New TB test promises to be cheap and fast
ScienceDaily
Tue, 22 May 2012 13:53:53 EDT
Biomedical engineers have developed a microfluidic chip to test for latent tuberculosis. They hope the test will be cheaper, faster and more reliable than current testing for the disease.
|
Wrongful convictions can be reduced through science, but tradeoffs exist
ScienceDaily
Tue, 22 May 2012 13:53:53 EDT
Many of the wrongful convictions identified in a report this week hinged on a misidentified culprit -- now, scientific research reveals the paradox of reforms in eyewitness identification procedure. In our efforts to ensure good guys don't get locked up, we could let more bad guys go. Scholars in psychology and law debate aspects of eyewitness identification procedures, providing a scientific foundation for this important social issue.
|
Food fight or romantic dinner? Communication between couples is key to improving men's diets
ScienceDaily
Tue, 22 May 2012 13:53:53 EDT
Married men will eat their peas to keep the peace, but many aren't happy about it, and may even binge on unhealthy foods away from home.
|
Training our brains to see ourselves in a more attractive light
ScienceDaily
Tue, 22 May 2012 13:51:51 EDT
Researchers have designed a program called Mírate bien (Take a good look at yourself). It is a tool designed to enable us to learn to love our bodies and faces; and to improve our physical self-concept. Initiatives of this kind are routinely applied at educational establishments and high schools, but in this case there is a difference.
|
Availability of hydrogen controls chemical structure of graphene oxide
ScienceDaily
Tue, 22 May 2012 13:51:51 EDT
A new study shows that the availability of hydrogen plays a significant role in determining the chemical and structural makeup of graphene oxide, a material that has potential uses in nano-electronics, nano-electromechanical systems, sensing, composites, optics, catalysis and energy storage.
|
Neuron-nourishing cells appear to retaliate in Alzheimer's
ScienceDaily
Tue, 22 May 2012 13:51:51 EDT
When brain cells start oozing too much of the amyloid protein that is the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, the astrocytes that normally nourish and protect them deliver a suicide package instead, researchers report.
|
New means of safeguarding world fish stocks
ScienceDaily
Tue, 22 May 2012 13:50:50 EDT
Powerful and versatile new genetic tools will assist in safeguarding both European fish stocks and European consumers. A new article details the first system shown to identify populations of fish species to a forensic level of validation.
|
Flu shot during pregnancy shows unexpected benefits in large study
ScienceDaily
Tue, 22 May 2012 13:49:49 EDT
Getting a flu shot during pregnancy provides unanticipated benefits to the baby, according to the authors of a large population-based study examining the issue. Specifically, the study showed that H1N1 vaccination during the pandemic was associated with a significantly reduced risk of stillbirth, preterm birth and extremely small babies at birth.
|
Severe nuclear reactor accidents likely every 10 to 20 years, European study suggests
ScienceDaily
Tue, 22 May 2012 13:49:49 EDT
Western Europe has the worldwide highest risk of radioactive contamination caused by major reactor accidents. Catastrophic nuclear accidents such as the core meltdowns in Chernobyl and Fukushima are more likely to happen than previously assumed. Based on the operating hours of all civil nuclear reactors and the number of nuclear meltdowns that have occurred, scientists have calculated that such events may occur once every 10 to 20 years (based on the current number of reactors) -- some 200 times more often than estimated in the past.
|
Space lawyer: Before humans step into commercial spaceflight, laws need giant leap
ScienceDaily
Tue, 22 May 2012 13:47:47 EDT
SpaceX’s launch to the International Space Station opens a new era in commercial spaceflight -- and raises questions about what laws govern private space companies and what legal obstacles affect future human space travel.
|
New anti-cancer drug developed
ScienceDaily
Tue, 22 May 2012 11:52:52 EDT
Scientists have created a new type of anti-cancer drug named BP-1-102. The drug, which can be orally administered, targets a key protein that triggers the development of many types of cancer including lung, breast and skin cancers. The development of BP-1-102 was guided by the research teams computer based molecular analysis of the cancer causing Stat 3 protein.
|
Healthy marriage interventions: A boom or a bust?
ScienceDaily
Tue, 22 May 2012 11:50:50 EDT
Conventional wisdom, backed by years of research, suggests that healthy marriages equals a healthy society. And politicians and government officials have taken note, investing millions of dollars each year in education programs designed to promote healthy marriages, focusing specifically on poor couples and couples of color. Is it working? No, says a researcher in a new article.
|
Folic acid food enrichment potentially protective against childhood cancers
ScienceDaily
Tue, 22 May 2012 11:50:50 EDT
Researchers have found folic acid fortification of grain products in the United States may have an impact on lowering some childhood cancers. The new research shows fortification does not appear to be causing childhood cancer rates to increase, and also finds a notable decrease in two types of childhood cancer.
|
Volcanic island of Santorini displaying signs of unrest
ScienceDaily
Tue, 22 May 2012 11:50:50 EDT
Archived data from the Envisat satellite show that the volcanic island of Santorini has recently displayed signs of unrest. Even after the end of its mission, Envisat information continues to be exploited for the long-term monitoring of volcanoes.
|
GPS for the brain: New brain map developed
ScienceDaily
Tue, 22 May 2012 11:50:50 EDT
Researchers have developed a map of the human brain that shows great promise as a new guide to the inner workings of the body's most complex and critical organ.
|
How Twitter is used to share information after a disaster
ScienceDaily
Tue, 22 May 2012 11:50:50 EDT
A new study shows how people used Twitter following the 2011 nuclear disaster in Japan, highlighting challenges for using the social media tool to share information. The study also indicates that social media haven't changed what we communicate so much as how quickly we can disseminate it.
|
Does polyploidy play a role in the onset of the Italian endemic flora?
ScienceDaily
Tue, 22 May 2012 11:49:49 EDT
Plants show a higher variation in chromosome numbers than animals do, mainly because of polyploidy -- the occurrence of more than two sets of chromosomes. In plants, polyploidy can cause reproductive isolation and the consequent onset of new species. Researchers now set out to estimate to what extent polyploidy is involved in the onset of the Italian endemic plants.
|
New frog species from Panama dyes fingers yellow
ScienceDaily
Tue, 22 May 2012 11:49:49 EDT
Biologists have discovered a new, beautiful golden frog species in western Panama. The frog that hides in very dense vegetation has attracted the scientists' attention when they first heard the characteristic call emitted by the males.
|
How Staph bacteria gain resistance to last-line drug
ScienceDaily
Tue, 22 May 2012 11:49:49 EDT
Scientists have determined the genome sequences of a dozen strains of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria known to be resistant to vancomycin, an antibiotic of last resort. The researchers demonstrated that resistance arose independently in each strain, and identified shared features among the strains that may have helped them acquire vancomycin resistance and evade human immune defenses.
|
Marine aquarium fish trade study reveals fewer fish, more species imported than previously estimated
ScienceDaily
Tue, 22 May 2012 11:03:03 EDT
As the popularity of marine aquariums rises, so does the demand for wildlife inhabiting them. Most aquarium fish are harvested from their natural habitats -- primarily coral reefs -- and imported into the United States by the millions annually.
|
Unsafe at any speed: Even for driving pros, distractions increase crash risk
ScienceDaily
Tue, 22 May 2012 11:01:01 EDT
The ringing cell phone you're reaching to answer. The text message that demands a reply now. The GPS you're trying to program as you're frantically rushing to your destination. They're just a few activities -- among many -- that divert drivers' attention from the road and escalate their risk of having an accident.
|
Making microscopic machines using metallic glass
ScienceDaily
Tue, 22 May 2012 08:45:45 EDT
A new manufacturing technology allows researchers to mass produce components for use in next-generation computer storage devices and disposable medical and chemical test kits.
|
Gold-plated fossil solution
ScienceDaily
Tue, 22 May 2012 08:45:45 EDT
Scientists have found a solution to a research problem involving fossils right next door.
|
Disagreeable people prefer aggressive dogs, study suggests
ScienceDaily
Tue, 22 May 2012 08:43:43 EDT
Aggressive dog ownership is not always a sign of attempted dominance or actual delinquency. A new study finds that younger people who are disagreeable are more likely to prefer aggressive dogs, confirming the conventional wisdom that dogs match the personality of their owners.
|
First Bose-Einstein condensate of erbium: Quantum condensate of the thirteenth kind
ScienceDaily
Tue, 22 May 2012 08:43:43 EDT
Scientists have created a condensate of the exotic element erbium. Ultracold quantum gases have exceptional properties and offer an ideal system to study basic physical phenomena. Erbuim is a very exotic element, which due to its particular properties, offers new and fascinating possibilities to investigate fundamental questions in quantum physics.
|
Humanoid robot works side by side with people
ScienceDaily
Tue, 22 May 2012 08:43:43 EDT
The first robots reached the world of industry over 60 years ago. Since then, for security reasons, they have performed their work isolated in cages, and that prevented collaboration between workers and machines. Researches are embarking on a new era by incorporating into European industry the first robot capable of working shoulder to shoulder with people.
|
SpaceX Dragon transports student experiments to International Space Station
ScienceDaily
Tue, 22 May 2012 08:34:34 EDT
The SpaceX Dragon capsule, which on Tuesday became the first commercially developed and built spacecraft to launch to the International Space Station, is carrying among its cargo a suite of 15 science experiments designed by students.
|
SpaceX launches Falcon 9/Dragon on historic mission to deliver cargo to International Space Station
ScienceDaily
Tue, 22 May 2012 08:28:28 EDT
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket thundered into space and delivered a Dragon cargo capsule into orbit on May 22, 2012. The launch began an ambitious mission to show that the company is ready to deliver cargo to the International Space Station.
|
New musical pacifier helps premature babies get healthy
ScienceDaily
Mon, 21 May 2012 21:35:35 EDT
The innovative PAL device uses musical lullabies to help infants quickly learn the muscle movements needed to suck, and ultimately feed.
|
Pancreatic cancer may be detected with simple intestinal probe
ScienceDaily
Mon, 21 May 2012 21:35:35 EDT
By simply shining a tiny light within the small intestine, close to that organ’s junction with the pancreas, physicians have been able to detect pancreatic cancer 100 percent of the time in a small study. The light, attached to a probe, measures changes in cells and blood vessels in the small intestine produced by a growing cancer in the adjoining pancreas.
|
Morphing robots and shape-shifting sculptures: Origami-inspired design merges engineering, art
ScienceDaily
Mon, 21 May 2012 16:41:41 EDT
Researchers have shown how to create morphing robotic mechanisms and shape-shifting sculptures from a single sheet of paper in a method reminiscent of origami, the Japanese art of paper folding.
|
Method to strengthen proteins with polymers
ScienceDaily
Mon, 21 May 2012 16:41:41 EDT
Scientists have synthesized polymers to attach to proteins in order to stabilize them during shipping, storage and other activities. The study findings suggest that these polymers could be useful in stabilizing protein formulations.
|
Activating genes that suppress tumors and inhibit cancer
ScienceDaily
Mon, 21 May 2012 16:41:41 EDT
A promising new strategy for "reactivating" genes that cause cancer tumors to shrink and die has now been developed. The discovery may aid the development of an innovative anti-cancer drug that effectively targets unhealthy, cancerous tissue without damaging healthy, non-cancerous tissue and vital organs.
|
New discoveries about severe malaria
ScienceDaily
Mon, 21 May 2012 16:40:40 EDT
Researchers have uncovered new knowledge related to host-parasite interaction in severe malaria, concerning how malaria parasites are able to bind to cells in the brain and cause cerebral malaria -- the most lethal form of the disease.
|
Surgical removal of abdominal fat reduces skin cancer in mice
ScienceDaily
Mon, 21 May 2012 16:40:40 EDT
In animal studies, Rutgers scientists have found that surgical removal of abdominal fat from mice fed a high-fat diet reduces the risk of ultraviolet-light induced skin cancer – the most prevalent cancer in the United States with more than two million new cases each year – by up to 80 percent.
|
Today's environment influences behavior generations later: Chemical exposure raises descendants' sensitivity to stress
ScienceDaily
Mon, 21 May 2012 16:38:38 EDT
Researchers have seen an increased reaction to stress in animals whose ancestors were exposed to an environmental compound generations earlier. The findings put a new twist on the notions of nature and nurture, with broad implications for how certain behavioral tendencies might be inherited.
|
What baboons can teach us about social status
ScienceDaily
Mon, 21 May 2012 16:38:38 EDT
High-ranking male baboons recover more quickly from injuries and are less likely to become ill than other males, biologists have found.
|
Modern dog breeds genetically disconnected from ancient ancestors
ScienceDaily
Mon, 21 May 2012 16:38:38 EDT
Cross-breeding of dogs over thousands of years has made it extremely difficult to trace the ancient genetic roots of today's pets, according to a new study.
|
Squid ink from Jurassic period identical to modern cuttlefish ink
ScienceDaily
Mon, 21 May 2012 16:37:37 EDT
Scientists have found that two ink sacs from 160-million-year-old giant squid fossils discovered 2 years ago in England contain the pigment melanin, and that it is essentially identical to the melanin found in the ink sacs of modern-day squid.
|
Totally RAD: Bioengineers create rewritable digital data storage in DNA
ScienceDaily
Mon, 21 May 2012 16:37:37 EDT
Scientists have devised a method for repeatedly encoding, storing and erasing digital data within the DNA of living cells. In practical terms, they have devised the genetic equivalent of a binary digit -- a "bit" in data parlance.
|
Physical properties predict stem cell outcome
ScienceDaily
Mon, 21 May 2012 16:37:37 EDT
Tissue engineers can use mesenchymal stem cells derived from fat to make cartilage, bone, or more fat. The best cells to use are ones that are already likely to become the desired tissue. Researchers have discovered that the mechanical properties of the stem cells can foretell what they will become, leading to a potential method of concentrating them for use in healing.
|
Hunter-gatherers and horticulturalist lifestyle linked to lower blood pressure increases, atherosclerosis risks
ScienceDaily
Mon, 21 May 2012 16:36:36 EDT
Traditional "hunter-gatherer" and "horticulturalist" populations have significantly lower age-related increases in blood pressure and less risks of atherosclerosis than "modernized" populations. Lifestyle factors of these traditional populations -- high physical activity and high fruit and vegetable diets -- may protect against normal aging phenomena, high blood pressure and hardening of the arteries. Hunter-gatherers and forager-horticulturalists who live off the land and grow what they need to survive have lower age-related increases in blood pressure and less risks of atherosclerosis
|
Proven friction stir welding technology brings together reliability and affordability for NASA's space launch system
ScienceDaily
Mon, 21 May 2012 15:35:35 EDT
NASA's next heavy-lift launch vehicle, the Space Launch System, is moving further in development faster thanks to proven advanced technologies like friction stir welding. Friction stir welding uses frictional heating combined with forging pressure to produce high-strength bonds virtually free of defects. The welding process transforms metals from a solid state into a "plastic-like" state, and uses a rotating pin tool to soften, stir and forge a bond between two metal plates to form a uniform welded joint -- a vital requirement of next-generation space hardware.
|
Stunning view of Lyrids and Earth at night
ScienceDaily
Mon, 21 May 2012 15:33:33 EDT
On the night of April 21, the 2012 Lyrid meteor shower peaked in the skies over Earth. While NASA allsky cameras were looking up at the night skies, astronaut Don Pettit aboard the International Space Station trained his camera on Earth. Video footage from that night is now revealing breathtaking images of Earth with meteors ablating -- or burning up -- in the atmosphere.
|
Hubble spies edge-on beauty: Galaxy NGC 891
ScienceDaily
Mon, 21 May 2012 15:31:31 EDT
Visible in the constellation of Andromeda, NGC 891 is located approximately 30 million light-years away from Earth. The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope turned its powerful wide field Advanced Camera for Surveys towards this spiral galaxy and took this close-up of its northern half.
|
Cassini spots tiny moon, begins to tilt orbit
ScienceDaily
Mon, 21 May 2012 15:26:26 EDT
NASA's Cassini spacecraft made its closest approach to Saturn's tiny moon Methone as part of a trajectory that will take it on a close flyby of another of Saturn's moons, Titan. The Titan flyby will put the spacecraft in an orbit around Saturn that is inclined, or tilted, relative to the plane of the planet's equator. The flyby of Methone took place on May 20 at a distance of about 1,200 miles (1,900 kilometers). It was Cassini's closest flyby of the 2-mile-wide (3-kilometer-wide) moon. The best previous Cassini images were taken on June 8, 2005, at a distance of about 140,000 miles (225,000 kilometers), and they barely resolved this object.
|
Seventy-two percent of teenagers experienced reduced hearing ability after attending concert
ScienceDaily
Mon, 21 May 2012 15:17:17 EDT
Seventy-two percent of teenagers participating in a study experienced reduced hearing ability following exposure to a pop rock performance by a popular female singer.
|
Educational games to train middle schoolers' attention, empathy
ScienceDaily
Mon, 21 May 2012 15:17:17 EDT
Two years ago, at a meeting on science and education, experts challenged video game manufacturers to develop games that emphasize kindness and compassion instead of violence and aggression.
|
Antibiotic residues, some more than FDA limits, in seafood purchased at US grocery stores, experts say
ScienceDaily
Mon, 21 May 2012 14:18:18 EDT
Scientists have found evidence of antibiotics – one a suspected human carcinogen – in seafood imported into the United States and purchased from grocery store shelves.
|
Cell network security holes revealed, with an app to test your carrier
ScienceDaily
Mon, 21 May 2012 13:28:28 EDT
Popular firewall technology designed to boost security on cellular networks can backfire, unwittingly revealing data that could help a hacker break into Facebook and Twitter accounts, a new study shows.
|
