ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Nanowrinkles, nanofolds yield strange hidden channels
• Surprising pathway implicated in stuttering
• Dendritic cells protect against acute pancreatitis
• On the road to plasmonics with silver polyhedral nanocrystals: Researchers find simpler approach to making plasmonic materials
• Great Lakes fish feed on invading shrimp
• Carbon mitigation strategy uses wood for buildings first, bioenergy second
• Physical activity impacts overall quality of sleep
• Blocked holes can enhance rather than stop light going through
• Herbicide may affect plants thought to be resistant
• Head and neck cancer: Study identifies factors associated with increased risk of death among two-year survivors
• Highly efficient method for creating flexible, transparent electrodes developed
• Hope for muscle wasting disease
• New strategy could lead to dose reduction in X-ray imaging
• Discovery changes how scientists think about plant cell wall formation
• Peering inside the 'deflagration-to-detonation transition' of explosions
• Tiny flame shines light on supernovae explosions
• New design for mechanical heart valves
• Robojelly gets an upgrade: Underwater robot learns to swim more like the real thing
• Tumor-specific pathway identified
• Girls feel more anger, sadness than boys when friends offend
• Psychological intervention reduces disability and depression in adolescents with fibromyalgia
• P-Rex1 protein key to melanoma metastasis
• Humans can unwittingly bring alien plant species to Svalbard
• Amazon's biodiversity: Clearing up doubts as to the benefits of ecotourism
• Drug laws fail to protect children, experts say
• Jaw size linked to diet: Could too soft a diet cause lower jaw to stay too short and cause orthodontic problems?
• Babies who eat fish before nine months are less likely to suffer pre-school wheeze, study suggests
• Abnormal levels of caffeine in water indicate human contamination
• Laser removal may be advantageous for treating precancerous skin lesions
• Mortality rates for pharynx and mouth cancers have decreased, with greater declines among patients with more education
• Importance of treatment process and outcomes varies among patients with psoriasis
• Treatment of acne using oral antibiotics associated with reporting symptoms of sore throat
• Study examines racial disparities in surgical outcomes among patients with diverticulitis
• Body mass index associated with short-term mortality rates following surgery

Nanowrinkles, nanofolds yield strange hidden channels Posted: 22 Nov 2011 08:09 PM PST Wrinkles and folds, common in nature, do something unusual at the nanoscale. Researchers have discovered that wrinkles on super-thin films have hidden long waves. The team also found that folds in the film produce nanochannels, like thousands of tiny subsurface pipes. The research could lead to advances in medicine, electronics and energy.

Surprising pathway implicated in stuttering Posted: 22 Nov 2011 01:28 PM PST Researchers have obtained new evidence that at least some persistent stuttering is caused by mutations in a gene governing not speech, but a metabolic pathway involved in recycling old cell parts. Beyond a simple association, the study provides the first evidence that mutations affecting cellular recycling centers called lysosomes actually play a role in causing some people to stutter.

Dendritic cells protect against acute pancreatitis Posted: 22 Nov 2011 12:38 PM PST Researchers have discovered the novel protective role dendritic cells play in the pancreas. The new study shows dendritic cells can safeguard the pancreas against acute pancreatitis, a sudden dangerous swelling and inflammation of the pancreas gland.

On the road to plasmonics with silver polyhedral nanocrystals: Researchers find simpler approach to making plasmonic materials Posted: 22 Nov 2011 12:38 PM PST Researchers may have opened the door to a simpler approach for the fabrication of plasmonic materials -- one of the hottest new fields in high tech -- by inducing polyhedral-shaped silver nanocrystals to self-assemble into three-dimensional millimeter-sized supercrystals of the highest possible density.

Great Lakes fish feed on invading shrimp Posted: 22 Nov 2011 11:33 AM PST The latest invader of the Great Lakes -- Hemimysis anomala, or more commonly the bloody red shrimp after its bright red spots -- may become a new food source for fish, allaying concerns about how it will impact native fish populations.

Carbon mitigation strategy uses wood for buildings first, bioenergy second Posted: 22 Nov 2011 11:33 AM PST A new study is first to focus on the extra carbon savings that can be squeezed from trees when wood not suitable for long-term building materials is used for bioenergy: Depending on the process used, ethanol from woody biomass emits less greenhouse gas than an equivalent amount of gasoline, between 70 percent and a little over 100 percent less. In contrast, corn ethanol reduces greenhouse gas emissions 22 percent on average.

Physical activity impacts overall quality of sleep Posted: 22 Nov 2011 11:33 AM PST People sleep significantly better and feel more alert during the day if they get at least 150 minutes of exercise a week, a new study concludes.

Blocked holes can enhance rather than stop light going through Posted: 22 Nov 2011 10:33 AM PST Conventional wisdom would say that blocking a hole would prevent light from going through it, but engineers have discovered the opposite to be true. A research team has found that placing a metal cap over a small hole in a metal film does not stop the light at all, but rather enhances its transmission.

Herbicide may affect plants thought to be resistant Posted: 22 Nov 2011 10:33 AM PST Researchers have discovered a fine-tuning mechanism involved in plant root growth that has them questioning whether a popular herbicide may have unintended consequences, causing some plants to need more water or nutrients.

Head and neck cancer: Study identifies factors associated with increased risk of death among two-year survivors Posted: 22 Nov 2011 08:55 AM PST Among patients with head and neck cancer, poor overall quality of life, pain, and continued tobacco use appear to be associated with poorer outcomes and higher mortality rate two years after diagnosis, according to a new study.

Highly efficient method for creating flexible, transparent electrodes developed Posted: 22 Nov 2011 08:32 AM PST Researchers demonstrate a new method for making transparent electrodes from nanomaterials. By fusing AgNWs with metal oxide nanoparticles and organic polymers, highly transparent conductors were produced that could provide an alternative to the ITO. The research team has also built solar cells using the new electrodes and found that the performance of the cell is comparable to that of solar cells made with indium tin oxide.

Hope for muscle wasting disease Posted: 22 Nov 2011 08:32 AM PST A health supplement used by bodybuilders could be the key to treating a life-threatening muscular dystrophy affecting tens of thousands of children world-wide, new research shows. The amino acid L-tyrosine had a "rapid and dramatic impact" on Nemaline Myopathy in laboratory tests on mice, significantly improving symptoms of the muscle-wasting disease, medical researchers found.

New strategy could lead to dose reduction in X-ray imaging Posted: 22 Nov 2011 08:32 AM PST For more than a century, the use of X-rays has been a prime diagnostic tool when it comes to human health. As it turns out, X-rays also are a crucial component for studying and understanding molecules, and a new approach may dramatically improve what researchers can learn using the technique.

Discovery changes how scientists think about plant cell wall formation Posted: 22 Nov 2011 08:32 AM PST Researchers have discovered that two proteins come together in an unexpected way to make a carbohydrate, a chain of sugar molecules, in plant cell walls. This fundamental discovery changes the way scientists think about how plant cell walls are made and opens a new door to converting plants to biofuels and other carbon-based products.

Peering inside the 'deflagration-to-detonation transition' of explosions Posted: 22 Nov 2011 08:32 AM PST Explosions of reactive gases and the associated rapid, uncontrolled release of large amounts of energy pose threats of immense destructive power to mining operations, fuel storage facilities, chemical processing plants, and many other industrial applications. To gain a better understanding of what's going on during these explosions, researchers have studied the deflagration-to-detonation (DDT) transition, which can occur in environments ranging from experimental and industrial systems on Earth to astrophysical thermonuclear supernovae explosions.

Tiny flame shines light on supernovae explosions Posted: 22 Nov 2011 08:32 AM PST Starting from the behavior of small flames in the laboratory, a team of researchers has gained new insights into the titanic forces that drive Type Ia supernova explosions. These stellar explosions are important tools for studying the evolution of the universe, so a better understanding of how they behave would help answer some of the fundamental questions in astronomy.

New design for mechanical heart valves Posted: 22 Nov 2011 08:32 AM PST The heart's valves are asymmetrical. Mechanical heart valves, are symmetrical. Could an asymmetric design improve blood flow?

Robojelly gets an upgrade: Underwater robot learns to swim more like the real thing Posted: 22 Nov 2011 08:32 AM PST Engineers have developed a robot that mimics the graceful motions of jellyfish so precisely that it has been named Robojelly. Developed for the U.S. Office of Naval Research in 2009, this vehicle was designed to conduct ocean underwater surveillance, enabling it potentially to detect chemical spills, monitor the presence of ships and submarines, and observe the migration of schools of fish.

Tumor-specific pathway identified Posted: 22 Nov 2011 08:30 AM PST Scientists have identified an atypical metabolic pathway unique to some tumors, possibly providing a future target for drugs that could reduce or halt the spread of cancer.

Girls feel more anger, sadness than boys when friends offend Posted: 22 Nov 2011 08:30 AM PST Girls may be sugar and spice, but "everything nice" takes a back seat when friends let them down. Researchers found that pre-teen girls may not be any better at friendships than boys, despite previous research suggesting otherwise. The findings suggest that when more serious violations of a friendship occur, girls struggle just as much and, in some ways, even more than boys.

Psychological intervention reduces disability and depression in adolescents with fibromyalgia Posted: 22 Nov 2011 08:30 AM PST A recent trial shows cognitive-behavioral therapy reduces functional disability and depressive symptoms in adolescents with juvenile fibromyalgia. The psychological intervention was found to be safe and effective, and proved to be superior to disease management education.

P-Rex1 protein key to melanoma metastasis Posted: 22 Nov 2011 08:29 AM PST Researchers have identified a protein, called P-Rex1, that is key to the movement of cells called melanoblasts. When these cells experience uncontrolled growth, melanoma develops.

Humans can unwittingly bring alien plant species to Svalbard Posted: 22 Nov 2011 08:21 AM PST New research shows that humans can unwittingly bring alien plant species to Svalbard. Increased travel activity and expected temperature increases over the next decades, may make the establishment of new plant species in the archipelago's vulnerable ecosystem possible.

Amazon's biodiversity: Clearing up doubts as to the benefits of ecotourism Posted: 22 Nov 2011 08:21 AM PST Ecological tourism has no effect on the presence of large mammals in the Amazon, according to a study that for the first time compares the biological diversity of ecotourism zones with that of protected areas. Furthermore, it can help to protect the biodiversity of areas that are not officially protected yet are vital in the ecological framework.

Drug laws fail to protect children, experts say Posted: 22 Nov 2011 08:20 AM PST "Would legal regulation and control of drugs better protect children?" is a question posed by former President of Brazil, Fernando Henrique Cardoso in a new editorial.

Jaw size linked to diet: Could too soft a diet cause lower jaw to stay too short and cause orthodontic problems? Posted: 22 Nov 2011 08:20 AM PST New research suggests that many of the common orthodontic problems experienced by people in industrialized nations is due to their soft modern diet causing the jaw to grow too short and small relative to the size of their teeth.

Babies who eat fish before nine months are less likely to suffer pre-school wheeze, study suggests Posted: 22 Nov 2011 08:20 AM PST Children who started eating fish before nine months of age are less likely to suffer from pre-school wheeze, but face a higher risk if they were treated with broad spectrum antibiotics in the first week of life or their mother took paracetamol during pregnancy. Recurrent wheeze is a very common clinical problem in preschool children and there is a need for better medical treatment and improved understanding of the underlying mechanisms.

Abnormal levels of caffeine in water indicate human contamination Posted: 22 Nov 2011 08:20 AM PST Researchers have discovered that traces of caffeine are a useful indicator of the contamination of our water by sewers.

Laser removal may be advantageous for treating precancerous skin lesions Posted: 21 Nov 2011 04:39 PM PST Carbon dioxide laser ablation may have a role as an alternative treatment for a common precancerous skin lesion known as lentigo maligna when surgery or radiation therapy is not feasible, according to a new study.

Mortality rates for pharynx and mouth cancers have decreased, with greater declines among patients with more education Posted: 21 Nov 2011 04:39 PM PST Death rates have declined among US patients with cancer of the mouth and pharynx from 1993 to 2007, with the greatest decreases seen among men and women with at least 12 years of education, according to a report in the November issue of the Archives of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Importance of treatment process and outcomes varies among patients with psoriasis Posted: 21 Nov 2011 04:39 PM PST Among patients with moderate to severe psoriasis, treatment options that are most compatible with their personal and professional life appear to be most important, and treatment location appears more important than probability and magnitude of treatment outcome, according to a new study.

Treatment of acne using oral antibiotics associated with reporting symptoms of sore throat Posted: 21 Nov 2011 04:39 PM PST Taking oral antibiotics for treatment of acne appears to be associated with reporting symptoms of pharyngitis, according to a new study.

Study examines racial disparities in surgical outcomes among patients with diverticulitis Posted: 21 Nov 2011 04:39 PM PST Among older Medicare beneficiaries who underwent surgical treatment for diverticulitis, black race was associated with increased risk of urgent/emergency surgery, high risk of in-hospital mortality and higher total hospital charges, according to a new study.

Body mass index associated with short-term mortality rates following surgery Posted: 21 Nov 2011 04:39 PM PST Body Mass Index appears to be associated with 30-day mortality risk following surgical procedures, and patients with a BMI of less than 23.1 appear to be at highest risk of death, according to a new study.

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