.